In the beginning of the television industry, television programming was free. The only expense to watching television was the purchase price. Everyone had rabbit ears or an outside antenna. In the 1960s, cable television came along. While cable seemed inexpensive at first, the prices have risen. Basic cable cost almost 400 dollars annually in many places and full connections can cost over 100 dollars monthly. Quick calculations will tell you that you could easily spend 1200 dollars or more yearly on cable television. In all of this, there is some good news. Television programming can still be free and free television is better than ever.
In the days of analog television, cable television gained a following because images from antennas were often unclear. Many people do not realize that this is no longer true with digital television. In digital television, if the signal is strong enough to be received in your home, the picture will be perfect every time. If the picture cannot be shown perfectly in your home, there will be no picture. Many people find that a pair of inexpensive rabbit ears are all the antenna that is needed for their home television. If you have an older analog television, you can still qualify for a free coupon from the United States Government that will allow you 40 dollars credit toward the purchase of the converter, and the government will send you up to two of these coupons.
Free, local television broadcasts will allow you to see many of your favorite daytime or nighttime shows at no cost. Most local stations also offer local as well as national news.
If you fear losing your favorite movie channels, remember that for the 100 dollars you have spent per month on cable, you can buy five movies on DVD. For as little as 5 dollars monthly, you can join online movie rental sites that will send you DVDs of your favorite and new release movies. An advantage of these rental sites is that you can watch movies on your time schedule, and not according to the movie channel’s schedule.
Even if you have missed favorite shows, they can be downloaded on the internet and view at another time. Your movie rental club may allow you to download older movies for immediate viewing and this not count against the number of movies you have checked out.
Many families find that they are watching less television than ever. If you are among the many families that watch two to four hours of television per month, then why spend even thirty dollars per month on television cable. That works out to 7. 50 dollars per hour. The price seems very expensive for something that you may not use that often.
Think about the savings of not having a cable bill. You may be able to afford the big screen television you have always wanted. The picture will still be great. Perhaps now you will choose a wall mount system that has the large screen but does not require a lot of floor space.
If you find that pulling the cable gives you an occasional evening with no shows to watch, then do not forget there is always the option to turn the set off. They you can spend time getting to know the other people who live in your home. Visit with family. Take a trip to the park or simply play a game together.
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