Comments on: Cheap TV Entertainment http://www.four-pillars.ca/2008/11/27/cheap-tv-entertainment/ Investing and Personal Finance Sat, 20 Mar 2010 03:08:41 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: -> Ways To Watch Television For Free Without Paying For Cable Or Satellite TV | Bible Money Matters http://www.four-pillars.ca/2008/11/27/cheap-tv-entertainment/comment-page-1/#comment-18843 -> Ways To Watch Television For Free Without Paying For Cable Or Satellite TV | Bible Money Matters Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:05:53 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=1945#comment-18843 [...] Rates for cable in our area range anywhere from around $12/month for the basic package with only local channels to well over $100/month for upgraded offerings with premium channels and shows. We probably would have ended up going for a middle of the road package, somewhere between $50-60/month. How much have we saved every year by not paying subscription costs for our TV entertainment? Probably between $600-720! That’s a lot of money!  The good news is,  TV doesn’t have to be that expensive! [...] [...] Rates for cable in our area range anywhere from around $12/month for the basic package with only local channels to well over $100/month for upgraded offerings with premium channels and shows. We probably would have ended up going for a middle of the road package, somewhere between $50-60/month. How much have we saved every year by not paying subscription costs for our TV entertainment? Probably between $600-720! That’s a lot of money!  The good news is,  TV doesn’t have to be that expensive! [...]

]]> By: Drinkin’ Guinness in the 416 | Forever Knackered http://www.four-pillars.ca/2008/11/27/cheap-tv-entertainment/comment-page-1/#comment-9633 Drinkin’ Guinness in the 416 | Forever Knackered Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:36:19 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=1945#comment-9633 [...] Cheap TV entertainment.  The best sort.  We paid eleven bucks a month for cable in NYC, even paying thirty almost kills me up here. [...] [...] Cheap TV entertainment.  The best sort.  We paid eleven bucks a month for cable in NYC, even paying thirty almost kills me up here. [...]

]]> By: Tammy Lee http://www.four-pillars.ca/2008/11/27/cheap-tv-entertainment/comment-page-1/#comment-9466 Tammy Lee Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:09:50 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=1945#comment-9466 @Nerd Money: Ooh! That's good to know! @Nerd Money: Ooh! That’s good to know!

]]> By: Nerd Money http://www.four-pillars.ca/2008/11/27/cheap-tv-entertainment/comment-page-1/#comment-9465 Nerd Money Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:04:10 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=1945#comment-9465 For Canadian viewers who like to watch the primetime mainstream stuff CTV.ca and Globaltv.com have free streaming versions of Heroes, House, Desperate Housewives, Lost, Grey's Anatomy and more. For Canadian viewers who like to watch the primetime mainstream stuff CTV.ca and Globaltv.com have free streaming versions of Heroes, House, Desperate Housewives, Lost, Grey’s Anatomy and more.

]]> By: NL http://www.four-pillars.ca/2008/11/27/cheap-tv-entertainment/comment-page-1/#comment-9438 NL Sun, 30 Nov 2008 05:41:15 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=1945#comment-9438 If you like The Office, HBO's Extras is also really good. If you like The Office, HBO’s Extras is also really good.

]]> By: Gates VP http://www.four-pillars.ca/2008/11/27/cheap-tv-entertainment/comment-page-1/#comment-9419 Gates VP Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:05:23 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=1945#comment-9419 Ummm... first the plug: hulu.com -> network TV on the web 24 hours after it comes out. My wife and I watch Heroes on Tuesday with 3 minutes of commercials instead of Monday with 18 minutes of commercials. And the image is DVD quality instead of TV quality. Hulu has a lot of shows and extra content, but they only run the 5 most recent episodes for any show (so you can't get too far behind, they still want you to buy the DVD). Also Netflix subscribers also get a Video on Demand feature (here in the US at least). So I know couples who have legally streamed themselves seasons of TV (via the XBOX 360 :) Also, this suggestion is just full of illusion: <i>A popular suggestion would probably be to get rid of the TV altogether and start reading library books.</i> In no way is reading Nora Roberts any better for your brain than watching to Mike Rowe on dirty jobs. Heck, his vocabulary is just as extensive. Books are just one of the many canvasses for sharing knowledge and entertainment and they all exist for a reason. Even outside of entertainment, lots of educational material cam be much better presented in video format. If you're a CFL fan, you can usually watch on-line via TSN.ca (it's how we do it in the US). Of course, when it comes to sports, I would also go to the local bar for big events. I've taken friends off to Boston Pizza's lounge to watch the NBA Finals. In one sense it does cost money, but you're also spending time with friends. Honestly, as a person who's gone from TV to no TV and back again, there's no real moral high ground to be had by anyone here. Bad TV is no better than bad books or bad radio shows. At the end of the day, we all need a little brain candy. But you definitely don't need a TV to get that brain candy on to your home entertainment system :) Ummm… first the plug: hulu.com -> network TV on the web 24 hours after it comes out. My wife and I watch Heroes on Tuesday with 3 minutes of commercials instead of Monday with 18 minutes of commercials. And the image is DVD quality instead of TV quality.

Hulu has a lot of shows and extra content, but they only run the 5 most recent episodes for any show (so you can’t get too far behind, they still want you to buy the DVD).

Also Netflix subscribers also get a Video on Demand feature (here in the US at least). So I know couples who have legally streamed themselves seasons of TV (via the XBOX 360 :)

Also, this suggestion is just full of illusion: A popular suggestion would probably be to get rid of the TV altogether and start reading library books.

In no way is reading Nora Roberts any better for your brain than watching to Mike Rowe on dirty jobs. Heck, his vocabulary is just as extensive. Books are just one of the many canvasses for sharing knowledge and entertainment and they all exist for a reason. Even outside of entertainment, lots of educational material cam be much better presented in video format.

If you’re a CFL fan, you can usually watch on-line via TSN.ca (it’s how we do it in the US). Of course, when it comes to sports, I would also go to the local bar for big events. I’ve taken friends off to Boston Pizza’s lounge to watch the NBA Finals. In one sense it does cost money, but you’re also spending time with friends.

Honestly, as a person who’s gone from TV to no TV and back again, there’s no real moral high ground to be had by anyone here. Bad TV is no better than bad books or bad radio shows.

At the end of the day, we all need a little brain candy. But you definitely don’t need a TV to get that brain candy on to your home entertainment system :)

]]> By: Kyle http://www.four-pillars.ca/2008/11/27/cheap-tv-entertainment/comment-page-1/#comment-9414 Kyle Fri, 28 Nov 2008 18:29:33 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=1945#comment-9414 You forgot Mr Bean reruns! You forgot Mr Bean reruns!

]]> By: Mr. Cheap http://www.four-pillars.ca/2008/11/27/cheap-tv-entertainment/comment-page-1/#comment-9413 Mr. Cheap Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:51:45 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=1945#comment-9413 TL: Good point! I should have mentioned that many networks make shows available on-line for free at their website... Some of my friends have gone to the Restaurants featured on R.M., so beyond the makeover I think its pretty good advertising. TL: Good point! I should have mentioned that many networks make shows available on-line for free at their website…

Some of my friends have gone to the Restaurants featured on R.M., so beyond the makeover I think its pretty good advertising.

]]> By: Tammy Lee http://www.four-pillars.ca/2008/11/27/cheap-tv-entertainment/comment-page-1/#comment-9410 Tammy Lee Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:24:26 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=1945#comment-9410 I'm almost to the point where I can give up cable because I watch most of my shows online, and legally, for free. The Comedy Network's Web site has dozens of shows free for viewing. HGTV, Food Network Canada, and Adult Swim have full episodes online. And Restaurant Makeover is one of my favourite Canadian shows. I’m almost to the point where I can give up cable because I watch most of my shows online, and legally, for free.

The Comedy Network’s Web site has dozens of shows free for viewing. HGTV, Food Network Canada, and Adult Swim have full episodes online.

And Restaurant Makeover is one of my favourite Canadian shows.

]]> By: Dillon http://www.four-pillars.ca/2008/11/27/cheap-tv-entertainment/comment-page-1/#comment-9396 Dillon Fri, 28 Nov 2008 01:22:57 +0000 http://www.four-pillars.ca/?p=1945#comment-9396 The HBO series The Wire is excellent, and available on DVD. The HBO series The Wire is excellent, and available on DVD.

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