Cable/Phone/Internet...Ughhhhhh

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2003
Cable/Phone/Internet...Ughhhhhh
9
Wed, 01-07-2009 - 8:31pm

Okay...this was a really reasonable expense when we first moved. We were paying about $120 per month for high speed internet, digital cable with dvr and unlimited long distance. Now it has creeped up to $170!!!!! We haven't changed anything, its just a combination of their rates increasing and us going on and off promotions. They offered me a 2 year lock of $138 and I think I'll give them a call tomorrow and check into that further.

I know the smart thing is to get rid of the cable completely, but honestly that is our only real form of entertainment. We are a family of six and it makes more sense to keep the cable then to go out and rent movies/go to the movies. We don't do netflix or anything like that.

We need the high speed internet for my husbands work and all of our family lives out of town so the unlimited long distance is ideal. Our combined cell bill is $140, but we need the high minutes and my husbands company chips in $80 each month in reimbursement. I'm thinking about getting rid of the home phone. We don't use all of our minutes each month, but we're locked into a plan that they don't offer anymore.

To complicate all of this, we declared bankruptcy last summer so I don't think we're really in a position to shop around for direct tv or a new cell company.

I would appreciate any ideas you ladies have. I'm at my wits end.

Thanks...samey

Avatar for earnhardt_jr_fan
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 01-07-2009 - 8:38pm

Definitely call the cable company and ask them if they have any specials. Sometimes mentioning "I am considering switching to satellite...." will give them the little boost they need to offer you a good deal. If you aren't going over your minutes with your cell phone, I would consider dropping the home phone. Is there anyway you could call your out of town family after 9pm so the minutes would be free? OR you could ask your cell phone company if they offer "early nights" -- which for a small fee (AT&T charges $5) they will let you start your free nights early.


You COULD try shopping around for DirecTV or a new cell phone provider. A lot of them don't look at your credit score the way you'd think -- a lot of them look at it based on if you've ever terminated a contract with another cell provider and have an outstanding balance. I know satellite providers look to see if you have an outstanding balance with another company.


Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-01-2008
Wed, 01-07-2009 - 11:00pm

I haven't had cable TV in over 20 years. When I recently bought my DTV converter box, I found that I now have five additional channels, for a total of ten. I have a DVD/VCR player and I borrow DVDs and tapes from the library and from friends when I want to see a movie.

My children grew up without cable and I think they read more books than they would have if they were watching TV every night. They still had Sesame Street, McGyver, and other special programs, but we also read, played board games, and did crafts. You really do not need cable TV.

Mary Jo








iVillage Member
Registered: 07-10-2003
Thu, 01-08-2009 - 2:55am

I don't have cable either and I am somewhat concerned it will be more of a problem when its all digital.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2003
Thu, 01-08-2009 - 6:38am

In our old state we could get movies from the library, but they don't do that here. I was really bummed. Even the newer movies were only a dollar to rent.

Thanks...samey

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-01-2008
Thu, 01-08-2009 - 8:38am

Do you have your converter box yet? Two of the additional channels I now receive are PBS channels. It's great! I can now watch two hours of "The History Detectives" every Saturday night, something that cable TV wouldn't give me. I was at my mother's house last week and I flipped through all 78 or so of her channels and I couldn't find anything I was interested in enough to actually watch. I ended up giving the remote back to my mother and she tuned into "Matlock" for the billionth time.

If the converter box doesn't work out for you, you may have to get basic cable for about $10. (Did I just suggest getting cable? Ughh! What's happening to me?)

Mary Jo








iVillage Member
Registered: 09-07-2003
Thu, 01-08-2009 - 9:07am

The great thing about cable is there is ALWAYS a way to cut a bill!


I totally hear you on the "unlimited long distance" -- for many years having high speed internet and digital phone was MUCH less expensive for me then having a large cell phone plan.


For me, step one is to decide what you need.

Teresa
http://www.affordingpickles.blogspot.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
Thu, 01-08-2009 - 9:30am

I feel your pain, too.

Norma


"Patience is the best remedy for every trouble"- Plautus


iVillage Member
Registered: 06-21-2003
Sun, 01-11-2009 - 3:20pm

Hello. I'm not a regular poster here, but was cruising by and thought I'd respond.

If you end up giving up cable, you might consider Netflix. When my local library ran out of the DVDs we like, my husband and I ended up getting the Netflix 2 DVDs at a time for $13.99 plus tax per month. If we watch the DVD the night it arrives and put it in the mail the next morning, we end up seeing 4 DVDs per week.

To make it even better, for Christmas hubby surprised me by getting the little Roku unit sold through Netflix so we can watch as many movies as we want instantly. All you need is a fast internet connection and your basic router information. The unit with shipping and cables came to about $140, a one-time charge. So, for a few pennies under $15 per month, we get the 4 DVDs thru the mail plus unlimited DVDs thru the Roku unit! I'm in heaven watching classics such as "All Creatures Great and Small" anytime I want! Netflix has about 12,000 DVDs that you can watch instantly and keeps adding more. Just add the movies to your queue on your computer, and they'll show up on your Roku.

Just wanted to give you another option to consider.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-12-2007
Sun, 01-11-2009 - 6:23pm

Hi,


I saw the Roku at a friend's house recently and am toying with the idea of purchasing one.