Saving a few bucks on cable bill

And when we have friends over and we watch something on the tv they all want to know how we get such a great HD picture!
 
To save with Comcast you have to call them and get through the phone maze until you get to the person that handles cancelations. Tell them you have hit hard times and need to chop your expenses. Tell them you are thinking of cutting the tv or internet or phone maybe 2 things or just stop all bus. with them but you have to cut something soon....you be surprised what will happen....I saved over 100 dollars (two homes) and got free blast speed.

I plan to call them again soon. They will not call you, you have to call them. There is no risk you can always say maybe you will just let it be for awhile.
 
before we left comcast 3 years ago I was paying $115 and they went to $65 without cutting out anything but we cut the cord anyway as i was tired of fighting with them every 12 months. Even though it only saved me $7 a month - ie, $65 vs the $58 we pay now i haven't regretted the decision
 
wmc1000 said:
before we left comcast 3 years ago I was paying $115 and they went to $65 without cutting out anything but we cut the cord anyway as i was tired of fighting with them every 12 months. Even though it only saved me $7 a month - ie, $65 vs the $58 we pay now i haven't regretted the decision
Click to expand...
That's similar to my situation with DirecTV. The annual hassle to get a better deal combined with ever diminishing returns on our entertainment dollar finally reached the breaking point. When I called to cancel this morning I was pleasantly surprised they didn't put up a bigger fight to try to talk me into staying.

Meanwhile, DW is busy binge-watching her favorite shows on Netflix...
 
REWahoo said:
That's similar to my situation with DirecTV. The annual hassle to get a better deal combined with ever diminishing returns on our entertainment dollar finally reached the breaking point. When I called to cancel this morning I was pleasantly surprised they didn't put up a bigger fight to try to talk me into staying.

Meanwhile, DW is busy binge-watching her favorite shows on Netflix...
Click to expand...

Sounds like you have a good set up going. For your OTA antenna, did you go outdoor or indoor?
 
easysurfer said:
Sounds like you have a good set up going. For your OTA antenna, did you go outdoor or indoor?
Click to expand...
I split the difference. :)

It is a large antenna designed for outdoor use, but our attic was big enough to allow me to install it there. I tried an indoor antenna but it was hit or miss and too susceptible to weather problems.
 
I'm in my second and final year of my contract with Direct TV. I'm paying 157 per month. I'm definitely going to shut it down when my contract is up.
 
wmc1000 said:
And when we have friends over and we watch something on the tv they all want to know how we get such a great HD picture!
Click to expand...

+1

It amazes me how my friends with cable think my picture is so much better when all I have is OTA free TV, and a 720p screen. Of course, my TV is a plasma, no small advantage.
 
REWahoo said:
That's similar to my situation with DirecTV. The annual hassle to get a better deal combined with ever diminishing returns on our entertainment dollar finally reached the breaking point. When I called to cancel this morning I was pleasantly surprised they didn't put up a bigger fight to try to talk me into staying.
Click to expand...

What?!?!? You object to paying $4 to $5 a month for ESPN?? :rolleyes:
 
The whole cable deal has turned into an annual or semi annual task that DW goes through to keep our cable and internet cost in line for two properties. Just like coupons constant vigilance is required.
 
REWahoo said:
:)

My upgrade was from 1.5mb to 5.5mb. 25mb is science fiction out here in the sticks.
Click to expand...

Ah but you get to live in the sticks! Clean air, less traffic, no noise, and greatly reduced stress and rushing about.

In my case, the faster service was $5 less per month than the slower one. :)
 
REWahoo said:
I split the difference. :)

It is a large antenna designed for outdoor use, but our attic was big enough to allow me to install it there. I tried an indoor antenna but it was hit or miss and too susceptible to weather problems.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good approach.
 
Where I am going to live I will have to have Hughsnet for internet. $70 a month for 10Mbps down and 2Mbps up. 10Gbytes of data a month. They also have a deal where you can use more data between 2 am and 8 am. May be able to download some movies then. No cell service and phones don't work over satellite internet. They do have old fashioned land line phone service. I may get that. I don't think I will get TV service. I may do Netflix through the mail, but I have to go to town to get the mail. No mail service. But I do have great UPS service!
 
I don't want to get into the politics of this decision or sound alarmist, but this is a ruling which (if upheld) could undermine the cost-effectiveness of "cable-cutting" and "dish-ditching":

'Net neutrality' ruling will turn Internet into cable TV, critics say - CSMonitor.com

What does it mean? Cable operators (who are increasingly the main players in the broadband Internet provider business) who are seeing their customer base erode because of video streaming providers like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime can, in theory, charge a lot more for their traffic than for other traffic that goes through their network, or "meter" their usage -- thus eliminating most or all of the cost advantages for ditching their cable TV services. That would be like UPS buying the Interstate Highway System and charging FedEx MUCH higher tolls than anyone else.

It's premature to say that will happen (or when), but this ruling would, if upheld, open the door to allow it. It's just another thing to consider and keep in mind that down the road, it *could* happen.
 
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It not only could happen, it is likely to happen unless the FCC acts to change rules it wrote earlier.
 
Locked in @ 120/month for 36 months for cable,internet,and alarm system with Comcast X1. Alarm saved about 7% on property insurance. I'd rather invest that 1,440 a year but it keeps the wife and kids happy. Happy wife equals happy life, just not rich.
 
ziggy29 said:
I don't want to get into the politics of this decision or sound alarmist, but this is a ruling which (if upheld) could undermine the cost-effectiveness of "cable-cutting" and "dish-ditching":
Click to expand...

I don't spend much time downloading movies or You Tube videos so I don't think I would mind having a choice to not pay for those services. Seems to me it would work something like data plans on cell phones. You choose the amount of data you want.
 
ziggy29 said:
I don't want to get into the politics of this decision or sound alarmist, but this is a ruling which (if upheld) could undermine the cost-effectiveness of "cable-cutting" and "dish-ditching":

'Net neutrality' ruling will turn Internet into cable TV, critics say - CSMonitor.com

What does it mean? Cable operators (who are increasingly the main players in the broadband Internet provider business) who are seeing their customer base erode because of video streaming providers like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime can, in theory, charge a lot more for their traffic than for other traffic that goes through their network, or "meter" their usage -- thus eliminating most or all of the cost advantages for ditching their cable TV services. That would be like UPS buying the Interstate Highway System and charging FedEx MUCH higher tolls than anyone else.

It's premature to say that will happen (or when), but this ruling would, if upheld, open the door to allow it. It's just another thing to consider and keep in mind that down the road, it *could* happen.
Click to expand...

youbet said:
It not only could happen, it is likely to happen unless the FCC acts to change rules it wrote earlier.
Click to expand...

Hermit said:
I don't spend much time downloading movies or You Tube videos so I don't think I would mind having a choice to not pay for those services. Seems to me it would work something like data plans on cell phones. You choose the amount of data you want.
Click to expand...
For those interested in this subject there is a thread discussing the "net neutrality" decision here: http://www.early-retirement.org/for...is-dead-bow-to-comcast-and-verizon-70174.html
 
I cut my cord in Mar 2013. Will never go back. Besides TV being a massive waist of time, I love not paying At&t or DirecTV $110 a month. I'll be honest and tell you that fall sports season was a challenge. But I survived watching most ESPN games via my brother's att acct on my IPad. The networks broadcast pro football so you don't miss much there. Cut the cord.
 
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