Today I feel a newfound sense of freedom. This week I said “Bye-bye Comcast.” Okay, so what I really said was “Take it with you now. Take the cable, the box, and the remote. Take it with you now.”
I won’t go into the frustrating details of the soap opera that led up to such a demand. However, that is the only cable provider available to me, so I’ve been developing alternatives for my electronic companion [you might call yours a TV]. 
Wouldn’t you know that my DVD player went out right away, but it was old. I got a new one for $40 at Overstock.com.
One of the local news channels has a free live streaming video. Even though I have little patience for the news, I force myself to watch some. And I do watch the weather. So that’s covered. I don’t need cable for that.
I’ve gotten really familiar with Netflix, something I had never used before. I have a month’s free trial on both the “immediate” [to computer] or the DVDs by mail. They are really quick with the DVDs, by the way. They offer a much wider selection than I could get using my “economy package” cable.
Suddenly I’m using my Nook for much more than bedside reading. I even have my Nook [like a Kindle] streaming Netflix video straight from Nook to TV so I can watch on the large screen — without waiting for the DVD in the mail. [Yes, if I found the right cable I could do that with my computer too, but the Nook is smaller and much easier to place next to the TV.]
Okay, now let me talk economics. My “Economy” cable package kept cutting channels. It wasn’t much more than basic. So how does this compare with my monthly cable bill? With all the taxes and other nickels and dimes they tack on to the “price,” if I don’t add a pay per view movie, economy cable was about $55.02.
After my free month, Netflix will be 7.99 each for the “instant” and the DVD-by-mail. Call it $15.98. Even if I added the one-time cost of the new DVD player it would be less than “Economy” plus one movie.
I’m cable free! So, is that cool or what?
Comcast, I have just one comment for you:
Teagan's Books 
Good for you!!! None of my kids have TV, that’s 3 households without cable and they are doing just fine and more well read than most of their peers. I didn’t have cable for over years. What ever the rabbit ears picked up is what we watched along with a 1980 VHS player for movies and exercise videos on a 1985 console TV wo remote. I unplugged the antenna cable to plug in the video box, and got up to change the channel. I survived and my kids learned to do something else besides TV. When I remarried, 4 years ago there were TVs in every room and cable or satellite. I can do without TV just fine. Once my husband sits down for the evening, he doesn’t move or let go of the remote. I wonder off to do something else. Since moving here, we have one TV in the den and no more TVs in the bedroom. If my husband would let it go, TV would be out of here.
I would like to disconnect from TV forever especially stupid reality shows. Who are these people? The sad fact is I am paying the cable company for commercials. The news is now about 15 minutes and filtered, selected hype to guide you to think some of these events are important, the shows are about 15-20 minutes, the rest advertisement. Wake up America, you are paying for consumerism.
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RC, I couldn’t agree with you more about the so called “reality” shows…
Glad you taught your kids to use their opposable thumbs for more than pressing buttons on the remote!
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Good luck with Netflix, Teagan. I only hear good things about it. As far as the “C” company, been there done that. Enjoy your movies.
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Thanks Mary. I hope you are keeping cool this hot Sunday. Yes, about $16 a month is giving me a LOT more than my economy package.
Since my second TV stopped working (long ago) this also lets me use either computer or nook as a “portable TV” that I can take to another room.
Ha! Netflix needs to pay me for being a spokes person.
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