How do you afford it?

[smeisnotapirate]

I know this sounds strange, but hear me out.

DH and I have been looking into becoming a (network) TV-free house. We'd like to keep the TV for documentaries and movies, but hate the fact that we're paying for even basic cable - which we never watch now that they took the Weather Channel off our package! Our problem is that through Comcast (who I believe has a monopoly in this area), it is cheaper to get cable and internet together than it is to get just internet.

So what do you do? Do you get cable and just never use it to make it cheaper? I wish we had the option of going somewhere else, but as far as I know, we're stuck. Any ideas? Advice? Tips?

[boatbaby]

We used to have the same issue where we live and we did what you're describing. We paid for the TV & cable package because it was cheaper and then had no TV to plug in, just used the modem for the computer. The comcast service around here changed though. Now we pay $40/ month for the modem/ internet service and that's it.
I think it's so rare that people don't want the TV part, they are not set up for it. Call and explain and ask what they can do for you. You have other internet options in most places (via phone service, wireless) they should want to keep you as a customer and help out!
Good luck!

[beansricerevolt]

Yes, call Comcast and explain. We currently have a cable modem for our computer and no package deal. We just moved to this state (same account with Comcast) and they gave us a 6 mo. discount and free set up because we called and asked..err complained about the stupid system they have set up. After 6 months, I think they may be expecting us to pay full but we will fight it or look somewhere else.
At our previous home, we had to pay for that package but never had the wires installed for a television. If your wires are already installed, cut them out or just don't plug into it. Getting rid of the television box altogether will solve this problem too.

It totally sucks but we need high speed internet. DH is a graphic/web designer and would go mad if it wasn't a speedy process.

[2+twins]

I've heard that as well (about it being cheaper). I haven't checked into it myself so I'm not sure what it's like here. Anyway, what we did was to still get a package deal but it's through our phone company (AT&T). I think we pay something like $70 p/mo which includes our local & domestic phone service (unlimited calls) plus our dsl line (not the fastest package but it feels fast to me).

[phathui5]

Does your phone company offer internet? We get our phone and internet through Verizon.

[smeisnotapirate]

Originally Posted by phathui5

Does your phone company offer internet? We get our phone and internet through Verizon.

We actually don't have a landline, just our cell phones. Unfortunately, any phone company requires you to have a landline if you want internet from them.

[zinemama]

Yeah, us too. We get our internet through a local provider and our phone company. We (well, dh and I) watch dvds on the computer.

[MCsMom]

Hmmm, we have comcast and use the internet and phone through them. I would look into that instead. I mean - if you 'have' to pay for two things. But, I have called and talked with Comcast several times to change our services (we used to have a rented who wanted cable and we had to put it on our acct, then they moved and we took it off again) and they have always been very helpfull and tried to keep us as customers.

Can you get internet via satelite instead maybe?

[loraxc]

Sorry to hijack, but does anyone know if you can just cut a cable wire? We have a cable wire coming in to our bedroom and no TV there. Can I just snip it? We do have (active) cable in the living room.

[smeisnotapirate]

Originally Posted by loraxc

Sorry to hijack, but does anyone know if you can just cut a cable wire? We have a cable wire coming in to our bedroom and no TV there. Can I just snip it? We do have (active) cable in the living room.

We had the same thing and we just shoved it into the wall. Dunno if it would be live or not. I'd assume not.

[cancat]

We got phone and internet through the same company, and they gave us pretty cheap flat-fee long distance. Probably cable would be only 10 bucks or so more, but we don't have a tv, so...

[Lohagrace]

You can just watch movies on your computer (that's what we do) and you can watch most shows (NOVA, american experience...not sure which documentary shows you watch) online, also. we got rid of our actual tv, but use the computer to watch DVDs (for DH and me) or to watch tv shows. for example, i watch lost on the computer (so i guess i'm not strictly tv free, even though we dont own a tv! the kids are tv free). we also pay for cable modem, and its the same price to have cable modem with tv cable or without :

[EyesOfTheWorld]

Originally Posted by smeisnotapirate

We actually don't have a landline, just our cell phones. Unfortunately, any phone company requires you to have a landline if you want internet from them.

I'm not sure what company you'd be using, but we had just internet and no landline through Verizon for over a year. They assigned a "dry loop" number to us. It worked for internet, and if we had wanted to turn on the phone service we could have. Much cheaper than using cable internet! I'd ask if that's a possibility.

[GooeyDay]

Originally Posted by EyesOfTheWorld

I'm not sure what company you'd be using, but we had just internet and no landline through Verizon for over a year. They assigned a "dry loop" number to us. It worked for internet, and if we had wanted to turn on the phone service we could have. Much cheaper than using cable internet! I'd ask if that's a possibility.

Was Verizon your cell phone provider, or the local phone company for your area?

~* Laura

[EyesOfTheWorld]

Originally Posted by GooeyDay

Was Verizon your cell phone provider, or the local phone company for your area?

~* Laura

Sorry if I was confusing. Verizon was the phone/ DSL provider for the area. It was about half the cost of cable internet, even without phone service. I wish we had it in our new area!

[TanyaS]

Originally Posted by loraxc

Sorry to hijack, but does anyone know if you can just cut a cable wire? We have a cable wire coming in to our bedroom and no TV there. Can I just snip it? We do have (active) cable in the living room.

Cable wires are not live. You can just snip it.

[eurobin]

I'm not TV-free but I'm cable-free. I get ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, PBS, and two local channels over the air with my rabbit ears. My internet is high speed through the phone company (Cincinnati Bell). It's just as good as cable internet and wayyyyyy cheaper.

[smeisnotapirate]

Originally Posted by eurobin

I'm not TV-free but I'm cable-free. I get ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, PBS, and two local channels over the air with my rabbit ears. My internet is high speed through the phone company (Cincinnati Bell). It's just as good as cable internet and wayyyyyy cheaper.

Hey! Where in Cincy are you? I grew up in North Avondale and Mt. Airy!

[netgyks]

Originally Posted by EyesOfTheWorld

I'm not sure what company you'd be using, but we had just internet and no landline through Verizon for over a year. They assigned a "dry loop" number to us. It worked for internet, and if we had wanted to turn on the phone service we could have. Much cheaper than using cable internet! I'd ask if that's a possibility.

AT&T offers dry loop DSL in my area. When we went cable TV free, Comcast upped our rate to $60 for internet, so we dropped them like a hot potato.

AT&T's cheapest dry loop (and regular) DSL is $24 I believe for up to 1.5 Mbps, we pay $29 for 1.5-3.0 and there is a $35 package I think for 3.0-6.0 Mbps.

[alexsam]

Personally, I'd rather have a land-line telephone and internet (and that's what we have). It seems silly to have the cable and no TV, whereas with a phone, you can get a telephone for $10 and have a back-up in case of an emergency (plus, I don't have to use my minutes to call my family during the day). So though our cell phones are our primary phones, I find the landline more useful than an absolutely worthless TV cable.