Thanks. I'm going to see if I notice a difference.
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I understand (about being spoiled about different things). It just seems to me that if you only watch a fraction of what is on cable, what is the benefit that you are really being spoiled with ... other than spoiling yourself with the big bill each month. I mean, presumably, to be spoiled with something you have to relish in its benefits, right? :) Well...if folk watch the same few things all the time then it's really, at the end of the day, just a *perceived* benefit that may or may not really exist, in reality, yet the bill exists in reality, every single month.

Like you, I know so many people who watch the same few programs a week, yet they have channels from countries where the people speak languages that they don't even know! LOL.

Listen, I spend ridiculously too and am trying to stop that. I was just saying that cable is one thing that I can cut back on. Maybe for others, it will be something else that *they* can live w/out.

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My husband keeps saying that we need to ditch the cable but I vehemently disagree. We have the bundled Verizon Fios with phone, cable TV and internet. We have a basic movie package but no premiums like HBO or Cinemax. I watch HGTV and Spike, my kids watch Nick, Disney and the like and my husband watches a lot of movies and non-mainstream channels. Our life would be very dull with just basic TV. I am in school and also work from home so I would be very upset with a dial up connection, especially without wireless.

This bundled package also includes on-demand. Although we mostly use our cell phones (we have a family plan that works well), we do have a landline with basic service in order to get the bundled package but also to use the fax which, along with email and online bill pay, saves us postage. We do have a postal box for security reasons but its inexpensive and right down the street from home.

So, I pretty much said that if we need to turn off the heat or cutback on food, we will NOT give up our telecom services. Life would be very miserable....

I found out that I didn't need to have extended basic in order to have digital cable. (I absolutely love the channel guide with my digital.) I got my bundle discount, because I only needed digital. I lost around 80 channels, but I still have over 100. I also chase the $5 movie channel deal, which for us saves on going out. I saved over $40 a month that way.

Also, I guess I have to do a little more research myself but I have been hearing reports that Credit Card companies are really starting to jack people. For example, starting early next year (my guess is Feb...after Holiday season), companies will automatically start running card holder's credit, lowering credit limits and jacking up interest rates even if your credit score is (good).

I wonder how bad the credit crunch is going to kill pockets of those with credit cards? Luckily...I have about 2 more payments and my CC debt will be very VERY low...

Good stuff...I looked at the new pricing by Comcast....and lets just say.....I was steaming....

I wanted to cut my services to Limited Basic Cable & Internet....well....needless to say...the cost of Internet connection alone is $50-60 w/out any of the other services. So, to make a long story short my bill would be pretty close to $100 with any combination of services.

Comcast once had a promotion the consisted of the Internet, Phone, & Cable for $100, now that deal is $120 + taxes, cost of cable box, and HDTV connection if you have one. So, that equals about $140 per month.

I am looking into Verizon but I wonder how much my bill will shoot up after their 3 for $100 promotion?

Very interesting....

If you don't use your internet and email much, and if you can stand dial the wait, since you are in school, you can probably dial into your school's system and access the internet that way. If you're interested, check with the folk over at your computer lab for how to do it. It's free. Yay. LOL. I did this for years. It worked well for me b/c I really wasn't on the internet much besides checking email and paying bills. But for folk that download music and all that bandwidth intensive stuff, I know that dial up can be a nightmare. Anyway, just another possible cost cutter. I used the school's computer lab for the other times that I needed a connection. Again, it was free. Yay. LOL.

The other thing that you could do to get rid of the $50 cable bill is to just get on Greekchat and do your email (and your other online activities) at school at the computer lab.

Also, on the cell bill. People are not hearing me. METRO.PCS. :) Unlimited calls, unlimited texting, no contract. $40/month. OR Unlimited calls, no texting, no contract. $30/month.
I don't know why I didn't switch sooner. The other folk were charging me roughly $100/month - that's a lot of unnecessary money their way - just for me to talk on the phone. Shoot, for $100/month, talking on the cell was getting way overrated for me. LOL.

Here's another tip for those who go to the gym just to get on the treadmill to the tune of $30/month. You can buy a treadmill and use it in the convenience of your home for $300 (check the Walmart brand; Sears also has a brand for slightly higher, but still not even 400), which is less than the cost of a year's membership in the fitness club. You can also throw in a set of barbells for strength training and STILL be less than the fitness club. Of course, if you're there to meet the cuties (been there, done that LOL), then keep the membership. LOL.

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LOL. I hear you. Unfortunately, for me, I spend alot of time dining out with family and friends and that takes up the money I save on telecom. I'm too greedy. I'd rather eat and spa my money than watch it on tv. LOL. I guess we're all different. :)

My Mother cuts the heat waaaay down - even in the dead of winter. My sisters and I hate to spend the night over her house in the winter. LOL. Even my Dad can't stand it. I can't live w/out my food or my heat. Shoot, I run up my company's bill with a space heater that I use almost every day (yes, even in the summer) of the year.

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