After reading through the comments last night about the TV, I want to say that I have no agenda. I am not advocating that because we’re turning off our Dish, you should too. It just plain doesn’t matter to me if you have it or not! If you love TV and feel like it’s a good use of your time and money . . great! There are plenty of things we do with our time and money that other folks would think weird or a waste. Whether you have zero channels or 10 channels or 1,000 channels . . if it makes you happy, you do not need to justify your position. For us, this has nothing to do with money. Yes, we’ll be saving $900 per year or we’ll be spending $900 per year on something else. The money isn’t going to make a lot of difference in our budget.
As far as us having Netflix or TV, it’s something we’ve decided to try . . no TV but yes, we’ll have Netflix.
On this blog, I tell you just about everything we do; everything we cook; everything we plant; every quilt I make; every quilt I think about making. Why should whether we have TV or not be any different? I’m simply saying what we’re doing. I’m not asking for your approval. I’m not asking you to do the same thing . . I’m merely stating what we’re doing!
We’re not taking our TVs out and chopping them up with the ax. If in 5 days or 10 days or 2 years, we decide we’d like to have it back, we make a phone call and they’re here to re-install it . . simple as that!
I will continue to report on here about how we’re making it or not making it without TV. It’s going to be a challenge but it’s a challenge we both are willing to take.
Good for you! I don’t care about TV. I watch the news on the computer. My husband would sleep with our TV if he could figure out how to get it in the bed.
I am very interested in your reports about this in the future. I am tempted to get rid of cable/satellite
since it is so darned expensive. Please keep us posted about your feelings as well as Vince’s. I think my husband would die without Velocity, CNN, and college football.
I didn’t take it that you were saying others should drop their TV. Just that it was you guys deciding to do it. I sure hope that it wasn’t read as a judgement. I just look forward to reading what your up to every day and wishing I had the strength to do what you do. My garden has shrunk over the years and I don’t can like I used to, but not because I don’t want it, just do not have the strength to do it anymore. Thank goodness I have a son who is into gardening/canning/dehydrating/smoker etc etc. We benefit from his labors as he does share the goodies. Of course guess who he calls when he has a lot of produce to work up? Yup me–ha. But its a joy sharing the job with him.
Good for you Judy–do what pleases you. One of my kids has no TV, the other one has a gazillion channels. We have dish and personally I don’t like it. But still have a contract……I am not as personal on my blog. I just don’t think my family would appreciate it.
But I appreciae the effort it takes to post as frequently and as detailed–and with as much interesting topics as you come up with.
Nancy
Well, I did notice that you are still going to have radio. So it won’t be quite as bad as my husband’s experiment with no media at all. I not only made him buy a TV set, I made him get us a radio as well.
He did have an agenda. And so I’ve got a hot button. It came up once again when my daughter was in the 6th grade, but that is yet another story.
You will like not having TV, or you won’t. Time will tell.
You were saying you were cutting down on your TV,not advocating every one should. If you are happy that is the main thing it is up to others to decide how to run their lives
LOL that is the kind of Cr@p i got when I got rid of our TV in the 80′s. Didn’t have one for 8 months…. then someone gave us a brand new one…. oh well. we have 6 TV’s right now…. they are presently all turned off. Although I did watch “This OLD House” while I walked on my t-mill this AM.
when I got rid of the TV the first time I needed to, it was dictating too much time in my life and my kids lives. They all have cable now. &I don’t really care.
To each his own. No explanation required. You should not have to “explain” your decision but I am you share them with us. I would like less TV in our house but my husband would go stir crazy without it. I don’t mind TV as much as him taking it so literally. If they say there’s 20 feet of snow in Chicago ( we live in the South) he thinks we should stay in. I just let him worry and go on about life. What else can you do. Sometimes I wonder what happened to the carefree man I married then I rememnber…he retired and has nothing to do……or so he thinks. (lol)
Judy — I’m about a week ahead of you! Last Tuesday our land line phone and TV from Uverse were shut off. Now some may say it’s a plot to get my 32 year old son to finally move out, but really it’s about the company raising their rates without proper notice and us sitting on our duffs watching mindless programs. I’ve got a Roku, Hulu Plus and Netflix and I think we’ll be just fine. Our antennas get all the local stations — it feels like the ‘olden days’ but better and I’m going to love the money I save more than I’m going to miss the ‘housewives’.
Somethingmyhubby finds not onlyi entertaing and fun but also usefull is YouTube…. I dont knowwhat you need to hook it up to the TV but it is free and fun to see a lot of how to s on the larger screen
We recently got rid of our satellite and switched to Netflix. So much cheaper and the shows on Netflix ate great. We’re very happy with our choice. And I love reading about what you are up to. Isn’t that point of a blog?
Hay….it’s a free country!!! I do watch TV in the evenings. In the daytime I tend to listen to radio, as it seems I get more done that way
It is really ex[ensive and I have been looking for alternatives….hooking the computer up and watching that way seemed like a good idea. Maybe the tech isn’t in my house yet but it seemed like a lot more to do than just use the clicker. Speaking of which, I remember having to get up to change the channel. One of the reasons you wanted your kids to grow up was so you could tell them to change the channel and you could stay on your bum 
:) Things have changed!! I came from the LA area and if I was there now I think free TV would be okay, can you even get it free anymore??? I don’t know??? It does take more time and less tv to get more things done. I am certain of that and I am certain that if you get away from it your probably better for it!! Good Luck. Thanks in advance for letting us in on hou it goes, it will be interesting for all of us to!!
We”ve been pondering, again, the same thing. Dropped it before Christmas, and they offed it almost free with out internet and phone, so kept it , but it is still awful and empty, and we are watching dvd’s and reruns of documentaries for noise. Glad to hear you did it.
We bought a ROKU box and can stream movies from Netflix, Crackle and Hulu Plus to our TVs. It works through your WiFi unit. Some stations you pay a fee and others you pay a monthly fee. Several are free
Wow. I did not know people would criticize you on your own blog. I dislike network/cable/satellite tv for an entirely different reason than you but that doesn’t make you wrong or me wrong.
Different subject. I saw an apron that said “I Eat Local Because I Can.” I immediately thought about you.
I think it is funny that people feel they can tell you what you should and shouldn’t do, but you aren’t allow to comment on what you’re doing. I gladly admit I’m a tv junkie, but more for noise than anything. In September I went from having every movie channel available to only having basic service. I don’t find myself missing those channels at all and save a ton of money (which is spent on fabric). I’ve thought about dropping even basic, but some nights I just like to veg out in front of the tube. Live your live the way you want, not according to others and you’ll be much happier for it!!!!!
Wow, I guess I didn’t read your blog yesterday and now have to go back to see what I missed. We went from satellite ( way too many channels , several multiples of the same and nothing on) to now cable (with several multiple channels and still not much on) . We just tend to watch the same ol channels, however I’m not quite ready to give it up yet. Good for you though ! I’m sure I could accomplish much more if I gave it up and probably some of this computer stuff too!
Reading that post brought back a day when our boys were early teens and were “glued’ to the TV. Hubby was trucking (long-haul) so decisions (and they were creative!!!) were left to me. One evening I had had enough with it and went into the kitchen, got a scissors, marched to the TV, pulled the plug out of the outlet and CUT OFF the offending piece of plastic/metal. Turning around to 2 very upset young men, I proclaimed that the first one to move out, on their own, would get the TV and the plug end. It was several years before #1 son left (after graduating from tech college) and he was the recipient of the items!!! During the TV-less time their grades were noticeably higher and outdoor activities increased……the desired/hoped-for result!!! Love those memories……and they love to tell that story to their kids now!!!! LOL!
What a brave woman! I’m impressed!!
No Judy, you MUST have TV! LOL, how crazy are some people who want everyone to be like them. Hey, I will be thinking of other things you MUST do while I am quilting this weekend. I will give you a list on Monday!
glen: too funny
I LOVE that you’re getting rid of the cable/dish! And I also love that you share everything with us. I really admire and respect that you realize sitting in front of the T.V. isn’t a good use of time. It’s so much better to be outside in the garden, in the sewing studio, or whatever thing happens that is not in front of the television. I think sometimes people realize things about themselves by reading things other people write and might respond out of their own guilt (“Oh my gosh – reading this, I realize I watch way too much T.V”…., or whatever).
I hope you’ll continue to post about everything and not let the haters get you down! Most of us really love & respect everything about you! <3
BLM
It never once occurred to me that you had an agenda. To read some of the comments, you’d think we were talking about running water or electricity, or having something truly toxic in the house!
I grew up with parents who owned an appliance store. There were televisions in every room where it was even vaguely resonable to have one (alhtough these days, I know someone who has two in their kitchen, so “reasonable’” has changed!) I can’t remember many restrictions on our viewing at all — smutty cable channels were off limits, but I think that was about it. There was always a TV on for background noise.
As an adult, I’ve lived with it and without it, depending on our mood and circumstances. The only time it was a big deal was when I was on bedrest for two weeks, stuck in our bedroom with a set that got two fuzzy local channels and had a broken VCR. THAT was a special level of awfulness. No lap top, no videos, and medication that made me too jittery to focus my eyes on a printed page. My choices were NASCAR or golf. Or turning it off and listening to the neighbors scream at each other.
Judy, your TV post was very timely for us. We are moving into a new home and had priced satellite as cable is not available here. It was going to cost $170 per month, as opposed to about $70 at our last home for cable. We ended up buying a digital antenna for $40 and we get about 15 channels. We aren’t big TV watchers, so that suits us just fine. Your post showed we weren’t the only ones on the planet without satellite/cable, and made me feel much better about the decision. Love your blog!
When I moved back to my mother’s house where I live (she passed away), I had words with the cable guy and decided I wasn’t going to pay for anyone to talk to me that way and I could live a long time without TV. That was 13 yrs ago, and I’m doing fine. I do watch the occasional DVD, and would die without my internet connection and the radio, but it is possible to live without television. Your life, your decision.
My sister and I decided we would cut our cable and we have been without cable for about 4 months. We still watch some shows on the Internet but we choose what we watch and we don’t have to watch commercials (well there are some commercials on the web versions). We also don’t pay for cable
. People think we are crazy but we are enjoying it.
Actually, I have been wondering if we should do without TV after we move to Alabama. Right now the phone, internet, and TV are all one package, but we rarely watch TV. Once in a great while we will watch a DVD. I checked the paper a few days ago to see what movies were on, but then I discovered that we don’t get the channels that had movies. Once in another great while my husband will watch part of a game. Well, I probably just answered my own question. After we move to Tuscaloosa, my husband will probably watch more football:) Now we listen to the radio. There are some great programs on it.
You go, Judy! I love reading about all your adventures and, yes, I think your wise decisions, help us see how you accomplish so much! Tv eats your time up. Just do not watch and see how you are energized! I believe it is a downer.
I applaud your decision to go without your tv and there are days I would love to throw ours right out the door, but that is the only thing my husband has for entertainment or something to do. He can’t go outside when it’s cold and can’t go out when it’s hot, so he is just stuck in the house. If he watchs stuff I don’t care for I just read a book, sew or get on the computer. No big deal, just a way of life.
I take a Sunday paper which includes the Parade magazine. The January 10th issue is devoted to saving money and one article is titled “Cut the Cable Cord”. Thought you might be interested in a brief description of the the author’s steps to follow. Step 1: Invest in a streaming player, like Roku or Apple TV (less than $100). These devices connect your Internet to your TV. Step 2: Using your streaming device, access the content services that best fit your needs.Netflix offers thousands of movies and TV episodes. Step 3: Can’t find a particular show you want to watch? For a few extra bucks, Amazon Instant Video and Apple’s iTunes let you access episodes and movies that aren’t offered through subscription services. Sounds pretty much like you’re all set. Isn’t CHOICE a great thing?
I have Roku and enjoy watching the shows they have on and its easy on the pocket book.
I applaud your decision, and Vince for going along with it. Personally, I know I watch way too much TV, and it’s so much easier to get hooked in since we got DVR. Now I don’t have to remember when a show is on, nor either choose just one or set up a VCR. I also don’t have to watch commercials! I talk about doing handwork, but don’t do it often enough.
Husbands are another story! I can’t tell you how many women have sighed over their husband’s taste in TV. Mine at least has the grace to watch elsewhere, but watches pretty mindlessly (falling asleep more often than not).
Last thing: you mentioned the return of “Dallas” last year. Didn’t hold your interest?
I have not had “TV for 7 years. People were shocked. We were however, able to get free rental of DVD’s from our library. so when I wanted to enjoy a series or movie I could at my leisure. Winter really is the only spare time. We have always been an active family so always busy till time to go to bed. It was not a matter of cost or it being “bad” for you. I enjoy the quiet in the house. And there is music. Most of all I loved the extra conversations with my family. Where as before if the TV was on they would feel they were interrupting. News is on the internet, Hula and Netflix are a great source when you are up for something. Enjoy!
I’m always amazed that SOME people feel the need to tell others what they should do. What happened to reading or listening and allowing others to make their own decisions without critiquing their decisions.
I hardly ever turn on the television. My hubby, on the other hand hardly turns it off. Different strokes for different folks. I like peace and quiet, he enjoys having the background noise–whether or not he’s watching it.
Enjoy your peace and quiet and forget the naysayers, Judy! Have a wonderful February. (I’m so jealous of your garden…we have super-cold temps and lots of snow now. Even in good weather, I’m in the city and have no space for a garden. So, I frequent the farmer’s markets in our area! Love the fresh produce!)
Kuddos to you! I’ve been trying to get rid of our satellite for years but my husband won’t hear of it. Years ago, our TV broke and money was tight so we weren’t going to replace it until we saved up for another one. With 3 young children at the time, we played board games, put together puzzles, etc. to keep occupied. My parents came to the “rescue” and bought us a new TV. Looking back, I should have told them to take it back as it ended a lot of quality family time. To each his own but for me, I would be a lot more productive without one. Now to convince my better half!
People are funny. I grew up without a TV because of my parents religious choices, and my husband and I have 2, plus a Roku, and I leave one running all the time for noise. We could try to get rid if them and use the Roku, but my husband would shrivel up and die from lack of sports, LOL! Good luck Judy!
Good for you! We got rid of our tv service last fall, and bought an HD antennea that sits on the roof, we’re pleased with the results. We get the local channels plus extras like Create channel, about 30 channels. We have no monthly tv fees but we did buy Netflix for $7.99 a month. The movie choices are fine, and there are a lot of other things there that we enjoy watching. That plus free movies from library, or very inexpensive ones now and then at Red Box. Oh, we did buy a Majic Jack for phone service at home. That’s great, too! We started it with paying a small amount per year, then bought a 5 year’s service package for $99, . We’ve been using this for several years now, it’s great!
So funny that people got upset about the idea of someone giving up the TV! Maybe they doth protest too much? I have *never* felt like you were trying to tell anyone else what to do, which is one of the reaesons I like to come here. I can learn about what you’re doing and the solutions you’ve created, and that gives me inspiration to make my own choices in my own life. It’s a great resource. Plus funny!
We sold our TV two or three years ago… I can’t remember. We’ve never missed it. I thought for sure I would miss some of the shows I was watching on HGTV etc., that I couldn’t get online, but I really didn’t! There’s SO MUCH available to watch online I’ve never missed anything. And, guess what? I get a LOT more done — the TV isn’t the default ruler of my life anymore. I don’t have to arrange my furniture or my schedule around it. I’m free!
I don’t think I’ll ever have one again.
As for the news, I quit watching or seeking out the news over 20 years ago. If anything important happens, I hear about it from friends or family. And nowadays, any important “address” can be watched online. As for me, personally, I prefer to focus my time and energy on the life and community immediately around me. It works for me.
Keep doing what you’re doing! I love to hear your daily reports!
~Angela~