Monday’s Financial Challenge - May 19, 2008

May 19, 2008 | Written by: Connie Brooks

Financial Challenge1 Hello rabid readers! It’s Monday again (Boo Hiss) and that means it’s time for another financial challenge!

How it works:

I challenge YOU to do one thing each week to change your financial situation for the better.

If you decide to do today’s challenge, please leave me a comment below with the amount you saved so that I can cheer you on!

This week’s mission (should you choose to accept it) is to CUT THE CORD.

That’s right - cut the CABLE cord. Have you ever thought about what life would be like without cable TV? What it would be like for your children? (I mean after the wailing and gnashing of teeth.)

What if you could eliminate all the ads, all the adult programming that is shown to your children, and all of the extra expense at the same time? Well, you can!
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I did it about a year ago. Not only have I saved the cost of the cable subscription, I have saved an enormous amount of money on items that I used to see advertised on television. Now, I no longer think I need every product made by Renuzit or Swiffer. (All of which are excellent products mind you, just not ones I need.)

The other benefit is that I am now completely in control of what my daughter watches. I moderate her TV time, and I choose kid-friendly movies to show her instead of random cable programming or Oprah. Many studies are now finding that too much TV time for kids can lead to ADD and learning disabilities, so less time in front of the TV is a direct benefit for her.

What can you do if your family absolutely refuses to give up cable? You can always try the argument that many news and television shows are available online. They can simply watch the ones they want to when they have time, without paying the extra cable premium.
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If they don’t go for that, the the next best course is to call your cable company. Try eliminating channels you don’t watch or need for some instant savings.

Quick Tip: Tell your cable company that you believe you can get a better deal from their competition! Nearly all cable companies offer reduced pricing for customers who ask for it.

We have a package deal with our cable company that gives us just our internet and phone service, no TV included, and we save around $50 a month - $600 a year.

Good Luck!

What do you think?

Do you purchase things just because you watch commercials, or is that a bunch of hooey? How do you regulate TV in your home?

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Image credits go to: Carleton University’s Luther Caverly, Iowa State University, Free Stock Photos.com - Thanks!

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