Good morning!
I hope your day is off to a good start! I’m hoping my day doesn’t take a massive dive for the worse when I head off to the dentist this morning. I have an appointment to get a filling repaired. An old filling fell out last week and I have a nice little hole in my tooth that needs to be patched up. Sounds like a rockin’ good time!
Workout
Today’s workout began with a two mile run on the treadmill.
After my quick run, it was off to the weight room for a Best Body Boot Camp workout! I flip flopped the final two circuit workouts for the week and did the upper body circuit workout. That’ll do, pig. That’ll do. (<— If you can name that movie, we should probably be best friends.)
Breakfast
I made myself a plate of scrambled eggs with shredded cheese and spinach for breakfast this morning.
On the side I had a rather questionable toasted whole wheat English muffin. I found it in the freezer this morning and I’m pretty sure it was on its last leg. I ended up making myself an egg sandwich with the English muffin and scrambled eggs and all was well.
Television Decision
Last month Ryan and I started talking about canceling our cable. We actually went without television in our house for two years back when we first started living together.
(That apartment is still my favorite place that we’ve lived! I loved all of the windows and the hardwood floors.)
We weren’t sure how we would handle it, but we both didn’t really miss it at all. We had NetFlix and found that when we would watch TV together, it felt like a planned event rather than just a default activity since we were watching DVDs of movies or TV shows that we were both interested in watching together. If there was a show on TV that we really wanted to keep up with, we’d watch it online a few days after it originally aired. Most days we just didn’t watch TV at all and I honestly didn’t miss it.
We got cable again when we moved into our second apartment (a decision that was motivated by Ryan’s desire to watch the World Cup) and have kept it ever since. When we started talking about canceling our cable last week, we realized we don’t really have many shows we watch regularly. New Girl and Modern Family are the only two shows we watch together weekly, though I also watch The Bachelor and Ryan loves sports.
Paying for cable doesn’t seem worth it when we only care about a few shows, but aside from that, we realized that we’ve started to use TV as a default form of “filler entertainment.” We’ll find ourselves sitting on the couch watching random shows we don’t really care much about at all at night. When we didn’t have TV, we read more, went on more walks with Sadie and were more productive around the house in the evening.
But on the nights when neither of us feel like doing anything, TV is a pretty sweet thing. I’ve already told Ryan I’m all in for canceling cable but he really likes watching sports and isn’t fully on board yet. We shall see!
Question of the Morning
- Do you watch a lot of TV? How many minutes/hours of TV do you watch a day?
- Have you ever considered going TV-free in your house? Would you want to?
Fun fact: According to the New York Daily News, Americans watch an average of 34 hours of television a week.
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a) The Simpsons
b) We cancelled cable nearly 2 years ago and it’s one of the best decisions we’ve EVER made — and we’re huge sports fans, so you *know* it was hard!
i remember your post when you first decided to cancel cable! i was actually wondering whether or not you guys stuck with it when ryan and i were talking last week! glad to hear it was a good change for you. i’m on board!
We watch way too much TV during the fall and winter. It is sad. Especially with the PVR it makes watching all the shows too easy. I would love to cancel at least some of our channels, to save money and spend less time on the couch.
Ahhh I know this is pathetic but not sure I would be able to cancel! I love all of my trashy TV shows too much 🙂
And the movie…babe?
BABE! riiiight you are!
I LOVED not having cable when I lived in colorado. it forced me to get off my butt and get more things done – or spend more time with my roommates. i learned many new board games that year!
j/k… It’s Babe (right?), but The Simpsons movie ruined it for me with their Spider-Pig song. http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/Spider-Pig_(song) That pig rocks my world.
We have thought about canceling our cable a few times, but I cannot get myself to do it. I have several shows that I DVR so I can watch them while I am on the treadmill. I have read that Netflix is a cheaper alternative. Tough decision! I wish we lived somewhere with great walking areas. I live on a busy road :/
For the LONGEST time we only had basic cable in our house (about 20 channels) and honestly – I didn’t feel like I was missing out at all! The thing is, when you’re sitting in front of the tv, usually there are about 20 other things you could be doing! And plus, now that there are things like Netflix and Hulu, you really don’t need to pay the crazy cable bill!
I currently just have the basic channels; no network tv and no DVR. Sometimes I miss it, but you’re right, I end up wasting time when I have a full DVR all the time- so I am glad I don’t. I watch as many shows as I can when they air, and online afterwards when I can’t catch them live.
And duh, that quote is from Babe! 🙂
I am cable-less and haven’t missed it! I pay $9 a month for Hulu online and watch some shows that way. Not having cable really does keep you from mindlessly tuning out on the couch each night!
we have thought about that too – especially when we use it for filler/background noise. with our new baby, we are trying to cut down on that too. the only problem for us is that scott really enjoys watching the news in the morning and evening and you can’t get that online or netflix, so that is the hang up for us!
you can get a pretty cheap hd antennae to watch local channels/shows and most sports (other than espn)
Get Apple TV!! My fiance and I haven’t had cable in a year this month because we have apple TV. It is so much cheaper to buy a gift card for iTunes every month rather than pay for cable!!
I would LOVE to get rid of cable. We have Apple TV so we can watch Netflix for movies and Hulu Plus to catch up on current shows. But we still have cable because the husband can’t handle the thought of not being able to watch every Celtics game. He doesn’t even watch them all… but he likes knowing it’s always an option… a $138.00/month option. haha!
That apartment is ADORABLE!! My boyfriend and I plan on moving in together soon, and I don’t really want to get cable for the exact reasons you outlined. I currently don’t have a tv in my room (definitely want to keep it that way) and find that I really only turn the tv on for noise and then two shows I regularly watch (Modern Family and Downton Abbey) I can watch on hulu+ and the pbs website…between hulu+, netflix, and being able to get redbox movies, I really don’t feel like it’s worth it to spend the money!
I’m all for no cable! I think it can help save a boatload of money and minimizes TV time. My husband and I don’t have cable, and I honestly don’t miss it one bit. We do have Netflix so we usually will watch a show from that occasionally, but like you said, it’s nice to not always have the TV on and plan other activities to do. I love the fact that we don’t have a cable bill each month too!
Also, my husband is a huge sports guy too. I know especially during football season he wishes we had cable, but we will usually go to a friend’s house to watch the game or make it a fun event by going to a sports bar. Otherwise he’ll watch it or listen to the games on his laptop. It’s not ideal, but it’s worth the savings. Just a thought! 😉
You should look into getting a digital antenna! I got one while I was in college because it cost too much for cable for a poor student and the antenna is a one time cost. Depending on the coverage in your area you can get the basic 5 channels of ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS and CW. Usually you can also find PBS. It’s nice to be able to watch some live tv if you want to watch shows when they air, and a $20 antenna can get it done!
I spend a bit more time on the computer than I do in front of the TV, so that wouldn’t really be a huge problem for me. Although I would miss Biggest Loser and Bachelor/Bachelorette. Those are MY SHOWS.
I had no TV when I was living away for University and it didn’t bother me; once I have the internet I’m happy! I only put the TV on for background noise in the mornings really; the only time I properly watch TV is if I’m running on the treadmill in the gym!
I didn’t have cable until my boyfriend moved in with me. You can watch all the shows you just mentioned online, which is what I always did, and we would go to a bar to watch certain sports events that Zac cared about. However, my boyfriend is from Oklahoma City, so during the NBA playoffs, we were pretty much at a bar every other night so I agreed to get cable. And I will say, it was nice during college football season, too. But I agree that other than for sports, it’s just really not necessary and it’s a huge expense!
we totally have had this discussion in our home – I’m 100% for it, and husband would be too, if not for sports. It really could be a HUGE money saver. I’d rather have a nice meal out a few times a month than pay for cable!
Babe is the best movie ever! I don’t think we’d ever cancel our cable — we just use it a lot. It’s expensive, but we’re frugal elsewhere.
I just moved into my own apartment and I chose to not get cable because of the high price tag. One week in and I really don’t miss it and I find myself being much more productive without it! That being said, I brought my car into Goodyear on Tuesday for some work and they had cable in their waiting room… New hangout spot?? (just kidding)
Babe!! Best movie ever 🙂
The move is Babe of course! Such a cute story. I have gone without cable at a few different points but I find that I miss being able to watch shows in “real” time….i.e. The Bachelor!
Hi there! Quick question about the Bestbody Bootcamp. Do you recommend it? Why did you decide to do that one? I was looking into it and wanted to get your thoughts!
Thanks 🙂
1. Babe, duh : )
2. I haven’t had cable in years. My bf and I usually watch 1 show or movie a night on the ‘Flix and that works just fine.
Babe and Zombieland, of course 😉
Oh my goodness Babe! I also use that quote….probably more often than I should but it works for so many situations haha!. Cable is getting so expensive–the company we use is raising prices this year, it’s ridiculous. I definitely know what you mean about watching mindless TV; sometimes my boyfriend and I joke around and say “turn the TV on, I’m starting to think!” Getting rid of cable sounds like a good idea for you and Ryan! We have Netflix also and they have been updating it a lot recently. Good luck with your filling & have a wonderful day!
Great decision. We haven’t had cable in about a year and then when it was time to put our Christmas tree up, we decided to take our television down all together. We have it put away for big events (like golf tournaments) and the rabbit ears but since November, we haven’t set it up at all. My office desk in in the living room so we watch netflix movies from there and it works fine. Sad to say, we have never been tv people so my monitor is actually bigger than our television anyways.
And you’re right we get so much more stuff done with it. Plus we eat all meals at the dining room table and are able to focus on each other. LOVE IT!
We are actually canceling our cable this weekend! We have been going back and forth about it for months, and we are finally ready to do it! The only shows we watch religiously, New Girl and Modern Family, are both on network tv. The only thing is that we usually DVR them, so looks like we will need to actually watch them live now, which is no big deal. I am really looking forward to doing other things with my time, and saving some extra cash that we can spend other places!
I love that movie (Babe) and use that saying regularly. On myself (when I want to eat more) and my kids (when they are getting on my nerves). 😉
Sadly, I think my house would have a nervous breakdown if I cancelled the cable. We have 5 televisions (that’s one for each person & the dog) and sometimes 4 of the 5 are on at once. Yikes! I have set some rules for myself recently: I am not allowed to add any new shows to my watching list. That way, as things get cancelled, my list will get smaller. Also, no random tv watching, only things I have recorded on the DVR.
Did any of those crock pot recipes I sent you on Facebook look good enough to try?
We just cancelled our cable at home (with my parents) and my mom is quite pleased about it. What we did, though, is a little different. My parents invested in a Roku streaming player for each of the rooms in the house, and we split the cost of Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. They all offer streaming and have most of the up to date shows. Roku has an app for each one, and there’s also one for HBO as well. I just looked it up and there are sports options too!
http://voices.yahoo.com/how-watch-sports-through-roku-11926361.html?cat=14
It’s kind of a nice way to still have access to the shows you want to watch, and there are a ton of free channels available through a Roku that are in app form, but it is a cheaper/easier way to go about it. We were spending so much for DVR/satellite that only one person used, so we got rid of it. 🙂
We don’t have cable either and I recommend not having it when people ask if we miss it! Ours was a financial move- the packages where I live (and likely most places) run around $150 per month. We got bunny ears for our tv so we get fox, cbs, pbs and a few others for free. Between those select channels and the internet we make out well! We also have had netflix subscriptions on and off. In addition to saving money, I think it keeps us from watching tv just because it’s there.
It is of course a choice that must be made by both of you- but if you cancel it and miss it, you can always get it back and probably at a better rate! 🙂
Chris, my fiance, have talked about getting rid of our cable because its just so darn expensive for nothing really… I think that when we buy a house in the next few months we will not be getting cable again! I really don’t watch too much TV and we have a DVR but record so many things that we can never get to!
We do spend a lot of our time watching Netflix more than anything else. And a lot of our shows are downloaded to watch on the computer, too. My dad got extended cable when my sis and I bought our parents a big TV for the TV room, and sadly, we don’t use the extended channels as much as I’d like (I LOVE BBC-America, but my dad’s a TV hog!)
I would consider not having a TV if I were on my own. Get a Wii and a Netflix subscription of my own and call it a day!
I love reality trash tv! I am not sure I would make it! LOL
I do not have a TV and I am proud of it! The only thing I miss is sports sometimes. Everything else I can watch online. I say Go for it!
It’s Babe!!
And as soon as our contract runs out, we will probably be cancelling our Direct as well. My soccer loving husband will miss it WAY more than I do, but we watch re-runs of tv shows that we own the entire box series of on Blu-Ray and it just seems pointless to still pay $50/month for that form of “filler entertainment” as you said 🙂 I support you!
I love that you just quoted Babe! I use that quaote all the time, haha. We have been without cable for 3 years and have not missed it. We use netflix and hulu mostly for movies/shows we want to see.
BABE!!! Only one of the best movies of all time!
We don’t have cable, but we get about 10 channels with a digital receiver. Ryne watches a lot of his sports that way. We also stream the online ESPN stuff through our computer to our TV. Netflix is amazing, too!
Shows I’d miss (and Shane and I have talked about this, too!): all trash reality TV on Bravo, Days of Our Lives (no shame,) Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, the news.
I would never be able to cancel tv! I’m too much of a tv addict. I love my reality shows 🙂
Babe!!! as long as you have netflix and ESPN.com, i’d say go for it!
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My boyfriend and I have lived together for two years and we have never had cable. I have not had cable since sophmore year of college (4 years ago) and i have not missed it once! We watch shows and movies on Netflix, Hulu, and other websites that offer free streaming tv. It’s definitely much better to plan our tv watching time than have it on in the background not even paying attention to it!
I have no idea how people can watch that much TV! Crazy!
I have thought about canceling my cable a lot. I barely use it. My daughter watches about 20 minutes of cartoons in the morning and we might watch 30 minutes at night, but probably not. We go to bed crazy early so it’s just not something that we think about.
1. Babe!
2. I went through that exact same dilemma and actually drove to turn in my cable box and then freaked out and drove home. Why am I so attached!?
We cancelled cable in our house and got rid of the tv! Whenever people come over they think that my boyfriend and I are crazy, but we only watch shows and movies online. We either use torrents or letmewatchthis and anything you could ever want is there!
We have the same situation at our house! I don’t mind if we don’t have cable but my fiance loves baseball and would really like to have it. As of right now we don’t have it because we decided to put the money towards gym memberships at a gym that is a little more expensive than the rest in town, but is one we really love. Whenever I add up how much money can be saved in a year, without cable, it definitely confirms my decision to not have it!
Babe!
And, we have been cable-free for over 2 years. We have Netflix and Amazon Prime, then use Hulu for current shows. We also have a Leaf antenna (amazon) that picks up over the air channels. So, we can watch our shows in real time if we like. So we still get Modern Family and Biggest Loser and the Super Bowl, but for free (after the cost of the antenna).