So it cost more if I cancel t cable...

[mamayogibear]

I was really hoping to go tv free by this summer, but when I called comcast, being the enablers that they are, they told me I would loose all the double deal discounts I get for having tv and internet. It would cost me $40 more to not have cable! I now only pay $15 more a month for the most basic of cable and get about a dozen channels.

My kids watch PBS and Sprout mainly: Curious George, Cat in The Hat, Dirt Girl, Bob the Builder and Caillou for about two hours a day. I watch about the same amount of tv as they do, sometimes the news in the morning but usually a show or two at night after there asleep.

So how can I motivate myself to just not watch the cable since it's there. TV really i a weakness for me and I can't make myself just not watch it since it's here. Thanks for the encouragement!

[Chamomile Girl]

Is Comcast the only option for internet where you are?  If not, cancel comcast all together and go with the other guy.  Serves comcast right!

[elisheva]

We are dealing with a big Canadian provider (Shaw) and were told the same thing - we'd lose our discounts if we cancelled cable and ultimately end up paying more. I don't know if this is an option for you, but we took back the digial cable box anyway and unplugged the cable from the TV. My kids still watch some videos but I'm ok with that as they will sit and watch for 15 min at a time instead of watching new show after new show. Anything I want to watch, I get online after they are asleep (mainly the Daily Show and Glee...). For news, I listen to the radio (CBC) in the kitchen while I work.

[Annie Mac]

Do you have room in your house to put the TV somewhere out of the way? I was really surprised how much less TV I watch when we moved it downstairs (my main puttering area is upstairs). It's still down there if I want it, but I have to stop what I'm doing and make an effort. 

[crunchy_mommy]

I'd second finding another internet provider, if that's an option! We have internet-only (from a company that does provide cable) and it does not cost more. It would be about $80 for cable+internet & so internet is only $20 -- but we get just internet, which costs $40 or so -- so we ARE paying more for internet but we're paying less overall. Hopefully there is a company that will do something like this where you live!!!

Otherwise... get the TV out of the main living areas... unplug the cable and just pretend you don't have it (or designate "Friday veg-out nights" or whatever if you do want to occasionally enjoy a show). If you make it hard to watch TV, you're much less likely to do it casually...