How We Ditched Cable TV

Cable sucks…seriously!  Or should I say “cable companies suck!”  Cable providers force you to pay for more content than you will ever watch, so why are you still paying nearly $1,500 annually when you could be spending less than 20% of that?  Recent research shows that cable subscribers are paying an average of just under $105 per month and this doesn’t include real and faux taxes, cable box fees and other additional costs (source).  

We cut the cord a few years ago and we’re glad we did.  I guess I should point out that we don’t watch much TV, so it’s probably easier for us than most people to give up the channels that air the programs that you’ve become die-hard fans of over the years but it can be done!

There are several different options on the market nowadays and this article does a great job explaining many of the alternatives, but I’m going to focus on the few measures we’ve taken to cut the cord.

>>>>> The Ultimate List of Ways to Save: 18 Ways to Save $15,000 in 2018!

>>>> Ever feel like you need to detox your money?

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How we ditched cable TV but still watch our favorite shows AND sports!

• Mohu Leaf
  
  The cheapest and easiest way to tap into primetime content is to use an antenna to pick up the digital signal of your local networks such as ABC, Fox, NBC, and CBS.  The only catch is that you have to live close to (or in) a major metro area in order to pick up a station’s signal, but the good news is that you can find out your signal strength based on your address by using this link.  
  • You can find the Mohu Leaf on Amazon for $30 or $70 (just depending on the range that you need).  This is a great option if you just want to watch the local news, prime-time television, and/or programs that air on the major networks.  After all, it pays for itself after just one month.  

Annual savings = $1,370

• Netflix
  
  The advantages and interest in Netflix are well-documented nowadays…unlimited subscriptions are $7.99 for the digital (unless you want to run the service on more than one screen at a time) and some of the Netflix original series are great (like Stranger Things, Narcos, and Longmire).
  • You need to have a Smart TV or some other extension like a Roku, XBOX, PlayStation 4, or Apple TV in order to run Netflix, but most people already have access to at least one of these devices.  We use the Roku stick which is very convenient and can be found on Amazon for $50.

Annual savings = $1,350

Amazon Instant Video

Amazon Prime

The Amazon Prime service is $99 annually (or $49 for students and teachers), but comes with more than just streaming video services.  They also offer a 30-Day Free Trial (see link below). Amazon Prime includes so many benefits, so the cost of instant video is actually nominal when you take those benefits into account.  You can find many of the same TV programs and movies that Netflix offers (minus the Netflix Originals), so this may be a good option if you just want to watch TV occasionally and don’t care to get deep into a certain series.  

Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial

Annual savings = $1,440 (because we’d spend the $99 on Prime anyway)

• SlingTV
  
  Sling is a great replacement to cable if you want to do some surfing and have access to a large variety of content and watch your favorite shows live.  There are three different packages from Sling – Orange, Blue or Orange and Blue combined.  You can see which channels are included in each package by visiting Sling’s website.  
  • We subscribe to the Orange package because I mostly watch ESPN, but it includes access to other great channels like AMC, Comedy Central, HGTV and the History channel. Sling is ideal for those that spend about 5-10 hours a week watching TV.  

Annual savings = $1,200

With our setup – the Roku Stick, Sling TV and Netflix – we saved about $1,000 per year by cutting the cord (enough to pay for most of our annual ski trip to Jackson Hole!).  So, what are you waiting for?  Free yourself of the cords and start saving some big money!

3 Month Money Saving Challenge

Sometimes it's best to start off small and easy, that is true for fitness and finance. With the new year approaching, many of you will be setting goals to save money. It sounds like a great goal (and IS a great goal) but if you don't really have a place to start it's overwhelming. You could do a no spend challenge but that might be a little bit too extreme for some. You could also start our beginner money saving challenge that puts you on a path to save $500 in six months but I want you to have bigger goals and accomplish them faster! You CAN do this!

This three-month money challenge will have you saving $600 by the end of the challenge. In order to do this, you will be saving $50 per week. This amount may sound easy for some but hard for others. I am confident that the majority of you CAN make this work.

In order to save the $50 per week, you will want to look at your expenses. This could be something as simple as quitting your morning drive-thru coffee habit (save at least $28 per week) and/or eating out for lunch or dinner (save at least $70 per week). No matter what time of year you are starting this challenge, you will likely have a holiday come up. Just because it's a holiday on the calendar doesn't mean you have to buy gifts or spend money. If you want to make the holiday special, do something with your loved ones! There are many free options and, again, gifts are NOT required. Another idea is to go through your bills and cut out unnecessary expenses. Maybe you can downgrade (or eliminate) your cable or you could lower the data you pay for on your cell phone plan. Every little bit adds up! You could also come up with this $50 per week by selling items that you no longer use or need. Each person will have their own journey so personalize this to you! Most of all, do not give up!

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Interested in more money saving challenges? Try one of these:

Save $1,000 in 3 Months

3 Month Money Saving Challenge

Beginner 6 Month Money Saving Challenge

52-Week Money Saving Challenge

12 Month Money Challenge

$300 12-Week Christmas Money Saving Challenge

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Looking for a printable version of this challenge? We've got you covered! Join our newsletter and you will be taken to a black and white printable version right away! Grab the printable challenge here.

The $50 per week breaks down to $200 per month but that can seem like a lot of money per month so I like to break it down into weekly goals. :) But if you like to think of it as $200 per month, go right ahead. Do what you need to do to accomplish your goals!

4 Books That Every Single Person Should Read

As we go into the new year, I wanted to take this time to share with you a few of our favorite books. As you may have noticed over the last year or two, we've moved away from being a website totally focused on clean eating and working out to a website that also incorporates another very important part of our lifestyle which we refer to as minimalism. You can read more about what that means to us here and here. Not all of these books are new books but they are the ones that we personally love. Take our word for it when we say you should read them...they are definitely worth your time!

I've shared these books a few times on Snapchat (hesheeatclean) and Instagram Stories and always get a lot of questions so I wanted to do a "real" post here too. Enjoy! :)

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Here's Rambo in front of the books, not pictured is Better Than Before because I only have the Kindle version of that.

4 Books Every Single Person Should Read

*single: not as in relationship status ;-)

The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own - Joshua Becker

If you are new to the concept of minimalism or even just living within your means this is a must-read book. If you already consider yourself a minimalist this is still a must-read book! I was able to get an advanced reading copy before it was released (and it was signed!) and I could not put it down. I finished the book in one day which is almost unheard of for me. The author, Joshua Becker, is a father of two and the creator of BecomingMinimalist.com and one of my favorites because he is so easily relatable. Minimalism doesn't necessarily mean living out of a suitcase, living in a tiny home, only having white furniture, etc. He shares his story and shows you how you can also find the life you want under everything you own!

This book helps you (as seen on the back of the book and I can attest to as well):

• Recognize the life-giving benefits of owning less
• Realize how all the stuff you own keeps you from pursuing your dreams
• Craft a personal, practical approach to decluttering your home and life
• Experience the joys of generosity
• Learn why the best part of minimalism isn't a clean house, it's a full life

Essentialism - Greg McKeown

I'll admit, this was my favorite book before Joshua Becker released his book The More of Less. Now I can't truly pick a favorite! I know I've mentioned numerous times that I think that the best way to live your life is to not care about what other people think of you and quit being a "people pleaser". I remember reading this book the first time and thinking...I've said that a million times. ;-)

As found in the book, essentialism isn't about getting done in less time. It's about getting only the right things done. If you feel any of the following questions pertain to your life, you definitely need to read this book ASAP!

• Have you ever found yourself stretched too thin?
• Do you simultaneously feel overworked and underutilized?
• Are you often busy but not productive?
• Do you feel like your time is constantly being hijacked by other people's agendas?

Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits -- to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life - Gretchen Rubin

This book is everything. If you truly want to change your life, you must change your habits. This book will help you learn how to make your habits work for you. Many times, it's best to embrace who you are and how you do things instead of trying to change. This book has made me completely obsessed with learning everything I can about our habits. In order for us to be better parents, sons or daughters, friends, teachers, coaches, etc we must learn how people react to certain things and form habits. We can’t just expect everyone to be like us.

• Do you know those people who train for a half marathon or marathon and then never run again?
• Do you know those people who will do something that someone else wants them to do but nothing they want to do for themselves?
• Can you really wake up early to workout if you are not a morning person?
• Can you even train yourself to be a morning person?
• Why can some people develop habits that others can’t?
• Why do some things seem so easy to some people, yet so difficult to others?

Rich Dad Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! - Robert T. Kiyosaki

It has always frustrated me that our schools typically do not teach kids how to manage their money. Kids go all the way through high school maybe taking one or two classes on finances. Then they go to college and unless their major is related, they still do not take any classes on how to manage their money. This HAS to change. I see it all the time where people don't know how to do a budget, they don't know how to balance their bank account, they have no idea that they don't have to live paycheck-to-paycheck. 

Rich Dad Poor Dad will (as listed on the book):

• Explode the myth that you need to earn a high income to become rich
• Challenge the belief that your house is an asset
• Show parents why they can't rely on the school system to teach their kids about money
• Define once and for all an asset and a liability
• Teach you what to teach your kids about money for their future financial success

Chime in and let me know what your favorites books are. Have you read any of these?