Why I Am Glad I Got Rid of Cable TV: A Seoer's Perspective

Cable TV used to be a staple in many households, with monthly subscriptions typically costing around $19.95 back in 1979. Nowadays, this figure has skyrocketed, and while the technology has improved, the prices have more than made up for it. When I was a kid, a 19-inch TV set rings around $400. Fast forward to today, and it's common to pay over $400 just for the delivery of television programming. This drastic price increase made me reevaluate my subscription, leading me to decide against the expensive cable plans.

More Programming, Less Money

My current cable TV bill falls between $125 to $150. This is for access to hundreds of channels, a number that is now considered excessive. I found myself serving at over $2000 annually for a subscription that I questioned, asking, 'Is it worth it? Is I am missing out by opting for fewer channels?' My antenna provides sufficient programming for just a few hours a day. I do miss CNN in the evening, but I can get by with a 30-minute news segment. I don't particularly need all the Comedy Central channels when Seth Myers can be found on other platforms. Furthermore, having 8 sports channels isn't a necessity when there are only a few games per week that I find interesting.

The Benefits of Cutting the Cord

Since I let go of cable TV, my clarity of thoughts has improved, and I find myself more productive with my time. Instead of staring at the TV, I channel that time into reading, which has increased my reading habits by a factor of ten. My wife and I ditched cable about 4 years ago, paying around $110 per month. We were already spending $60 on internet, and the added cable cost was simply too much, so we decided to read the books we had always wanted to read.

A Thorough Analysis

One of the big advantages of not having cable TV is that we haven't missed any of the channels we used to watch, as all the programs have been made available on our local Freeview platform. This change allowed us to shift the money we saved away from televisions and into things that matter more to us, such as weekend getaways, cozy hotel stays, and time at the beach. For the price of a year's cable, we could easily create memorable experiences with our family that traditional TV couldn’t.

The Detrimental Nature of Cable TV

The main issues with cable TV include the commercials, which are annoying, condescending, and representative of the greed and indifference that permeates these networks and cable companies. Even when I was only watching a handful of channels, the commercials were a nuisance, and the re-runs of old programs or infomercials airing late at night were a constant source of frustration. It's simply impossible to overstate how much we despise these ads. Furthermore, the programming offered is often mediocre, with more reruns than original content.

Overall, cutting the cord on cable TV has been a positive move for us financially and personally. The improvement in my mental clarity and productivity is undeniable, and the time and money we've saved by choosing to read more and experience new activities can't be overstated. It's a step that I believe I should have taken 12 years ago, but better late than never.