cutting the cord

after months of putting it off, after fretting and trying to rationalize why I need to have 400 channels of mindless programming. I did the unthinkable.

I called Time Warner Cable and cut the cord. we are officially cable-less at the McCue household. only stocked up on Netflix and Hulu and whatever I buy through iTunes. 

the amount I'm saving is staggering. 

I was paying $162 a month for cable, Internet and home phone. when i called they said it was only going to save me $10 to cancel the home phone. for a brief moment i was looking for a reason to keep it.

so, I'm going to break down how this is going to work.  I'm now paying $45 a month for high speed internet. 

so I am now saving $1404 a year--a major chunk of change in my lifestyle, and through this process of trying to be minimal, it only seems to make sense.  less tv, more time together

to keep the household sane, i converted all my Disney blurays to digital, and registered and got a free copy of A Bug's Life.  i sunk down a total of $81 on a bargain appleTV (gotta be a smart shopper), and picked Rae up a refurb iPad mini 3 for $280.  bam.

so I'm saving around $450 the first year to get my house ready for cable free, and I am sure there are easier ways to do it, but this is how's worked out:

1.  think about your favorite tv shows. are they on Hulu? Netflix? do you own a streaming device like a sling box, Roku, appleTV or chromecast?

because if you are cutting the cable you should. these will be your lifeline, and honestly you can boot up any current gaming system and use these services, but a designated system for it is going to remove extra strain from your gaming consoles. 

and be ready to spend about $3 to get them, but just keep on focusing on the long term. 

2.  be prepared to spend money before you save money.  if you don't have a smart tv then above streaming devices will be required for every TV in the house.  you'll probably end up having to buy some of your favorite shows or download them or whatever. you won't break even early on in the process. but hold strong. it's worth it to fly an ever high middle finger to cable.

3.  you'll detox. and you'll spend more time with your loved ones, your kids will probably end up being a little cranky. trust me. the first couple meals at the dining room table may be awkward to actually talk.  

4. if your movies you own now have digital copies, register them and get an iTunes or Amazon prime account, you'll want this all to be streamlined to where it's available on all your devices. plus, when registering your Disney DVDS you get points for more movies. This means on all tablets, phones, TVs or whatever will have access to your awesome catalogue 

5. look at your crappy copy of Elektra on DVD and seriously wonder why you are still holding on to it. then put it in a bin and sell it. I believe cutting cable is also a good way to cut our extra things you don't really need.  how much stuff do we hold on to for no reason?

6. embrace the digital. take time and network your home, it'll save problems in the long run and make things more efficient.  stop renting your crappy router from your internet provider, it's a waste of money (rental fees).  plus less clutter, instant access to what you want and it's usually cheaper (I just downloaded Gone Girl for 9.99).

7. if you have access to a grocery store that uses a fuel reward system stock up on your digital download cards there. that'll save even more. i bank an extra 20 cents off a gallon when i stock up

it's hard work, and i have spent probably more time on this than i should, but i have been able to connect my iTunes account to a MacBook Pro, iMac, iPhone, appleTV, and an iPad.  they all have entertainment options and sync beautifully together (plus education options for Rae).  it has made my life easier, and less dependent on cable, plus i will eventually have a little extra jingle in my pocket.

cord cutters of the world unite!