looking to cut expenses, alternatives to direct tv?

Ximena M

I just paid our last direct tv bill and realized it is over $100 without having anything like HBO!  I'm thinking of going to just Netflix and Hulu.  We already have Netflix, but I have'nt tried Hulu what do you all think?

lauranicole91

I second using online. Hulu was DH and I's best friend when we moved into our first place together and were doing everything on the cheap. However, with hulu there is usually a day delay and even some shows you need their membership to hulu+ to watch. But it's really cheap, I think it's around 8 bucks like netflix.

gisa886

Can you do basic cable? I hate watching tv online, but if I had to I would. C and I had just rabbit ears for two years and we survived. You could do that for the local stuff. 

SteelCity44

We've considered going back to the lifeline basic. It's not always advertised, but they have to offer you the bare minimum. Last time I had it, it was $11/month. I also recommend PlayOn or a Roku box if you have a Wii. We watch a lot of internet tv that way on our real tv.

https://www.playon.tv/playon/

https://www.roku.com/ 

lindy27

We use rabbit ears for local stations, they come in hi-def, and then netflix or the internet for everything else.  We have a computer hooked up to our TV to watch TV shows online and then use our blu-ray player for Netflix, but you can also use a comptuer for that.  There has yet to be anything I can't live without seeing this way.  ESPN3 is good for watching most sports online.

BigAppleBiggerBelly

We haven't had cable in about five years because it's easy to find anything we want online. We use the tv as a monitor for a computer - you just need a $5 HDMI cable. We used to control it with a wireless keyboard but now just use an app called something like "Air Mouse" or "Mobile Mouse" to control the computer from our phones and iPad. The computer we're currently using is a Mac Mini, which is actually smaller than the router, so it's easy to hide.

If you want to watch basic cable shows "live" You can use what we call digital rabbit ears. We've had this antenna for five years and get all of the basic channels plus around thirty misc. ones in crisp HD. I'm sure there are newer, better ones now.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007MXZB2/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0009W9WHQ&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0F3GEH50YEWSH0KGQQHH

The only problem is that the signal fuzzes when a plane flies overhead. Not a big deal unless you're directly in a flight path (we used to live close to the White House and had helicopters overhead all the time).

TeamHayes

I should totally try this. We haven't set up our tv or internet yet in the new house and I don't really miss it but to buy the antenea and hdmi cords we are talking under 50 bucks. what does internet cost these days? I assume you need internet to get tv shows.

laurack

We have basic cable, and we can stream netflix with the playstation.

We don't watch a ton of TV on tv, preferring to order shows from netflix and watch several episodes at once/not have to deal with commercials.

Not sure how much the basic cable is, but it's not a ton. We used to pay $100/mth or so for regular cable WITHOUT hbo or anything. I think now it might be about $30? I think netflix is about $15/mth for streaming and 2 dvds at a time.

 

ninjabridemom

We just have Netflix and Hulu and it's been great.  Between those and regular online TV, we can watch everything basic.

 

We do miss Showtime....but it's not worth it, lol. 

Ximena M

Thanks guys.  I think I'll go a head and cancel my direct tv!

BigAppleBiggerBelly

TeamHayes:

I should totally try this. We haven't set up our tv or internet yet in the new house and I don't really miss it but to buy the antenea and hdmi cords we are talking under 50 bucks. what does internet cost these days? I assume you need internet to get tv shows.

 It was really hard for us to find unbundled Internet (no phone and tv).  We have Time Warner's Roadrunner for about $40/month.  They tried to up it a lot but dropped that when we threatened to switch providers. 

erniebufflo

We use: rabbit ears for network TV, and Xbox live to stream Netflix, Hulu Plus, and ESPN. My one extravagance is an iTunes subscription to Mad Men because I can't wait for it to be on DVD.