For those who have just joined
us here at Eden’s Path, a word of explanation. Four months ago Debbie and I decided we would turn off our cable TV. Disconnect it, and unhook from the world of 100-channels and nothing to watch. All for only $58 per month.
All we had was the “basic cable” service anyway. No digital TV, no set-top box, no 24-hour music channels — nothing but what the cable company said was basic service. Which is what we thought until early 2006, when I called to tell them we wanted to disconnect. “But,” the helpful lady said, “we have local channels for only $10 a month.” So, I fell for that and for several months we got about 12 channels — all the local stuff, plus 2 PBS stations, plus ESPN (not local, but go figure).
That lasted until the 2006 elections, and I wanted to watch the election returns, so I upgraded from “local” back to “basic.” We kept cable on until last summer, when we both agreed we were tired of nothing to watch at $58 per month.
So, I called the cable company again. “I want to disconnect my cable,” I courageously told the customer service person. “What if I offer you the same service for only $30 per month?” she asked kindly. Of course, I fell for it, again, but felt like a real negotiator this time. “I got our cable for only $30 a month,” I proudly told Debbie.
By this fall, both of us had decided cable was not even worth $30 a month. One more call.
- “I want to disconnect my cable,” I said.
- “How about just local channels for $15 a month?” she asked.
- “Nope.”
- “How about high speed internet? We have the fastest at only $49.95 a month.”
- “Thanks, but we’ve got DSL.”
- “We could offer you phone service, too”
- “No thanks. Just cut it off.”
And with that, we were disconnected from the world of cablevision. Umbilical cord cut. Free-floating in the digital age without a coax to our name. Here’s what we’ve discovered:
- We didn’t have time to watch TV anyway because we’ve been busy reading, talking, playing Scrabble (don’t laugh, Debbie beats me), blogging, visiting folks, and baking bread.
- We don’t miss it.
- There isn’t much real news. What there is we get on the internet.
- Others have done the same thing. I just discovered yesterday that Kevin Kelley, one of the founding editors of Wired magazine lives in a TV-less house.
- We’re not going back.
So, that’s what really started us on this little journey. Oh, the roots go back further than that, I guess. We’ve had a 15-year on-again-off-again love affair with a vegan diet; now more on than off. We’re in a different stage in our lives, and I’ll write more about that later. But, it’s the quiet we love. We can hear the birds now, even with the windows closed. We can hear our neighbors children playing in their yard. We can hear each other. We think we can hear God sometimes, too. Still faintly, but better than before. All of that for $0 per month. Not a bad deal.
What a great post. Thanks for this.
[...] No TV for 4-months and counting: “…it’s the quiet we love. We can hear the birds now, even with the windows closed. We can hear our neighbors children playing in their yard. We can hear each other. We think we can hear God sometimes, too. Still faintly, but better than before. All of that for $0 per month. Not a bad deal.” [...]
I have been reading both of your other blogs for some time. I have enjoyed them, and II am REALLY enjoying this one on how to “come out of the fast lane of life and LIVE”! Thank you for sharing this “simple life” with us. I have never owned a TV and it is interesting to hear how people do when they decide they are finished with the “sounds if the world”. I will return to enjoy your journey.
When we got married, my wife and I were unable to get cable because of finances and availability. That was over four years ago, and quite honestly we have no intention of ever allowing “TV” into our home again. When we visit my parents and they are watching TV we often feel angry and even violent over the stupidity that passes as entertainment and how truly deceptive and deviant the stupidity is.
Anyway, I just wanted to encourage you to stick with it. In the long run it is absolutely worthy the effort to unplug.
-alan
Alan, Linda, and dyl,
Thanks for your comments and support. We’re finding that lots of folks have either turned off their TVs or never had one in the first place. So, we’re not alone on this new adventure, and for that we are grateful. Thank you, each of you, for your encouragement! — Chuck
I recently stumbled on your blog by way of Outreach… I’ve really enjoyed your entries since my husband is also a minister and we have been simplifying since the birth of our son.
I’m so proud of you for simplifying and talking about it!! I was raised with no TV and we have continued that lifestyle since our marriage (12+ years).
Haven’t read far enough but do you own a microwave?? We ditched ours about four years ago and acquired a crockpot. I’ve been baking bread for several months now but admit to using a bread machine.
I look forward to sharing your journey and congratulate you for preserving and maintaining your home and relationships!
Nice to hear from you, Brenda. It’s amazing to see how many other folks are yearning for a simpler life, too.
No, we don’t have a microwave…we let it rest in peace when it died about 10 years ago! I haven’t missed it at all. We think leftovers taste better reheated on the stove. And since we’re not defrosting meat, we don’t really need it. I like having my counter space back, too.
Thanks for joining us on our journey…please come back and share more things your family’s doing to simplify!–Debbie
Well done, I can’t imagine life without watching my daily tv show at night? Not many people have been able to achieve what you’ve done.
[...] This family has unplugged the TV. Four months later, they testify to what it has done for them spiritually. [...]
[...] didn’t intend to give up TV for Lent. We are just giving up TV, period. We had done this once before for over a year, but I needed CNN for the election. After that it took us several months to dial [...]