Save then spend: Blockbuster Online vs Extended Cable

January 16, 2007

About 3 years ago, my wife and I decided to cancel extended cable (that’s anything above the basic network TV, but below Digital cable). We’re saving about $35 per month, and I really only miss ESPN when the Steelers or Penn State play. Otherwise, we have enough to keep our nights full with network TV.

So where does that $35 go now? Well, $18.89 to Blockbuster online and the rest into our pockets.

Prior to Blockbuster/Netflix, we never rented movies because we were:
1. Lazy
2. Cheap
3. Disinterested

When Netflix came along, we signed up. It was great! We could actually see movies we otherwise wouldn’t have watched. Then came Blockbuster, who lately added the Total Access plan. Now, we can just take our movies to the Blockbuster located literally across the street (well, walking distance) and exchange them for something right off the shelves. PLUS, they’ll send us the next thing on our list.

I’ve wondered whether saving money on cable justifies spending money on Blockbuster, but in the end I just don’t care.

We’re really stingy with our money, so this is one of our indulgences. We don’t buy clothes often, and when we do, they’re on sale from JCPenney. We spend less than $200 per month dining out (weekends only and we use coupons). We don’t buy any of the latest gadgets, except for my wife’s new LG Mint Chocolate phone (Christmas gift and her other phone was over 2 years old and wearing down) and Garmin Forerunner 301 (for our marathon training).

So, until we find a reason to cancel, we’re going to keep Blockbuster and only watch our limited basic cable. Network TV isn’t all that bad.