About a year and a half ago I made the decision to try living without cable television. This may not seem like a big deal to some. Indeed, when I mentioned it in several minimalism groups, many bragged how they had gotten rid of it a long time ago. Many said they never missed it, or they used only Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services. More than a few sounded a bit holier-than-thou-you-cable-weakling. Yes, well, I have used streaming services along as well, but they don’t help with my main problem. Many of the comment responders did not read my primary reason for hesitating: Iām a sports fan.
Iām one of those ever-increasing number of soccer fans in the U.S.A., and I particularly love watching English soccer aka “football” to the rest of the world. The free network channels air very few of these games, and itās not so easy to find other ways to watch them. Sure, some sports bars show the games, but thereās a time zone gap when watching European soccer. I donāt always feel like driving to a sports bar at 7:30 or 10:00 in the morning to watch my team. Also, I like to record other soccer-related games and shows and watch them at my leisure. This is why it took me so long to cut the cord. Nevertheless, for the sake of experiencing a change in lifestyle and reducing my budget, I decided to live without . . . for now.
For most of my life, I made do with the free channels. I had little spare time or money as a graduate student and later as a single mom to indulge in cable. I wouldnāt say that I was totally against television, but I recorded (back in those long ago VCR days) very few programs for the kids and me to watch on the weekend. We were a bookish family, and I wanted to maintain that tradition for as long as possible.
Eventually, my financial situation improved and I thought, well, why not? I could watch more soccer and a few other shows in the comfort of my own home. Then I discovered all the house shows and more soccer shows and other fun shows and before I knew it, I was hooked. I went a little crazy overindulging in my new TV habit. I justified it by saying that I was making up for all that lost viewing time over the years. Lost viewing time? Yep, that was my inner TV addict talking. Eventually, I came to my senses and modified my television habits.
We often donāt realize how accustomed we are to certain things or practices until we get rid of them. Even though I had been tracking my TV habits for a few weeks as a precursor to cutting the cable cord, I was still surprised at how much it had been affecting my daily life. As a single empty nester, I had fallen into the habit of eating my meals in front of the television. House shows at breakfast, favorite dramas or comedies at dinner. I tried to read during lunch breaks, but even so, there were times I indulged and turned on a show, easy enough to do as I work from home.
After cutting the cable cord, I decided to change up my routines.Ā While eating breakfast I read, usually a blog or book I find interesting or inspiring. At lunch, I read non-fiction, and only at dinner did I allow myself to watch a show from aĀ streaming service. Not surprisingly, my reading consumption (and library use) dramatically increased.
I still had the habit of looking for the DVR clock on the shelf below the television. The shelf below the television looked oddly empty, black holes where the cable equipment had been, and the drawer for the remote controls made space for other miscellaneous objects. I definitely loved adding up my budget each month to see a nice savings in the entertainment category. I wasn’t sure how long I would ādepriveā myself of cable services; I missed the soccer shows every weekend. However, since I was planning a move, I told myself that I would stick to this decision until the new house.
Update: I kept the promise to myself and had no cable service at my previous house and the first couple of months at the new place. The no-cable experiment lasted about 10 months. I bought an antenna and attached it the the television set, so I could get the free channels. This had mixed results. Sometimes I could get the channels clearly, sometimes I couldn’t. I tried to use a streaming channel that aired the soccer games live, but I would have to pay extra to record any games. I had a new internet server in the new neighborhood, so I began looking at their cable packages. At least the cost was significantly lower than my previous cable company, but I waited longer to be sure.
In the end, my enjoyment of European soccer won out. I didn’t want to miss another season and decided that cable does add enough value and pleasure to my life to merit the cost. Simplifying our lives doesn’t mean we have to suffer deprivation. It does mean that we give careful consideration before bringing new things or services into our lives. I tried it, thought about it, and then made a deliberate decision. For now, I’m keeping cable, but having gone without, I know that I can live with that option if I change my mind.
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Thank you for your thoughts on the subject of cable. I have satellite for the simple reason that I live in the boonies and my entertainment fix is Turner Classic Movies and MLB, Atlanta Braves. Most people in the “movement” always list getting rid of cable like it’s a requirement to being debt free or a minimalist. I like classic movies and baseball. We don’t go out for entertainment, so I think this bit of telly isn’t going to hurt me, especially since I do my passion, Handwork, while listening to it. I struggle, do we or don’t we disconnect. I’m going to vote no for me. However, I see your reasoning for right now, try being without it until you get moved and see if you want to continue without it. I don’t want to disconnect from something that I enjoy.š
I get it. So many people like to talk about how cutting out cable was the best thing ever, as if all television was bad or a waste of time. However, as I write in this post, it’s not so easy if you’re a sports lover. I like watching some programs, most of which, luckily, are on Netflix or amazon prime. We all have to figure out our sweet spot when it comes to our entertainment choices!
We’ve cut our cord a little over half a year ago and I still love it and see myself ever going back to it. Since I don’t see them commercials anymore, I’ve noticed how susceptible I am to them, even though I thought I wasn’t. I’ve also seen a decrease in my anxiety since.
But there’s nothing wrong with cable and if you love it, use it!
I love soccer and unfortunately, we can’t pick and choose channels for cable (yet!). The important point for me is to be in charge of my watching habits and not let them spin out of control!
We cut the cord over many years ago and loving it. Like others we use Netflix and Amazon Prime. We bought a new arial and now watch sports on local channel. We crazy Soccer fans and we watched the World Cup for free on both Local channel and Roku. Everyone has to do what works best for them. Enjoy your life.
So true. I tried cutting cable, but I need (want) it for watching English soccer. It definitely adds value to my life. š