Our cable bill is over $200 !!!

[Bustoff]

Our current att uverse bill is over $200. When I joined it was $130 for phone, internet and tv.

Isn't that insane, or am I just a cheapskate ?

What do you guys pay for tv, phone and internet ?

[mhc]

I pay $194 for the comcast triple play. I am thinking about eliminating some of the channels, which would save me about $300/yr.

[Beantown85]

Our current att uverse bill is over $200. When I joined it was $130 for phone, internet and tv.

Isn't that insane, or am I just a cheapskate ?

What do you guys pay for tv, phone and internet ?

~150-160 for all three. And yes, it's insane.

[Toons]

Can you ditch the phone?

[runner9]

$60 for dish (just went up $5)

$47 approx. for home phone and internet from AT&T

$50 for Verizon for one cell phone.

[bigred77]

I pay 196 for the comcast "premier" triple play or whatever its called.

Every few years when the promotional rate ends I call and tell them i'm willing to cancel my account unless they give me the promotional rate they offer to NEW customers (its always better than the offer there willing to give existing customers). They always give it to me and I'm quite with them until the next time the promo rate ends.

I know its outrageous but I want the fastest internet I can get and I love my TV channels...

[dad2000]

I've been reading a book titled "The Fine Print" (David C Johnston) that among other things, details the deregulation of these businesses and all the sneaky fees the lobbyists keep getting inserted into our bills.

I've had decent success getting my bill lowered by threatening cancellation. Once I had to follow through and switch providers for a year.

[sscritic]

$47 approx. for home phone and internet from AT&T

This, plus about $40 per year for refilling my minutes on my cell plus the sunk cost of $40 for an antenna five years ago.

[exoilman]

$165/mo. (cablevision) for phone, internet, tv with HBO. I would like to lower the bill but value the service. We also get to go to movies for free on tuesdays or any time for $6 at clearview cinemas.

Sam

[deanbrew]

$174 for double play - fastest internet and cable w/ HD DVR, second HD box and premium channels. I use vonage for phone service, which adds another $20 or so for the first phone line, so I'm pushing very near $200.

Our cableco just announced a price increase. Once I get my first higher bill, I will call and try to get my rate lowered.

[NateH]

Is $2500 a year for cable/phone/internet crazy?
Let's see: If you bought a $50 antenna and canceled the cable & phone, you could buy a big new flat screen 60" HDTV this year with the savings. Then next year you could buy another TV that will be bigger and nicer.
Then the year after that you could .....
Then the next year...

[m1k3g]

$84 a month for FIOS internet. No phone bill - OOMA. No cable - we stream everything.

[lwfitzge]

quick background... had AT&T DSL (poor performance, could never get close to advertised bandwidth, U-verse not available on my street), AT&T land-line, and Metrocast cable.

So.. could not bundle anything reasonable w AT&T and Metrocast cable TV seemed too expensive and with crappy HD options so did not bundle there. Went with Direct TV for TV service and had great price package until that bargain lapsed after a year. So.. currently paying

AT&T landline - $40 (could reduce that to $25 if I drop unlimited long distance, or go with cheap VoIP options like Vonage ot bundle w my cable)
DirectTV - $100 - no premium channels like HBO, just sports pack, multiple HD receivers are killer to rent,
MetroCast - $75 - highest speed internet option (35 Mb/s down, 2 Mb/s up) for my home business and multiple kids on gaming; save on modem rental fee ($8/month by buying own)

total: $215

I could drop service level for AT&T ($25 basic line, save $15) or drop my landline (save $40) or save a little on bundling voice and internet w Metrocast (save $20?). Generally happy w performance and reliability of all my options.

I could get down to $175 without compromise in my desired service level for internet/TV..... one can always go much cheaper by going slow internet, no TV except streaming internet options like Hulu/Netflix and drop landline but that won't work for me or my family.

[Stonebr]

This wireless world is "of no more service to man than as an escape from himself and his true aims, and a means of surrounding himself with an ever closer mesh of distractions and useless activities." (Hermann Hesse in Steppenwolf)

[fizxman]

I pay $85 +tax for phone, internet (15/5 Mbps) and TV (290+ channels) with Verizon FIOS. That was with a 2-year agreement, which ends April 2014. In addition, I got a multi-room DVR free for life (or as long as I have the plan). You also get one free non-HD box for free and since I only have one other TV, that's why I pay less than $100/month.

At my old place I had the same internet ($55 +tax), Comcast's most basic cable (about 15 channels or so for $10+tax) and Netflix. I got a lot more now for an extra $10-15/month.

[boknows]

I pay $52 for FIOS internet, and $1.50 for a free google-voice phone number hooked up to an Obi110 for E911 (unlimited local and long distance).

Don't do cable.

[deanbrew]

I would LOVE to have FIOS as an option. I'll probably be dead before it comes to my (rural) area.

[mptfan]

I pay $45 for internet, and $8 for netflix, and $0 for cable tv. Netflix provides a very big selection of TV shows and documentaries and movies on demand, and I get about 40 channels for free over-the-air using an antenna, and about 20 of them are HD with good programming, including all the major networks and PBS. I have more than enough to watch.

[midareff]

About $65 to ATT for two cell lines, about $90 to the cable company for high speed internet, 2 HD cable boxes, HBO, SHO, CIN, TMC and a bunch of others... and 8 to Netflix.

[crowd79]

I had been paying $74 per month for just HDTV cable service through Charter. When I got notice my next bill was going up $5, I cut the cord. Besides, football season is over now anyways...

[Sam I Am]

I pay $138 for Verizon's Triple Play. I save by being an employee, plus they up my internet speed and number of TV channels (yet I still pay for Netflix!).

Thing is, any changes, including downgrades, results in a higher bill. Golden handcuffs.

What really adds to our bill is the equipment; a multi-room DVR, four HD set-top boxes, and a digital converter for my old 36" CRT garage TV. Side note: That 36" TV is still working, and we are on it's THIRD replacement TV for our LR! Thing weighs a ton. It still has a great picture.

TV channels
• Over 385+ digital and 110+ HD channels
• Local channels such as ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox
• Must-have programming from Discovery, TNT, USA, MTV, CNN and more
• 50,000+ On Demand titles available each month and 30,000+ Flex View titles available
for anytime, anywhere viewing
• Commercial Free Music with 47 Music Choice channels
• Flexibility to pick your own equipment and add premium channels
• Up to 23 sports channels
• Includes Cinemax, NFL Red Zone, EPIX, Showtime, The Movie Channel®, and FLIX®

Internet 50 Mbps/25 Mbps Fast, very fast!

Digital Phone Service Unlimited local and LD calling for US, Canada, Puerto Rico + 20 features (voice-mail, call waiting, call forwarding, etc)

Sam I Am

[Confused]

We spend $35 for phone and $28 (plus $7 for modem rental) for Internet. So $70/month. Our television service is bundled into our apartment rent.

[LynnC]

Our current att uverse bill is over $200. When I joined it was $130 for phone, internet and tv.

Isn't that insane, or am I just a cheapskate ?

What do you guys pay for tv, phone and internet ?

We were paying about that. I called and asked for a promotion for people who are good customers and pay their bills on time. They lowered it by almost $50!
I wish we had a FIOS option here, but we don't. I wish we could pay for only certain channels, but we can't......so that being said, I do like U-verse and I like certain features including wireless DVR, blocking of certain phone numbers and so on.

I do wish the movies on the movie channels were newer, but they are not. Alas...

LynnC

[mhc]

Is $2500 a year for cable/phone/internet crazy?
Let's see: If you bought a $50 antenna and canceled the cable & phone, you could buy a big new flat screen 60" HDTV this year with the savings. Then next year you could buy another TV that will be bigger and nicer.
Then the year after that you could .....
Then the next year...

If you cancel your phone service, what do you do for phone service?

If you cancel cable, what are you going to watch on that big, bigger, bigger TV? Youtube

[paulsiu]

This is in line with what my neighbor report for Comcast triple play. He's paying $180.

In my opinion, it's way too much but if you really want some of the channels you have to make do with paying the price. For example, if you need the special channels, you can:

1. Replace your cable with Over the air antenna.
2. Replace your phone with voice over IP device like OOMA.
3. Keep your internet

Paul

[skibbi9]

Is $2500 a year for cable/phone/internet crazy?
Let's see: If you bought a $50 antenna and canceled the cable & phone, you could buy a big new flat screen 60" HDTV this year with the savings. Then next year you could buy another TV that will be bigger and nicer.
Then the year after that you could .....
Then the next year...

If you cancel your phone service, what do you do for phone service?

If you cancel cable, what are you going to watch on that big, bigger, bigger TV? Youtube

We don't currently have a land line, just two cell phones.
We didn't have cable for about 18months, unless you're a sports fan (i am, so we got cable again) we sufficed on Antenna HD & netflix (via roku, some new tvs have it build in though, you could also get huluplus)

[mike143]

Seems like this discussion comes up every month in different forms. In my experience few are willing to do anything to change their monthly cost when it comes to TV, Internet and Phone ("land line" and cellular). Below is what I am currently doing.

I am doing the $42.95 (after tax and fees) AT&T 3Mbps DSL option add $1 a month for Anveo VoIP number and $0.01 minute for outgoing usage or after 40 minutes incoming a day. First year of AT&T was cheaper, they had a year promotion, $42.95 is the after promo price. Still on the Dish Network America (60) package at $45.31 after taxes and fees, it was also cheaper for the first year promo. Only competition from there in my area is Bright House and DIRECTV which only cost more even with promos. Grandfathered Virgin Mobile cellular plan for <$25 a month after taxes and fees.

My wife voices concerns for saving money and I tell her that the day she is willing to cut the cord on TV is the day I know she is serious. Prior to her I did not have cable/satellite service.

[NorCalDad]

We spend less than $90/month on a 12-month promotion for broadband and cable. I refuse to spend more than $100 on those two things; at the end of my promotion, I will either cut cable, switch providers, downgrade service or negotiate another discount. Cable to me is not worth much more than I'm paying now.

[mike143]

We spend less than $90/month on a 12-month promotion for broadband and cable. I refuse to spend more than $100 on those two things; at the end of my promotion, I will either cut cable, switch providers, downgrade service or negotiate another discount. Cable to me is not worth much more than I'm paying now.

Both my satellite and Internet services were cheaper the first year. Even at the "normal" rate they are cheaper than all the legal options, in my area.

[ThatGuy]

Seems like this discussion comes up every month in different forms. In my experience few are willing to do anything to change their monthly cost when it comes to TV, Internet and Phone ("land line" and cellular)

I don't do cable. I pay $29.99 a month for internet as detailed in another of these threads, because I cancel whenever the price goes up. I pay ~$40 for my cell phone, although I want to get that lower as soon as my contract is out. No Netflix, just a $20 antenna bought originally to see if I could even get OTA TV.

However, I agree that more people should play hardball instead of complaining about the cost of things. No one forces you to hand over money. The good or service is either worth it, or not.

[Imperabo]

One suggestion for those who don't like to negotiate over the phone:

With U-Verse, you can easily add or subtract services over the net. I find that if you lower your content package then you can add it back later at a discount. This might even be immediate, but I do think after a month you can get the discounted price. I've done this several times with HBO. When I've run out of things I want to watch and have all the shows recorded then I can cancel it and add it back 6 months later at a discount when they have build up new content.

I bet you could also do this with internet speed.

[caroljm36]

I pay $75 for CenturyLink phone and DSL, and $37 for basic cable, and $23 for cheapskate cell plan with no data or smartphone. I'd like to be able to check my email at work on my cell but there's just no way to do it without a major upgrade.

I really wish there was a better way to do all this, but I don't like the idea of bundling everything with one vendor either. E.g., when money is tight I like to drop cable but wouldn't want to lose Internet too.

[Easy Rhino]

around $90 a month after taxes for AT&T uverse for the 'basic' couple hundred of channels and pretty slow internet. No phone. They were nice enough to give us about $300 in gift cards to switch.

It's a 12 month contract so I'll need to switch when it ends. I've already done it before.

[WendyW]

'
$43 High speed internet
$ 8 Hulu Plus (streaming video to TV via Roku)
$ 0 Rabbit Ears TV
$30 Cellphone with data (Sprint SERO)
$ 8 Skype Phone (with number & voicemail)
---
$89/mo

Was even cheaper the first year when my internet was still at the $30/mo introductory rate.

If I was unethical, I would also use my colleague's HBO GO login to stream tons of awesome HBO shows without paying.

[mike143]

$23 for cheapskate cell plan with no data or smartphone. I'd like to be able to check my email at work on my cell but there's just no way to do it without a major upgrade.

T-Mobile(Walmart) $30 100min unlimited data and text or Virgin Mobile $35 300min unlimited data and text are some options. I am on the $35 Virgin Mobile plan but still grandfathered at the $25 rate.

[johnep]

We pay $167 with TWC for cable, Internet and unlimited phone service. TWC likes to raise my rate unannounced every 6-12 months and I have to do negotiation dance with them to keep it where it is. I was tempted to go with ATT at a lower rate, supposedly locked in for 2 years. However, we have been really pleased with our service and DW was adamant about not changing. She outvoted me.

[rocket]

I pay about $160/month for 2 phone lines, cable TV, and internet thru Knology. I use Basic cable TV (the cheap one).

[Savvy]

TV: $0 (We do pay $8/month for Netflix)
Home Phone: $0 (We do have cell phones for $30/month each)
Internet: $29.99 (CenturyLink)

-----------------

Total: $29.99/month

[linuxizer]

Internet: $19.99/mo (20/4Mbps cable)
TV: $6.50/mo Netflix Instant, Amazon Prime (free since we have it anyway)
Phone: Cell about $10/mo in TMo prepaid usage. Voipo at $5 or 6/mo

Total savings over a $210/mo plan: Almost exactly $2k/year

[22twain]

About $64 per month for AT&T landline phone and DSL internet service.
About $35 per month (including taxes etc.) for my wife's cellphone.

That's it for monthly fees. We get "free" TV with an antenna on the roof. It cost about $600 to re-do that antenna setup completely five years ago. We use a TiVo, but we avoided the monthly fee by paying for lifetime program guide service, a total of about $700 for the box and guide. If we get ten years out of each, that's about $11 per month for TV, beyond the cost of the TV itself, of course.

[mikep]

Seems like this discussion comes up every month in different forms. In my experience few are willing to do anything to change their monthly cost when it comes to TV, Internet and Phone ("land line" and cellular). Below is what I am currently doing.

I am doing the $42.95 (after tax and fees) AT&T 3Mbps DSL option add $1 a month for Anveo VoIP number and $0.01 minute for outgoing usage or after 40 minutes incoming a day. First year of AT&T was cheaper, they had a year promotion, $42.95 is the after promo price. Still on the Dish Network America (60) package at $45.31 after taxes and fees, it was also cheaper for the first year promo. Only competition from there in my area is Bright House and DIRECTV which only cost more even with promos. Grandfathered Virgin Mobile cellular plan for <$25 a month after taxes and fees.

My wife voices concerns for saving money and I tell her that the day she is willing to cut the cord on TV is the day I know she is serious. Prior to her I did not have cable/satellite service.

I pay less than that with Directv $42.47/mo with a mid range package (Choice extra). Combination of 2nd year new customer pricing and $28/mo off for a year due to viacom dispute (with NFL Sunday ticket for free also). It will skyrocket in July when both of those discounts end so then its time to switch to dish or renew directv for another year and keep it going. Hope for another channel dispute
Internet : $60 6 mb (no competition in my area)
home phone : $3-4 ooma

[mikep]

$23 for cheapskate cell plan with no data or smartphone. I'd like to be able to check my email at work on my cell but there's just no way to do it without a major upgrade.

T-Mobile(Walmart) $30 100min unlimited data and text or Virgin Mobile $35 300min unlimited data and text are some options. I am on the $35 Virgin Mobile plan but still grandfathered at the $25 rate.

palm pixi plus on page plus will work for this. Phone runs about $40 on amazon and the plan costs as little as $10 every 4 months based on usage. I use it on wifi only works great.

[thebogledude]

My new years resolution is to watch less tv.
I now get Over the Air HD, internet + OOMA and cellular ~ $100 monthly.
Got rid of cable as of new year. Redbox-it when I need it.
More running and biking.

[mike143]

$23 for cheapskate cell plan with no data or smartphone. I'd like to be able to check my email at work on my cell but there's just no way to do it without a major upgrade.

T-Mobile(Walmart) $30 100min unlimited data and text or Virgin Mobile $35 300min unlimited data and text are some options. I am on the $35 Virgin Mobile plan but still grandfathered at the $25 rate.

palm pixi plus on page plus will work for this. Phone runs about $40 on amazon and the plan costs as little as $10 every 4 months based on usage. I use it on wifi only works great.

So many options...Just moved my wife's parents from $100 a year TracFone to $10 every 120 days Page Plus. howardforums.com is a good source to see what is out there, especially this wiki: General Prepaid Wiki:Prepaid Rate Plan Comparison

[lws6772]

I had no idea cable, internet and tv had got so high.

[runner9]

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2013/02/pm_business_links_plan_for_pub.html

Maybe one day there will be free national wifi, that would cut down on costs a lot

[fsrph]

The replies here really aren't comparable. Some people value a lot of cable stations others couldn't care less. Some want the fastest internet possible others are satisfied with less. I have basic cable ($24/mo), DSL internet and a land line (Verizon - $56 for both) and these fit my needs.

Francis

[mike143]

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2013/02/pm_business_links_plan_for_pub.html

Maybe one day there will be free national wifi, that would cut down on costs a lot

See my quote below ˅˅˅˅˅˅

[crowd79]

TV: Netflix streaming @ $7.99 per month + OTA channels
Internet: Free (shared with landowner)
Phone: Prepaid Tracfone. $10 tops per month.

Total costs less than $20.

[mike143]

If there was a way to get the bridal shows and crime documentary's without cable/satellite we could probably cut the cord. I don't care for TV and the wife and I can't agree on any of the programming I like but I agree on some of hers.