How Much Do You Spend a Month on Cable for TV?

Updated on March 30, 2011
D.F. asks from Monmouth Junction, NJ
38 answers

We spend $15/ month on basic cable for our TV. My husband insists that 'everyone' pays MEGA bucks for cable a month, and was wondering how much YOU spend?

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J.N.

answers from Salt Lake City on

It was around $60 a month when we finally cut it off. Now, we don't have cable (so we don't pay anything, lol) and we can find just about everything we want via Hulu/Fancast, Netflix, and tnt.tv (since we do have DSL internet)

The cable prices are just insane, and there is only one company here so no competition. Just wasn't worth it. I am thinking, though, of getting an antenna so I can watch local news.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.B.

answers from Washington DC on

IF we had cable, the going rate here is about $65.00-$75.00 for basic.

We don't have cable now (also, it does us real good to not sit in front of tube all day. LOL) We just use Netflix sometimes... it is really nice to have kids that don't feel like they NEED TV:) and I DON'T MISS IT AT ALL! And it makes it all that much easier when I have a husband that DOESN'T need TV for MINDLESS sports or other stuff.

Don't take this the wrong way, but are you acquiring it illegally or something? How'd ya get that awesome price!? LOL!

BTW, we had a "bundle deal" last summer. We were paying $250.00 for premium cable and internet. Total B%$#@!&T!

1 mom found this helpful

A.S.

answers from Iowa City on

We pay around $100.00 which is for high speed internet and a "preferred" TV package. Which means we get a lot of channels (I think 250 or so). Granted there are a lot we don't watch but to get the ones we wanted we had to go with the preferred package. It works for us. Basic cable around here is $21.00. Select is $58.00. Preferred is $65.00.

1 mom found this helpful

More Answers

P.G.

answers from Elmira on

I am with Hillary on this!

W pay $0. We have high speed internet and netflix for $9.
I have never had cable in my whole life. My parents and myself are not hippies either. I have not lost out on anything by not having cable. In fact, I believe that I have gained perspective and was/am allowed to spend my time doing things that I find worthwhile and productive, in my opinion of course.
good luck
-P

2 moms found this helpful
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T.C.

answers from Colorado Springs on

We don't spend a dime. ;) We don't have cable. We have a computer hooked up to our tv for netflix streaming, etc. There was never anything worthwhile on tv with cable, so why pay for it? We haven't missed it for a moment. We watch so very little tv as it is.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.J.

answers from Salt Lake City on

honestly I pay almost 300 a month for cable- it is TV, Internet, phone. It is way way to much and I hate it but my hubby insists upon keeping it.

1 mom found this helpful
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H.S.

answers from Johnson City on

$0! My husband and I personally think that cable is a waste of money, especially with Netflix instant streaming as it's competition. We pay for high speed internet, and we pay $9 to Netflix monthly to have 1 DVD out at a time, and unlimited instant streaming. It streams directly to our television, and there are no commercials to deal with. There are so many television shows and movies on there, I can say confidently that we will never go back to cable television. There are current seasons of many shows (for example Sesame Street and SNL) so I don't see any advantages to cable.

1 mom found this helpful

~.~.

answers from Tulsa on

$15.75 for basic. Used to be $11.75 and they raised it last month. I dropped it down from expanded basic because it had gone from $27.99 to $57.99 in three years. Almost double the price and they had cut some channels! I'm tempted to drop the basic, but I love the 24/7 kids channel that comes with it, so I'm sticking with it for now.

1 mom found this helpful

S.J.

answers from St. Louis on

We just got cable after having cancelled it for almost a year. They wanted $90 per month for cable and hubby refused to pay that and cancelled. He got it back when he was able to negotiate $60 per month. I still think $60 a month is high but hubby has to have his baseball games!

$15 is CHEAP!

1 mom found this helpful
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K.R.

answers from Spokane on

$0 per month - no TV watching in our house. We do pay for high speed internet though!

1 mom found this helpful

L.E.

answers from Los Angeles on

wow! lots of variant on this. I would be interested to see your results in graph form!
I thought we had a good price... For high speed internet, plus phone with unlimited long distance, plus cable (plus HD) including HBO, SHOWTIME, EPIX and every channel on tv On Demand anytime, we pay about $150/month.
would be nice to get rid of that bill... I'm wondering if people who don't have cable and watch online can still see HBO or Showtime shows...??? Honestly, thats the only tv I like or watch...

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C.M.

answers from New York on

I'm almost too embarrased to say! Lol I spend about $155 per month. I live in Westchester county so I have Cablevision. I'm paying for the silver package, which has all movie channels, internet, and phone. Its not really the cable that's expensive, its the taxes. If anyone knows of a better, less expensive network in the Westchester County area, pls feel free to let me know. Thanx

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L.W.

answers from Cincinnati on

we were spending $150 for satelite cable. we just condensed our cable/home phone and internet and are paying approx $75 for the cable, $50 for the internet and about $25 for the home phone (so 150 for all 3)
we are now looking into going through magic Jack for our home phone since that cost is liek $20 per year.

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

Well....your husband will like this: We have DirecTV - we pay $105 a month for it. That doesn't include the sports packages (Baseball and Football). So there are times when it's $150 a month (for the basic package, sports and the next tier - we like the Discovery Channel, Nick, Cartoon Network).

We have Comcast for our internet and home phone - that's $100 as well...tell your husband to thank his lucky stars!!!!

T.N.

answers from Albany on

We have high-speed wireless internet and digital cable together. It's $80 a month. Used to be $120 until we finally cancelled the silly home phone that no one ever used.

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R.K.

answers from Boston on

We spend 15 but that is because hubby works for comcast and one of the benefits is we are only charged the tax and the cost of equipment but yes that is a good deal it's a lot more then that here.

S.H.

answers from San Diego on

We used to spend about $100 (with only one added sport channel) through DirecTV Satellite TV . We have now cancelled all cable and use a Roku device coupled with an HD Antennae. Roku is similar to Apple TV, but provides a few more items like Pandora as well. We run our Netflix on Demand through it, Hulu, Amazon on Demand, and have set up a Microsoft Media Station so we can run internet easily through our t.v. as well. We now pay only about $40 per YEAR for any shows that aren't already showing for free on places like Hulu. My husband (the best researcher I know) did all sorts of research and wrote about it on his blog for all who might be interested, you can read it here if you're curious: http://www.urbanvining.com/2011/03/68-raise-thanks-roku/

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A.G.

answers from Atlanta on

We pay $110 for all channels with cable. We don't really go to the movies or rent/ buy them, and we both love sports, so it was the cheapest way to get sports channels and movie channels. Now that are area is all digital, even basic cable is around $40 a month.

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J.F.

answers from Tallahassee on

We pay right at $100 per month for Directv. That includes one regular receiver for our bedroom and one HD DVR receiver for the living room. We just have the regular channels - no movie channels.

A.H.

answers from San Francisco on

$15 for limited basic.
It would be $0, but Comcast charges $15 more for internet service if you don't subscribe to cable!

M.H.

answers from Raleigh on

We have high speed internet, digital cable and a DVR and we pay about $104 per month. Every year I have to call and negotiate it to have it even be that low (how sad is that?!?!) because they want to charge about $140 for all of it!

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J.K.

answers from Phoenix on

We pay $53 for Direct TV but it includes DVR and HD and extra channels...I'm not sure what their basic rates would be. I think our local cable charges $65 for basic cable.... so $15/month sounds like a smokin' deal. =)

T.K.

answers from Dallas on

Let me preface this by saying..........My husband is a sahd and pays the cable bill. We have every blessed thing you can possibly have. The full movie package, digital dvrs in 4 rooms, and high speed internet. Our cable bill is around $150 for tv and internet. When it was just me, I never went over $75 a month and I choked on that. But he stays home all day and is bored, I'm sure. It's his indulgance and he pays it, so I don't mind. I think it's outrageuous, but I enjoy it when I get a chance to. DVR has been a God send.

M.D.

answers from Dallas on

I have a bundle package of cable and internet and my bill is around $120-$135 if movies get ordered. I have two boxes, $14.99 for HBO & Stars.
I wish mine was $15 a month...

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I.G.

answers from Seattle on

We got rid of it when our bill topped $80 for extended basic cable (no premium channels). We now still pay $60 for high speed cable internet and $9 for Netflix. We have our old laptop permanently hooked up to the tv and watch over the air, streaming netflix and other internet streams (like hulu).
Works great for us...

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A.C.

answers from Houston on

Nothing. Since the conversion to digital, I bought a high-quality multidirectional antenna and pick up more than enough programming to suit our needs. I don't know what you get in your basic service, but you might be surprised by what you can get with an antenna. I can get the three major networks, fox, cw, 3 PBS channels, and a few others.

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C.D.

answers from Kansas City on

We pay about $150 a month for internet and cable. It is insane!

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M.D.

answers from Victoria on

We have directv on 2 tvs and our bill is 45.00 month for all basic channels- no movie channels. I dont watch much tv so this package works for me

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N.W.

answers from Eugene on

$40.99 a month with Dish TV for 150 channels, local stations, DVR to 2 locations. It was 30$ a month for the first year, then went up to 45$ I called to ask for a discount and they gave me $5.00 off just for asking. They said I can call back in a few months when this contract is up and try to renegotiate. I did this with my phone company, too and they lowered my internet service from 36 to $20/mo. I ask for the "loyalty department" and see what they can do for me.

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E.W.

answers from New York on

we pay about $110 for directv. That's with 2 HD DVR boxes and 1 regular box, HBO, Starz, Encore and Showtime. we are under a promotional contract for 2 years.

W.P.

answers from New York on

We have DirecTV. (MUCH better than cable here!) We have an upgraded package with premium movie channels and HD/DVR service for 4 televisions. We pay $105/month. (I think I negotiated a pretty good deal!) The cable here is a bit cheaper at first, but then they raise the prices. (You can't get ANY service here for $15/month!) The cable DVR is terrible (not much recording time/space), and they don't have nearly as many channels as DirecTV.

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S.W.

answers from Phoenix on

We did the same thing as "Luci's Mom". We pay $0 and bought an antenna. We've also hooked up our computer to the TV and watch online shows through hulu or surf the channel.

We also limit our TV watching.

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A.M.

answers from Dallas on

My cable bill is 185 per month! Ridiculous. I really do need to cancel it. It does cover a home phone (which i do not need) and my high speed internet. I agree with those posters below who suggest an internet only service. Then you can go on hulu or amazon and buy TV episodes OR you can use netflix and blockbuster.com to see movies. For about 20-30 per month, you could be watching anything you want without cable.

E.B.

answers from Seattle on

Way to much...cable internet cell phone bundle...almost 200 plus bucks. as sooooooooooooooon as our contract through comcast or xfinity or whoever they are is up we are out!

-Libby

C.S.

answers from New York on

We also spend around $15 for dish. It was ALOT more. We cut back to the basic package, mostly for the locals. We bought a Wii and stream Netflix.

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B.C.

answers from Phoenix on

got rid of cable and bought an antenna. We also have netflix that we pay $9/month for and stream it through our TV's. It works our great for us, I don't miss cable or the bill that comes with it!

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S.K.

answers from Dallas on

For directv without hd, with two dvr boxes we pay 85 a month. We don't even have the movie channels. I HATE that bill. I would cancel it but my DH won't. We have 250 channels and actually watch about 15 total including the kids channels.
Ridiculous!!

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

We have a Time Warner package with high speed internet, 1 digital land line and cable tv. We have 1 DVR and we sometimes will get a movie on pay for view.

Our bill is usually around $177 per month.

We do have good service!

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