We have been considering cutting out cable television from our lives. The reasons for our decision are several, which I will detail below. I'm posting here to inquire to those of you who have gone cable free, what have your experiences been like. Any unexpected consequences? Things that you miss that you didn't think you would?
First some caveats: We will still have a TV in our living room. And, yes, I suppose that we could still receive over-the-air broadcast signals. We live far enough out in the country that this would really amount to 1 or maybe 2 stations. We will still have some business with the 'cable' company as they provide our internet connection, and by way of VoIP via Vonage, our telephone service.
So here are some of my reasons for cutting out television:
- Cost: Our cable service costs just over $50 per month, $600 per year. I'd really rather put that money toward something else. Pretty much anything else.
- Selection: Time and time again, I've looked through the 60-some channels that we subscribe to only to find absolutely nothing worth watching. Even with DVR, I have to scrounge around to find something that I actually want to record to watch sometime in the future. For the few shows that I actually do enjoy watching, many are streamed on the internet for free (legal streaming from the network website - don't bust on me).
- Distraction: I often find that the television is often just noise in the background. Maybe recently becoming a father has keyed my into this noise more. I'd like to have less distractions from the important things in my life. Not having television to just click on and plop down in front of might help limit the amount of time I spend being idle.
So, those are some of things that I have been thinking about. I'd be very interested to hear other peoples experiences. I know this is a diverse and well-informed community. Give me the benefit of your knowledge.
