Cutting the cable: Part 1

Here is where the rubber meets the road. Over the past few days I am sure you have had a chance to think about our challenge from the last post. What can you live without as far as cable tv goes? I propose an experiment of sorts. Lets get to it shall we.

So if you are anything like us you are at least a little hesitant to go all out and "ditch the dish"or "cut the cable" either way the case may be. We did not go easy but rather went straight cold turkey. There were some "detox pains" in the beginning but we made it through. Since we have been through it and are now we are on the other side we can offer some insight on how to ween you and your family off the cable.

First and foremost, if you live in any decently populated area yo most likely have access to decent OTA (Over The Air) TV. This should be your local ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, etc. Nowadays you will need a digital converter box unless you have a newer TV that has the digital tuner built in. If you need a digital converter box I would recommend the Access HD 1080D NTIA-Approved Digital to Analog TV Converter Box. And if you need a digital ready antenna for indoor use with either a digital ready TV or the converter mentioned above I would recommend the Think Wireless Flat HDTV Antenna for Digital TV & Converter Boxes. What I would suggest is take the cable or satellite box out to the storage room. Just tell the family that it is broken and you are waiting for the cable/satellite company to send you a new one. See if you can survive on a diet of strictly OTA TV for a week or two. I am willing to bet you can.

If you can survive on strictly OTA TV then we are ready for the next step.

The Frugal Geek