Recently, I canceled or stopped buying three key items that almost everyone has and replaced them with alternatives that significantly reduce my monthly and yearly expenses.
I canceled my cable television service (Cox), digital (landline) telephone service (Cox), and stopped buying bottled water. Here’s what inspired me to drop these things and how I replaced them with something else that cost much, much less.
Although I like to find creative ways to reduce expenses, what motivates me more is beating “The System” or cutting the chain, as I like to call it. We are so indoctrinated through advertising throughout our lives that we absolutely must have certain products and services. It’s simply not true.
If you’re like most people, there is probably a huge amount of “stuff” in your home that you don’t need. And I’m sure you’d agree if you took an honest look at all your possessions. More often than not, it is just a matter of getting rid of certain items, giving yourself some time to get used to them not being around, and then realizing you don’t miss or need them anymore!
Chop the Television Cable
You may have noticed that I included the name of the service that I used for television and telephone. I want to mention up front that I have no animosity toward Cox. I have found their customer service to be excellent. Although their basic television didn’t cost much, the number of channels you got didn’t make it worth it. I chose basic service because television, and especially the news, is not important to me. And having 200-500 channels of mind-numbing TV is absurd to me.
In 2009, the television industry switched from analog to digital broadcasts. Digital provides higher-quality images and sound. At that time, retailers pushed consumers to buy a converter box for their analog TVs if they wished to continue using an antenna. Alternatively, they could simply sign up for cable or satellite television service, and they would not need a converter box.
Then came the flood of flat-screen LCD and LED HDTVs. I still had a 13” analog TV, so after investigating the cost of a converter box, I elected to sign up with Cox. When I did, I got a package deal that included television, telephone, Internet, a free modem, and free installation. It was a solid deal.
In 2011, I bought a 22” flat-screen LED HDTV and hooked it up to my Cox coaxial cable feed. The massive difference in quality between the analog and digital televisions was astonishing.
As I read the manual for my new HDTV, I discovered I could hook up my computer to it, too! I elected to use an HDMI cable because it transmits a digital display (video) as well as sound (audio). I had been using a 17” flat screen LCD monitor for my computer using a VGA cable. VGA transmits a lower-quality analog display and no sound. So, I got several upgrades for the price of one. I was ecstatic!
Somewhere along the way, I discovered that you can receive many digital broadcasts for free with a digital TV and a digital antenna. The idea of getting television for free while beating the system at the same time drove me to find an antenna that would work, then drop my cable service. I tried a variety of antennas, from inexpensive rabbit ears to a moderately priced Winegard antenna.
I like the Winegard Free Vision antenna the best because of its small size (24″ diameter), cool-looking design, and versatility. It can be used indoors or outdoors. In addition, Winegard’s technical customer support is incredible. The lowest price I found for this product was on Amazon.
Because I’m receiving a direct signal, I am getting a higher quality picture and sound than I did when I was getting signals second-hand through Cox cable. I’m also getting about the same number of channels as I did with Cox, but several of them are different. I am only counting English, non-commercial, and non-religious channels. The ones that are new to me have a lot of old and classic television programs and movies, which I enjoy.
I am not getting all the national network stations because I live too close to a mountain that has most of the transmitters. I expected this to be an advantage, but it’s not because a signal that is too strong won’t work. Winegard went to extraordinary lengths to help me overcome this problem and get a couple more network stations. We weren’t able to get all the networks, but through the process, I gained better overall reception. I’ve gotten used to the channel lineup that I get, and I no longer miss the others. If I want more free TV programs or movies, I can just use a free online service. And I am totally digging the free part.
Cut the Telephone Cord
Although I just had basic service, 40 percent of my telephone bill was fees and taxes. I didn’t even have long-distance service, which is clearly a waste of money given services like Google Voice and Skype. This is especially true if you have a cell phone. I’ve been using Google Voice for years with almost no problems, and it’s still free as of this publication.
You’ve probably heard about MagicJack. The only way that you can use the original MagicJack is when your computer is on. It is still a good deal, but having to have your computer on to use it is a bit of an inconvenience. Even so, I bought one. I later discovered that if I dropped my Cox telephone service, I had to return the special combo modem they loaned me for free and buy one just for the Internet. These two issues were deal-breakers for me, so I returned the MJ.
Then, the MagicJack Plus was introduced. It allows you to use the MJ whether your computer is on or off. To use it without your computer, you needed to plug it into a router and an electrical outlet. Since I would have to return the Cox modem if I dropped their phone service, I wanted a router anyway, and I was dropping their television service as well, I decided to go all the way and buy a MagicJack Plus and a modem/router combo. I bought the Zoom Cable Modem/Router Combo
Once you connect the MagicJack Plus to a router and an electrical outlet, you can use it just like any landline telephone. You can even connect it to a wireless phone, as I have. You can also use it like the original MJ and take it with you when you travel, connect it to any computer, and make calls to the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands from anywhere in the world for free! You also get free voicemail, caller ID, call waiting, and directory assistance (included with both MJ’s). You get all this for an annual subscription fee of $29.95 or $19.95 (at publishing) if you buy a five-year plan. When you buy the MagicJack, the first year’s subscription is included. It’s a great deal.
The sound and connection quality have generally been good. I have had a few calls that were static or broke up, and a few dropped calls, but that happened with my Cox digital telephone service, too. I have the Cox low-cost internet service, which may be contributing to the less-than-perfect connection record.
Update – After changing a setting on my Zoom Cable Modem/Router Combo to increase its speed and redoing the instructions given to me by MagicJack technical representatives, I have not been experiencing any of the problems I mentioned above.
The MagicJack Plus is a new technology that offers free software updates to fix glitches. It also provides free 24/7 technical support chat, which I have found to be quite good. So, I am willing to give the folks at MJ a little leeway in exchange for a significant reduction in my monthly expenses and the pleasure of beating the system.
Refuse to Haul Tons of Bottled Water
I stopped buying bottled water after watching the informative documentary “Tapped
As the documentary points out, municipal (city) water supplies are required by law to be tested several times a day. There are no such legal requirements imposed on the bottled water industry. The majority of bottled water is derived from municipal water sources. The rest is drawn from water sources that bottled water companies have purchased and continue to purchase across the United States and around the world. Some of these sources are the same ones that city municipal water agencies use.
The other alarming issue the documentary highlights is that plastic bottles can release toxic substances into the water they contain. Since plastic bottles take 1000 years to biodegrade, they are toxic to our environment and to marine life.
We can meet our drinking water needs by using a quality filter to purify water from the tap in our kitchen, which is connected to a municipal water source tested for purity several times a day. This can save you piles of money and the backbreaking effort of carrying tons of bottled water from the store to your home each year. I don’t know if it’s really tons, but it feels that heavy because it’s so often necessary.
I detested hauling those 2.5-gallon plastic water containers. I had no problem lifting and hauling a couple at once, but I kept thinking there had to be a better way. After seeing the “Tapped” documentary, I was on a mission to find the best system I could.
After extensive research and a couple of trials with competing products, I discovered the Clear20 Water Filtration Pitcher, which Consumer Reports rated a “Best Buy.”
The Clear20 Water Filtration Pitcher is unlike any other pitcher. It has a hose attached that you connect to your kitchen water faucet using one of the included adapters.
Here’s my theory on why the Clear20 Water Filtration Pitcher is superior. Competing water filter pitchers like the Brita, Pur, and ZeroWater rely on gravity to push the water through their filters. This limits the number and complexity of the filter stages they have, given how long it would take to fill the pitcher. Consumers are unwilling to wait an hour for the pitcher to fill, so product engineers had to reach a compromise. Since the Clear20 Water Filtration Pitcher uses the water pressure in your home’s plumbing via a hose, it can push water through multiple robust filter stages quickly with no problem. This is just my opinion.
Tip: Be intentional and quick when you pour. Otherwise, the automatically opening lid over the spout may drop onto the water flow and cause some dripping. Once you get used to this, you won’t have any problems.
For when I’m on the go, I bought two stainless steel water bottles that I fill with water from my Clear20. I use them when I go power walking (winter/fall), swimming (spring/summer), and on long car trips.
The water produced by the Clear20 Water Filtration Pitcher
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As with any new equipment or routine, each of these changes takes time to become a “normal” part of your life. And since the common way of doing these things is so deeply ingrained in our consciousness, you may have to compete with the urges to give up and go back to the “old” way for a while. Once you realize that you’ve crossed over the threshold to a new way of doing these things in a way that saves you money, beats the system, and protects the environment, you’ll feel a delightful sense of satisfaction.