October 17 2007
Downsizing
My cable bill has been a consistent $145 a month and I really think it’s time to scale back. I whipped up a little spreadsheet to see my potential savings over the next 7 months, my time frame for packing up & moving east.
The savings quickly adds up:
$93 a month allows me to squirrel away a healthy $654 before I skip town. I’ve elected to keep my own internet connection and not leech off neighbors merely for the reliability my own connection provides. I’m willing to pay for that much.
My next step was to simplify the process of getting that must see TV via the internet, where this Cnet article I read a couple months back came in handy: TV Torrents: When ‘piracy’ is easier than legal purchase.
Within 10 minutes of setting up Miro and browsing tvRSS.net, my favorite shows were all queued up.
One of the definite drawbacks is all that money spent on an HDTV that will no longer receive HD programming. Seems like a waste. Perhaps a portion of the savings can go to upgrading that upconverting DVD player to a legit HD one. You know, just to round things out a bit.
The internet as a true content delivery network, what a time we’re living in!
6 Comments
huphtur // October 17 2007
RIAA/MPAA loves these kinda posts
Bill // October 17 2007
This is just a proof of concept.
haveboard // October 17 2007
Where are you considering moving back to? Philly? NYC? Elsewhere?
Bill // October 17 2007
back to the big apple!
foxxyz // October 18 2007
how can i buy one of these mythical “big apples”?
Bill // November 29 2007
Update - I did in fact get myself an HD DVD player, AND to my surprise - I get the big 4 networks in HD just from plugging in the cable line and auto-programming my TV.