TV

A few months ago we disconnected any cable or satellite service we previously had. I got tired of the constant battle of the what the kids were watching. And quite honestly we were spending money for 500 channels and really watched a handful of them. Not that money was an issue, but we are saving close to $500 each year by not paying for this!!

So we went "old fashion" and went with the good old antenna. Anything Jim & I consistently watch we can get on the basic channels and if we really want we can watch just about anything on the internet. Not so much for the kids, but really, I'm ok with being the mean old mom who says "TOO BAD! I really do think my kids will still grow up to be well adjusted adults.

I will admit that I do miss the DVR features that we were constantly using. Set a timer and not really think about when our favorite shows were on. Pausing a show to put the kids to bed or deal with whatever unexpectedly came up. And the FF or RW button was frequently used as well. I really, REALLY miss those. On the flip side, it's helped us prioritize what we really "have" to watch. Not that there is much choice when you have 3 channels to choose from. But it's amazing what shows we realized we really didn't need to spend time on. And now that I have to during the actual broadcast I use my time a lot differently. I sit with the kids more often and can use those commercial breaks to read a kid a book for a few minutes. Or get up and wash a few dishes, put away a load of laundry, etc.

So far, I think this is one of the best decisions we've made in a long time.