My wife and I cut the cord about four years ago. Like everyone else thinking about making the switch, we fretted about what we might miss. Additionally, I was shocked about how little I missed.
When we had cable, my wife and I would watch about 2-3 hours of TV a night. TV became a bit of a routine. I would watch shows I thought I enjoyed. However, looking back, I realize I had a pretty low TV bar just to fill the routine.
We had a TV antenna, Amazon Prime, and Netflix. If I wanted to watch a show on cable TV, I would buy a season pass to the show from Amazon. This had the unintended benefit of forcing me to assign a monetary value to a TV show. It made me realize that only about five shows I watched were worth the cost.
Now we watch about an hour of TV a night. Not to mention that 15 minutes of commercials per hour on cable at 3 hours a night turns into 11 full 24 hour days a year of wasted time.
So now I feel I’m watching much better quality TV shows. Furthermore, I got all this free time back in my life. Below are some examples of things I’ve done with all this extra free time.
- We have a keyboard for our kids to take piano lessons. I started learning how to play.
- I started a tech blog (mainly about cord cutting). I started it because I wanted to improve my writing skills for my career. It took off, and now I’m debating making it my full-time job.
- Our family started a game night. We discovered that board gaming had vastly improved since the days of “Monopoly” and “Sorry” being in every one’s closet. We are always trying new games and having a blast with a more interactive experience.
- I taught myself how to juggle.
- I discovered podcasts. I had no idea that was so much great stuff out there. I’m also shocked that I enjoy a good audio drama. Furthermore, since my hands are free, I can do stuff around the house while I’m listening.
- I like podcasts so much I started a weekly one. We just did our 38th episode.
My life now is entirely different than what it was before I cut the cord. I highly doubt I would have done any of these things if I could just passively sit in front of the TV for 2-3 hours a night.
TV is more of an activity that I actively chose to do. Previously, it was mainly a device used out of routine. Has anyone else had this experience? Please share the ways cutting the cord has changed your life in the comments.
For tips and tricks on cutting the cord and other tech topics follow Dennis on Twitter @GroundedReason. You can also join the conversation on our Facebook Page
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J9 says
I got rid of my house phone and FIOS TV service via Verizon because I couldn’t afford the high cost any longer. I did this 4/24/17 and I can’t believe more than a month has gone by without TV. I still have 3 cell phones due to I have 2 full-time college students. And I still have WIFI for son’s computer since he commutes to college and lived at home. So Verizon is still making a lot of money off me. I started reading more books and walking the dog more, but I would like to watch Fear the Walking Dead, The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones. I do also miss switching old movies on TCM. My boss actually suggested doing the jailbreak Firestick thing but I read your other blog and have doubts. I don’t have a smart TV and am not that techy . Is the Firestick the cheapest way to go? Do you need one for each TV you have? I do have a laptop and cell phone. Is there something that steams to TV, cell or laptop at a reasonable cost? Again I do have WIFI and it’s only my son and I at home. Thanks for any help!
Dennis Restauro says
I would just buy the current seasons from Amazon. That’s how I watch The Walking Dead Without Cable. You can Watch Fear the Walking Dead that way as well. As for GOT, you can catch Game of Thrones on HBO Now. The seasons from Amazon will run about $25 each. HBO Now is $15 a month, but you only need carry it for the 3 months Game of Thrones is on. So $95 will get those shows. That’s less than $8 a month. Plus you can binge watch a bunch of HBO stuff while you have it for Game of Thrones.
Jay says
I cut my Cable and Satellite Services because my 30 year old Attic Terrestrial Antenna delivered HDTV signal from the Shoreview MN Tower Farm, Line Of Sight 7miles from my home. I used https://www.antennaweb.org/ to locate the best magnetic compass heading to aim my old Terrestrial
Unidirectional Antenna to the Shoreview Tower Farm & the KSTP-TV Midway Tower. My old Boy Scout compass helped to correctly aim the antenna. All transmitting towers were so close that my old fringe antenna delivered 1080i signal reliably; that was better than Cable or Satellite Set Top Box delivery of signal because those Boxes received a COMPRESSED signal which was lower quality than the uncompressed OverTheAir signal.
I moved back to my hometown located on the South Dakota plains last year. My rented home here doesn’t permit exterior antennae so I buy the lowest cost Cable TV service available which delivers adequate National Networks and PBS stations. I supplement with programming via AppleTV and AmazonPrime via my WiFi HDTV’s. I use Apple Airport Extreme Time Capsule to operate my WiFi with
two Apple Airport Express units to extend signal to two bedrooms.
Barbara Mitchell says
I am new comer to Grounded Reason and just by chance when trying to find an alternative to the high cost of Cable TV I happened upon your Website. I must say this is great and I am still working on trying to decide which way to go. I have pretty much decided I want Directv Now but can’t get it downloaded because of browser dificulties and seem to have hit a brick wall. My next pic is SlingTV so I will update when I have finally completed my project and let you know how it went. Thanks for the wonderful website…it is really helpful.
Dennis Restauro says
Thanks Barbara!
Todd says
Dennis,
I am trying the FUBO TV free trial, because they offer FS Wisconsin. Appears I cannot watch the Brewers games live in FSW because I am in the local area. Is this because only if I buy cable can I watch live?
Are there other ways around this beyond an alternative ISP address?
Thanks.
Todd
Dennis Restauro says
Yeah, you can use the SmartDNS mentioned here.
Rena says
Thanks! Needed this post today. Bought and set up Roku and an antenna last night. I am cutting the cord in 3… 2… 1…