I cut back..

**hugxlaughxsmilexlove** · 07-10-2008, 04:26 PM

..on TV!

Ya know, before I "found" this site I didn't care for the bills at all. Here it is, this is when it's due, yadda yadda. Our satellite bill was almost $65 a month for a bunch of channels we don't even watch! I think there were maybe two (could obviously live without them). So I cut back, saving about $30-$35 a month/$360-420 a year!

Wowza!!

Still a newbie but loving this site and all of the amazing tips. I don't know what I would do without ya (besides wasting a ton of money)!!

Time to buckle down and pay off debt. Everything but the mortgage within two years is my goal.. I have to calculate it all and add it to my siggy. Writing things down for other people to see is a HUGE motivator for me..

Looking forward to being debt free with everyone!!

**FrugalMomof3** · 07-10-2008, 04:44 PM

Wow that's great, I cut out cable all together month's ago and havent regretted it at all. I have tons of DVD's I could watch if I wanted to... but quality time with the family is so much better than TV any day

**Mom23boys** · 07-10-2008, 04:48 PM

Way to go!! I am thinking about lowering our cable package. I think if I cut it all together DH and the boys would die. They like 'their' sports.

**vigilant20** · 07-10-2008, 04:53 PM

I've been here two months and the first thing I did was dop the cable too...it's wonderful not being tied to the TV. I'm still tweaking my budget and deciding what I need and don't...good luck with yours!

**familyof3** · 07-10-2008, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by hugxlaughxsmilexlove

.

Time to buckle down and pay off debt. Everything but the mortgage within two years is my goal.. I have to calculate it all and add it to my siggy. Writing things down for other people to see is a HUGE motivator for me..

Looking forward to being debt free with everyone!!

You can do it!!! Find the little ways to keep you motivated. Stay focused and it will be get done!

**hugxlaughxsmilexlove** · 07-10-2008, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by Mom23boys

Way to go!! I am thinking about lowering our cable package. I think if I cut it all together DH and the boys would die. They like 'their' sports.

Yeah.. I have two little ones who I do allow to watch their "shows" in the morning. Really helps me get stuff done, hehe! And my DH will turn on the TV for an hour when he gets home to help him fall asleep.. couldn't live without it! Not to mention.. Red Wings, I'd die!

**itsahumanzoo** · 07-10-2008, 05:08 PM

Way to go! I'm thinking about cutting down to just the basics. My son really likes to watch Blues Clues and Caillou on PBS sprout, but I think I might just invest in some DVDs for him.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 07-10-2008, 05:44 PM

Cable TV here is a must for me to be able to have any time to myself. I let the kids watch their shows and I use that time to either peruse the forums or clean up. I've been cutting back their TV time but I'm not sure how I'd cut out the tv channels that we don't watch. We get them in a bundle and both DH and I absolutely need our sports channels. We're huge hockey fans and it's basically the biggest thing we have in common (except he's an Oilers fan and I'm a Penguins fan

).

I watch TV on Tuesday and Thursday nights (Tuesday = Hell's Kitchen when it was on, Thursday = Grey's Anatomy) and DH watches it when the kids aren't paying enough attention to the TV to warrant them having TV time. We keep Treehouse, Teletoon, and CBC (so 2.5 cartoon channels and the other .5 is news) plus the kids watch alot of PBS. DH has Spike TV for UFC (I watch it too) and I watch alot of A&E and TLC. I also watch Space when they have awesome horror flicks on plus Space shows alot of movies released onto cable TV. We could probably stand to get rid of 50% of the channels but those are in the bundles. If we went without bundles, we'd actually be paying more for our cable.

Calgary's a pretty high cost-of-living city and I don't know of alot of activities around here for the kids that doesn't cost a ton (taking all four of us to the zoo = 50 dollars). We have two playgrounds and a huge park nearby but DH doesn't seem too keen on doing anything outside the house after he's done with work.

So in short, cable stays.

**hugxlaughxsmilexlove** · 07-10-2008, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by MomToTwoBoys

Cable TV here is a must for me to be able to have any time to myself. I let the kids watch their shows and I use that time to either peruse the forums or clean up. I've been cutting back their TV time but I'm not sure how I'd cut out the tv channels that we don't watch. We get them in a bundle and both DH and I absolutely need our sports channels. We're huge hockey fans and it's basically the biggest thing we have in common (except he's an Oilers fan and I'm a Penguins fan

).

I watch TV on Tuesday and Thursday nights (Tuesday = Hell's Kitchen when it was on, Thursday = Grey's Anatomy) and DH watches it when the kids aren't paying enough attention to the TV to warrant them having TV time. We keep Treehouse, Teletoon, and CBC (so 2.5 cartoon channels and the other .5 is news) plus the kids watch alot of PBS. DH has Spike TV for UFC (I watch it too) and I watch alot of A&E and TLC. I also watch Space when they have awesome horror flicks on plus Space shows alot of movies released onto cable TV. We could probably stand to get rid of 50% of the channels but those are in the bundles. If we went without bundles, we'd actually be paying more for our cable.

Calgary's a pretty high cost-of-living city and I don't know of alot of activities around here for the kids that doesn't cost a ton (taking all four of us to the zoo = 50 dollars). We have two playgrounds and a huge park nearby but DH doesn't seem too keen on doing anything outside the house after he's done with work.

So in short, cable stays.

It's a huge must for me. That's why I only cut back (can't get rid of it all forever). I get ALL of the channels we normally watch, the girls' cartoon channels and the only channel I "lost" that I enjoy is TLC but I probably haven't watched it in over a month or two anyways because we've been so busy. And now I'm saving money and still having "our" TV!

HUGE hockey fan right here. The only team in Michigan that can actually win too, phew!!

**MomK** · 07-10-2008, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by hugxlaughxsmilexlove

..on TV!

Time to buckle down and pay off debt. Everything but the mortgage within two years is my goal.. I have to calculate it all and add it to my siggy. Writing things down for other people to see is a HUGE motivator for me..

Looking forward to being debt free with everyone!!

I agree, I feel accountable to people who read my posts and see my signature! Good luck!

**MomK** · 07-10-2008, 09:58 PM

We could probably stand to get rid of 50% of the channels but those are in the bundles. If we went without bundles, we'd actually be paying more for our cable.

[/QUOTE]

I completely understand the frustration. To get the 4-5 channels we actually watch, we have to pay for a bunch we don't care about AT ALL! I'd like to get rid of cable, but I cannot...will not give up HGTV, and DH can't live without ESPN!

**Clutterbug Jen** · 07-11-2008, 03:00 AM

Good going!!

All kinds of great tips here [and great people as well!]

Jen

**DonnainME** · 07-11-2008, 07:53 AM

We can't get rid of tv completely. We don't pick up ANY local channel here - even with rabbit ears. There is no big antenna outside We went to the lowest package on directv. It's the Family package and it includes local channels. It's $24.99 per month (I think) and we do have another tv - that costs $4.99.

We need television because of dd's school. In winter we always have news on in the am to check for school closures. Hard winters in Western Maine.

**freebs** · 07-11-2008, 08:16 AM

I have satellite and my bill is $75 a month but i have to have that for the cartoon chanels if i downgrade i will not get any cartoon chanels at all.

**LuvMyHubby** · 07-11-2008, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by MomToTwoBoys

I watch TV on Tuesday and Thursday nights (Tuesday = Hell's Kitchen when it was on,
So in short, cable stays.

WooHOO!!! Another Hell's Kitchen fan, yay.

We have what I call "the baby cable package", it runs about 12.00 a month for 23 channels.

Could we live without the cable? Yes but we don't splurge on channels we don't need nor would have time to watch (although I would love to have scifi) and really we don't spend much on ourselves so I agree until the twelve dollars equates to no food on my table the cable stays.