I think it was about 2 years ago I made a decision to cancel our cable TV. It wasn’t a financial decision, but one that I thought was a good move to get the awful horrible media out of our home (the grown up shows my husband and I were watching, thinking the kids weren’t paying attention, but they were). At the time, it was a decent idea.
About 3 days in, we all missed TV and, to be honest, we were BORED! So, we got a little antenna for the top of the entertainment center, to pick up the news, which was important to my husband. After that he discovered that if we bought a big one for the roof we could pick up several more channels.
Then 10 months ago I reactivated our Netflix subscription (we used it 4 years ago and liked it).
For about $10 a month we could watch movies/TV episodes instantly on our TV (through our Wii) and set up my laptop in the bedroom for the kids to watch a movie. Cheap entertainment.
CHEAP! Not inexpensive, but CHEAP (which to me, is kind of the same as saying crap).
I just figured out that in 10 months we’ve had 45 DVD’s mailed to us, and watched OVER 350 TITLES INSTANTLY!
#$%$#%#$^
So, yes, it is inexpensive. $100 in fees / 400+ movies = A quarter (or less) for each show.
What a disaster this has been. We’re watching more TV than ever, even though we’re getting it at a good price.
I feel so stupid that I let it get this out of control. And stupid that I didn’t really FIX the bad habit, I just CHANGED it.
I’ve begged my husband to let me take the TV out of the living room. I know this is very ‘unamerican’. But it’s something I so deeply desire.
It’s my wish that by the end of 2011 (but really, sooner would be better), we’ll have our basement completed enough that we can put our entertainment center, TV, and all video games down there.
It’s not that we watch anything that is really terrible, is just that there is so many other things we could be doing with our lives than watching shows we aren’t really interested in, just because it’s available.
Just like a cookie- Just because it’s there, doesn’t mean we should eat it. Just because the shows are available, doesn’t mean we should watch it.
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For those of you who are thinking of cancelling cable to save money, here is our financial break down-
Cable was $40 a month, so if we had paid that for 2 years it would’ve been $960
We spent $50 on a little antenna, and $200 on a great one.
$960-$250=$710 in savings
Minus say, 1 year of Netflix, $120
Means in 2 years, we’ve still saved $590.. which is a great savings. It just didn’t accomplish what I had first set my sights on, which was controlling the media in our home.
I think we(American's in general)have forgotten how to entertain ourselves simply. Think back to before tv/movies/video games. Back when *gasp* families played games together, read books as a family, taught the kids how to sew, build stuff, etc.
We are terribly guilty of having our tv on too much. No, we don't have cable, but even the educational stuff on PBS can be too much when it's on for hours a day and even the 2yr old knows the theme song of every show. At night the dumb thing is on from 8-11pm every.single.night. I wonder if Chris and I even remember how to just sit and enjoy extended conversation. Heck, we may even be able to have fun without conversation. 😉
Thank you so much for your convicting words! I will definitely be taking control of this situation in our home.