Use Hulu.com and Cut Out Cable TV Expenses

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Use Hulu.com and Cut Out Cable TV Expenses

Submitted by: 42Emma 11/07/2008 2:37 PM

If you're looking to reduce monthly expenses, try cutting out cable TV. It may seem extreme, particularly if you do like watching TV, but hear me out.

I used to pay over $60/month for cable TV. I'd watch a couple of shows at night after dinner, and then maybe a few shows over the weekend, but I always felt like I was paying a lot for the amount of TV I watched. Then I discovered Hulu.com.

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Hulu is a website backed by NBC Universal and News Corp. According to Hulu.com, they have over 900 current primetime TV hits on the site. You can watch any of the shows for free. They still have commercials, but fewer than if you watched the shows on regular television. And you can get new shows at the same time they air on regular TV, so you don't have to wait to see them.

Hulu has a really good variety of shows, from The Office and 30 Rock to Heroes and Lipstick Jungle (all favorites of mine). They also have shows that air on cable networks, like The Daily Show with John Stewart and The Colbert Report. And you can also watch old movies on Hulu (e.g., Men in Black, Ghostbusters, etc.).

I figured that cutting out cable would save me over $700/year. That's a lot of money back in my pocket. Sure, I have to give up some of my favorite shows that they don't carry, but I catch them at friends' houses. My boyfriend is into sports, so he could never cut out cable altogether, but he has cable at his apartment so he can still watch the games there.

All in all, I think it's a pretty nice service. I still have my Internet access, obviously, so I can watch shows on Hulu, but it is nice to know I'm saving a lot of money by cutting out cable TV. And it's also nice that I can still watch new episodes of my favorite shows when I'm traveling or if I'm out to dinner and miss them when they air on regular TV, as I'm not tied down to a schedule and don't have to pay for a DVR service.

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Comments:

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Unfortunately, I live in a small town which is completely monopolized by utility companies including cable.
I HAVE to subscribe to cable tv, in order to have cable internet connection. The only other option for me is dial-up. Been there, done that and I don't wanna go back if at all possible. But how does this article fit me if I can't cut the cable tv off and still have decent internet service to watch HULU on?

Posted by Ellie on January 10, 2010 10:53 PM

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Hi, Ellie.

From what you wrote I interpret that there are no other ISPs (Internet Service Providers) in your area, e.g. no Verizon FIOS, etc. That is, for you, there is no obvious competitor to your one local cable company.

There are two wireless broadband options:

1. Satellite-based Internet service offered by DirectTV under the HughesNet brand (http://www.hughesnet.com/). This service is available nationally, with the possible exception of in AK and HI.

2. Clearwire (http://www.clearwire.com/) may offer their Clear brand of 4G WiMax (wireless broadband) service in your area. They're building a nationwide network.

Both of these services may be more expensive than a Cable TV + Internet bundle, but it may give you some leverage in negotiating with the cable company. Just the fact that you're looking at these options may get your cable provider to consider what you want.

The problem you may run into is that, where there is a cable monopoly, they tend to charge you more for Internet-only service alone than if it is bundled with cable TV, e.g. Cable TV + Internet + Phone = $75/month, Internet Only = $50/month.

Something else you need to consider: watching TV programs or movies on your computer is not the same experience as watching them on your TV, especially if your computer is a laptop with a small screen.

You may also want to write complaint letters to your representatives in the Federal House and Senate, as well as in your state legislature. Part of the big stimulus package from earlier this year included, if memory serves, something like $4 billion in stimulus funds for rural broadband expansion. Cable monopolies are taking advantage of the public with bundling schemes that need to be stopped, i.e. forcing you to buy more than you want. If they charge $75 for Cable TV + Phone + Internet, you should be able to get Internet-only service for something in the neighborhood of $30 vs. the high fees they charge for only part of the package.

Frankly, I think the cable and satellite TV companies should be forced to offer unbundled channels. I dropped DISH network as I was tired of paying $80 a month for 500+ channels, only 13 of which I watched. One could only get certain channels in certain packages, so to get some of the business and news channels I wanted, I wound up in a top-tier package. Every time ESPN � which I don't watch �raised their rates, DISH simply passed the increase on to the customers. Now I watch "antenna TV" and watch less TV to boot, which turns out to be a good thing IMHO.

Posted by G. E. Swain on January 14, 2010 4:09 PM

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The question was "Know of Any Home Internet-Only Services?" You can either sign up for a dial-up account or sign up for a satellite service such as HughesNet.

Posted by Lee on January 14, 2010 4:48 PM

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Hey, you are lucky to live where you can even get cable. I live so far into the forest that any kind of reception is challenging. Verizon just added so much coverage, that I FINALLY Lost dialup a yr ago. Look into broadband. You plug a small device ( you have to buy that) and you receive your internet wirelessly. You can take it with you when you travel as well. Look into the providers in your area. I am not a Verizon employee. It just works well for me. Hope you find a solution. Sally <><

Posted by anonymous on January 14, 2010 5:26 PM

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my cable bill is only $10/month. All you have to do is call them and threaten to cancel and they will do anything to keep you. I get 150 channels.

Posted by anonymous on January 14, 2010 9:24 PM

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I heard a rumor that hulu was going to start charging but haven't seen it in any articles yet.

Posted by Jo on February 07, 2010 2:11 PM

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