It All Adds Up

We've wrestled with the idea of downgrading our DISH service for quite some time, but $10 here or there basically led us to lose the channels that we actually watched. Month after month, it's $105 for us to basically watch five channels plus the locals out of over two-hundred that we could be watching. When we decide to do something, we do it. End of story. Period. So, here's where we are now: a majorly downgraded DISH service, a Channel Master aerial antenna, and streaming through Roku, iPad, XBOX 360, and whatever other gadget we have in our house with Hula Plus and Netflix, which we will be dropping.

The big question is where does this get you? Saving a lot of money is where. Our out-of-pocket monthly expense is going to be $8.99 for Hulu Plus and $50.00 for DISH. Our DISH service was $105.50 per month, so we're saving $55.50 for the service plus indirect costs. With DISH, our bedroom constantly had the churn of the VIP612 DVR, which not only made constant noise, but is also an energy hog that consumes more energy than a refrigerator each month! By removing the DVR receiver and a second, we're saving around $6.00 per month in electricity. When you do the numbers, we're saving $52.51 overall each month. Not too shabby! On top of the savings, we're going back to watching a bit more high quality television as our DVR became almost shameful with the junk that was being recorded.

Getting our house wired with coaxial cables has been a mess because the original installer made a complete mess and has so many splitters, it's a surprise that certain rooms even get a signal. The house wasn't built with coaxial cable running throughout and was retrofitted later on. The Channel Master antenna cost us $59.99, various cables and parts about $40.00, and the Roku was $99.99. We'd been planning on getting a Roku, so I guess you don't look at it so much as a cost here, as it was going to be bought anyhow.

We downgraded from the America's Top 200 package on DISH to the DISH America (HD programming only) package. We have the 222 dual room receiver, so even though we're paying for TV on one set, we actually get a second television that gets DISH programming with the ability to watch different channels. (The signal can be split to another TV that would get a mirror image of one of those.) The only negative is that it's a standard definition feed, but we are getting more than fifty over the air HD & digital signals as well. We could lower the DISH cost even more by getting rid of HBO ($16/mo.) or DISH all together, but I think this works. We get programming, but have halved our monthly cost.

This evening will be more time spent getting everything set-up properly throughout the house. I've grown quite accustomed to our attic and cables. :)

E