A little over 8 months ago, I made the decision to completely cut my cable to save money. I was paying off debt with gazelle like intensity so I decided to temporarily increase my cash flow and speed up the payoff. This action instantly added an additional $70 a month to my budget that was applied toward OPERATION CONQUER DEBT. However, there were additional benefits to replacing my cable with limited streaming Internet television.
Additional benefits from avoiding cable T.V. costs
Increased time & productivity
The amount of time I spent watching T.V. decreased dramatically. With this new found time on my hands, I was able to do other things. It is a conscious decision to be productive or find less fruitful ways to pass the time. I opted for productivity (most of the time) by spending more time reading, writing, and working on other side projects. 
Here are some productive alternatives:
- Start a side business
- Go back to school or take classes
- Family game night
- Volunteer for a local charity
- Catch up with family & friends
Alternative Social Entertainment
Without a television to lean on, entertaining guests becomes more active than passive. Stimulating discussions abound when the television is not demanding part or all of our attention. Also, on nice days I find myself more eager to get out of the house.
No Cable Anxiety
Do you have a certain time that your friends know not to call you because your favorite show is on? Do you know people who form their schedules around their favorite prime time series? There is no need to check the T.V. Guide listings, I simply add the shows I like to my Hulu queue and watch them when I want. Most shows only keep a few of their most recent episodes online for a limited time. There is an expiration date, but it isn’t limited to the time it comes on T.V.
Less Advertising!
Commercial breaks online run 15-30 second intervals. This is much better than the 2-5 minute intervals of commercials from mainstream media. This adds up to approximately 20 minutes for a 1 hour show. 1/3 of the show is commercials. While we all would like to think we are immune to the effects of advertising, the reality is commercials are designed to make you shop more and spend more. The industry is growing so they must be doing something right!
I don’t know how much longer I’ll keep my cable completely off, but right now I rarely miss it. Being single, I have the liberty to make this decision without disrupting household dynamics.
What about you? Have you ever cut or limited your cable? What effects did you notice besides more money in your pocket?
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