Another Bill Comes, Good this time

We've been going through a change in our household in recent months, a change in television viewing.   More importantly, a change in television availability.

First, some background.

When I lived alone, I did not have cable.  Originally, of course, that was because I could not afford it.  When I could afford it, however, I signed up for cable . . .and it happened to be one of those months where every time I turned on the television, something amazing was on PBS.   So every time I turned on the television I wanted to watch PBS, but I would not let myself, because I refused to watch "free" television when I was "paying" for channels.   After a month, I cancelled my cable.    In fact, for the last six months of living alone, I also did not have Internet at home.  (Yes, I am aware that makes me technologically backward)

When "free" television made the transition to "digital" television (resulting in the need to buy a $50 converter box, for which the government was nice enough to give each household two $40 coupons.  You could buy two boxes for $10 each, but you could not buy one box for free and save the government $30.) I came very close to giving up my television completely.  Some sort of moral opposition to having to pay $10 in order to continue to receive "free" television.    However, by that time it was too late and Goodwill would no longer let me donate my television.

So, you get the idea. I am a technologically backward, cheap individual, who would prefer to spend little to no time in front of the television.

When I moved in with my boyfriend, he had Internet and cable and high-definition channels and could DVR and never watch commercials or miss a show, ever.  He had multiple Showtimes and channels from 1 to 899, with 50 or so music channels beyond that.   He also had a television that is wider than I am tall.

I must admit, I got with the program, no problem.  For hours I was happy to sit with the laptop warming my legs and the television filling my eyes.   

Hours.

Days.

Weekends.

Months flew by with my having "no time" to get anything done or any books read, but suddenly I knew what was happening, even on shows I "don't watch."

So when he mentioned he wanted to cut back on expenses, I was happy to volunteer to call the cable company.   We would get rid of a few channels and gain back some of our lives!

He went out and bought an antennae for the television and did a "test run" of life without cable.  The channels that came in were clear and crisp - better then cable, in fact.  Unfortunately, there were only two of them.  Although that seemed ideal to me, he deemed no cable "not happening."   Instead of calling to cancel, I called to haggle.

Oh, but that cable company is tricky, and we were weak.   "I can't eliminate anything, but I can give you these 50 channels for free for six months."   Hmmm....    A month later, I tested my resolve again.  The response was "I can reduce the cost of Showtime to half what you are paying, and give you these other 200 channels for free for five months."

Yes, I am weak, I admit it.     We continued to pay a $120 cable bill each month, and he learned to regret that I now had "Style" network....and unlimited episodes of "Clean House!"

But all good things must end, and a month ago the bill came, with no promotional pricing.

$160 later, he was prepared to try a higher quality antennae, which provided us with 11 channels...if the wind blows the right way, we'll get up to 18.

We said goodbye to cable television.

For a month we have watched, or attempted to watch, network television.  During a snowstorm our choices were limited to one channel, and we discovered Redbox and it's $1 movie rentals.  At night, 7.2, which is a local weather channel, replays "Dr. Oz" while the weather is limited to a side bar.  I have watched more "Dr. Oz" then I would have imagined watching in a lifetime.

Each time the signal fades, and the stupid "digital" television froze and we missed the key scene, I would cringe and just think "don't get cable back yet, wait until you see the bill."

Today, the bill came.  We made it.

At $47, the new bill is a vast improvement over the old bill.  Improvement enough, that I do believe this house will remain cable-television-free.