Geeeze.

$17 = Telephone landline (unless I make a "local" long distance call)
$9 to $10 = "base" MCI long distance charges on landline (unless I make a call)
$37 to $38 = cell phone. 250 mins monthly for regional calling area during "prime time" and unlimited on weekends (whatever exactly "unlimited" means)

*$23.50 = Internet dial-up. (*Actually, it's only $3.50 for an optional accelerator add-on. I get the basic service free being as I work for the ISP.)

$0 = television. I never have time to watch anything so I canceled it.

approx $68.50 month total. Or $88.50 if I paid for the Internet dial-up.

If you don't need that expensive cell plan, cut back on it. You don't mention landline charges, do you not have one? Do you really need cable/broadband Internet? Consider how much TV you actually watch, and cut back on the channel package.

If you look at your Verizon bill for the past 4-6 months, do you even come close to the 1400 minutes a month you have on your plan? If not, see if you can downgrade. Would it make more sense to drop some members of the family to a pre-paid wireless phone? If DS "has to have" a phone but doesn't use it much, something like Verizon's inPhone or -- better -- Tracfone likely is a much better deal than adding another line to your existing plan.

As for Dish and cable, how much would it cost to terminate your Dish Network contract early? Even if your cable bill goes up by $25/month for combined TV and cable, you'd be getting rid of an $85/month bill -- that's a $60 difference. Over a year, you'd save more than $700. So how much does it cost to terminate Dish?

I suppose a lot of it is what you want. The prices you quote don't seem out of line to me for what you're getting. The question is whether you "need" it all or whether you'd rather save the money by doing without some things.

No cell phone.

No "dish".

No cable TV (we get 4 channels... or we READ). Only for internet, $50/mo..

And I think that's too expensive!

3 cell phones (me and the kids & we share 800 minutes) - ~$70-75
cable - ~$70
DSL - $16

$241 is more than I want to pay! I think mine are high enough.

3 cellphones with 1000 minjutes and unlimited text--110
Comcast Gold with 2 dvr's----95
Verizon FIOS for internet---36
Having more crap then i need---priceless

Cable and internet: $104

Cell Phone (300 minutes and free N & W-which is way more than I need): $40

Land line: $31

I'd have to find a way to eliminate one of the TV bills--can't see paying twice for that sort of thing, but that's just me. And we keep our cell phone use at a minimum--just really have it for emergencies.

direct tv - 65/month

cell phone (2) - 65/month, unlimited weekends, don't know how many minutes "free" during the week

DSL and land line - 75/month unlimited long distance anytime anywhere in the US

2 Sprint cell phones (800 shared minutes ) + internet on them $85
cable internet connection $45
netflix 8 movies at a time $52
( no cable tv we just watch the movies we rent )

total $182 so it 's a bit less for us
I find every time we get new cell phones and renew our contract the price goes down. The internet and netflix have not changed much lately.

5.00-Cell Phone-prepaid approximate
6.95-ISP-Earthlink Dial up-promotional rate for 6 months
20.00-Dish Satellite TV promo rate for 10 months
31.95 Total

Can anyone come in under that?

Sue...Frugal!

$50 for 2 cell phones
$65 for Direct TV w/Tivo (gotta have tivo)
$18 for landline (beginning to wonder what for - use internet for most communications)
$17 Verizon DSL,,,
$8.50 for dial-up (because verizon sucks)

If it were up to me, I'd eliminate the cell phones. Some gas stations still have pay-phones, lots cheaper than a cell phone for as often as I use it.

Cable(non digital) and hi speed internet: 98
Cell phones (2) 68
Land line 24

Total is 190.

It seems like too much money to me when I realize it is often more than the monthly electricity/gas combined. *That* we need.

There is a giant 10 foot satellite dish sitting out there in the yard circa 1988 that came with the house. Still works. Sometimes I wonder about going that route instead....dang, it is ugly. But then, it is ugly whether I use it or not!

no cell phones
dial-up $17
satellite $68
landline ~$50

celticmoon
there was a post on one one of the other forums where someone had one of the big dishes blow into their yard during a storm.
they turned it upsdie down on posts and made a charming gazebo
with flowering vines.

cable,internet & dvr aprox $130.
cell phone $78 this is for the family plan 600 mins we added my MIL but she pays her $10 per month fee for the aditional line
landline $46
Karla

$8 - for basic cable (clear picture for 4 main networks + PBS) Time Warner

$27 - land line phone AT&T
$27 - DSL computer access AT&T

$60 - cell phone family plan (2 phones/numbers) Cingular
_____
112 total

might bundle through AT&T...hate to change: headache, but could save

$95.56 for broadband internet and expanded basic cable

$20.00 for land line phone

$10.00 for cell phone because I am on my daughter's plan

This seems like a lot of money to me, but there is no way I would go back to dial-up and we watch more cable shows than network shows. I have been tempted to go up one more notch on the TV, but haven't done it. I would really like to have BBC and Turner classic movies. I get my movies from the library and that has worked out very nicely. I am an internet junkie so if I had to cut because of financial problems, I would first get rid of cable TV altogether and go back to the antenna in the attic. It pulls in the basic network shows plus PBS.

cable internet and t.v 95.00 my cell free, work provided. wifes cell 37.00 1000 mins a month w/rollover

$70 - Two cells, Verizon, 500 minutes. But calls to other Verizon customers don't tax the minutes (i.e., to each other, and several of our relatives). We polled the relatives before deciding on a service provider.

$121 - Cable, full, with HD tier/box and HBO; cable internet.

Cingular - 2 cells and 1400 minutes: $69
Dish Network - $440/year as they offer a slight price break for paying in advance (36.65 vs 39.99/month)
DSL: $19.99/month

Having moved recently we waited to get cable or satellite. After about a month, we stopped missing the 100 plus channels and found other things to do so we never got it at all.

Off air HD antenna, roof mount, misc cable $75 - no monthly fees for 14 free HD channels.

Work supplies cell phone for me, my wife got same carrier so we can talk free anytime between phones. Monthly cell $45

No land line. Most calls are for my wife anyhow so she gives out her cell as our main number. $0 monthly fees

Found neighbor willing to split cost of high speed Internet via wireless. Had to buy a better antenna for wireless card $45. $15 a month for high speed from neighbor. If I could find someone with an open wireless access point, it would be $0.

$60 a month for cell and Internet.

If I could find someone with an open wireless access point, it would be $0.

Until you got caught.

I truly believe that anyone foolish enough to leave their wireless network open to all comers deserves what they get. But our elected representatives apparently feel differently.

$60-$70/month for Verizon DSL and land line.
$40/month (approximately) for two prepaid cell phones (no set monthly fee). I hardly use mine at all; DH uses his quite a bit.
$10/month (approximately) for MCI long distance
No cable -- we don't watch TV

prepaid cellphone: $8/ month
landline $10/month
long distance $5/month
cable internet $45/month

= 68 bucks a month

ugh, I thought I was doing pretty nicely until I added it up.

One way I just started saving money was changing my land line service to charge per call.
it is 12 dollars (=22 bucks a month after taxes) for unlimited calling

For metered calling it is 6 bucks a month (10 after taxes) plus 8 cents a call. So I would have to make almost 100 calls a month to = the cost of the unlimited calling charge.
WHO in the world makes that many calls a month??? especially since most people have cellphones now a days. I end up saving about 10 dollars a month, that isn't alot, but it helps. I am only charged for calls I make, not incoming calls.

-renee

minigreenhouse, get him a pay as you go phone and tell your son if he NEEDS a cell phone, he has to buy the time and you stick to it. Kids for generations were raised without cell phones and lived.

Kids are so nuts now days. My Grandson is only 7 years old, his friends in 1st grade have cell phones. I really wonder about the parents.

Thank you all for the reply. After reading all the messages, I called the Mediacom and changed the internet service from high speed internet to 256K and saved $20 a month. The 256K is working out ok so far.

I also saved another $20 on Dish Network, I changed the Dish programming from top120 to top60. Moreover, I cancelled my son's HD programming because he is away in a college and only comes home on some weekend.

We have two DVRs without a land line which cost us $31.96 a month. We could not cancel these services for another 10 monthes. I did not know Dish Network charges $5 each for the DVR if there is no phone line. $5 for the receiver and $5.98 for DVR.

I have talked to Dish Network and told them it does not make any sense to have to pay for the received, DVR and phone line for one TV. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

I am still working on the cell phone. $100 a month looks high to me. With Verizonwireless, our next option is 700 miniutes and I am not sure it will work for my son. I have told him cell phone is for emergency not chatting. He should use his dorm phone for chatting. In addition, most of his friends have Singula; therefore, it really adds up on his cell phone time. I am still wondering whether or not to switch to Singula.

We do not have a land line. I just talked to Verizon, the lowest rate - Pay Per Call is $23. I would love to have $10 a month service in our area.

Thanks again for all of your input.

Isn't verizon a cell phone company? I wasn't aware that they did local land line calling.
My service for 10 dollars isn't a BroadBand service it is the normal telephone service for the county. (we only have one to choose from).
I just wanted to clarify that, in case I confused you.
-renee

I am still working on the cell phone. $100 a month looks high to me. With Verizonwireless, our next option is 700 miniutes and I am not sure it will work for my son. I have told him cell phone is for emergency not chatting. He should use his dorm phone for chatting.

He (she) who pays the piper calls the tune. If you are paying for your son's cell phone, you govern how much he can talk on it -- especially since he has an option with the dorm phone. I cannot imagine that your son has 700 minutes of "emergencies" every month. That's almost 12 hours on the phone. Every month!

IMHO, it's time to cut Sonny loose. Tell him you're dropping down to a plan with fewer minutes and he'll either have to 1) use the dorm phone; 2) talk faster; or 3) talk less. Then do it. If Sonny feels that strongly about having a cell phone to while away his days, he can pay for his own (with Verizon or anyone else); I can pretty well guarantee that will chop the chatting down to a bare minimum.

In addition, most of his friends have Singula; therefore, it really adds up on his cell phone time. I am still wondering whether or not to switch to Singula.

I would not do that for him (see previous paragraph). Besides, depending on where you are in your Verizon contract, you may owe a termination charge of up to $175. If Sonny gets his own phone, he has an incentive to go with Cingular. But I certainly wouldn't change something that obviously is working for you (cost of minutes aside).

I am very sloppy about finances. I got everything separately,with different providers. One land line phone company, four cell phones, all on one plan. My computer e-mail provider is ATT but I also have a DSL line from cable TV, and we had cable but cancelled it and have satellite instead. I hate to admit how much I spend on all this. I tried to combine my home phone and computer email bill but wasn't allowed because they're under different names, my maiden and my husbands surname. Now isn't that silly?

I tried to combine my home phone and computer email bill but wasn't allowed because they're under different names, my maiden and my husbands surname. Now isn't that silly?

Yes, it is. Seems to me you should be able to talk with some human being and explain the problem. Unless the problem really is that, despite the name, the home-phone company and AT&T Internet are truly different companies. But a competent CSR should be able to explain that, too. I'd call them again and ask.

wife's cell- $75.00 UNLIMITED LOCAL AND LD
Directv- ~$125.00 we have all the channels, 2 tivos, and 2 regular RX
Internet- FREE. we are an agent for a local ISP so i get free dial up. No high speed avail where we live.

$200.00 a month, IF we do not order any pay per views.

My cell is furnished by work, or it would be the same amount as my wife's.

Zero.

Living as I do in the country, cable isn't available.

ole joyful

cell phone - $40.00 month (my share of family plan with son, daughter)

landline phone combined with DSL - $50.00

Comcast cable, no premium channels, 1 DVR, 2 standard outlets - $81.95

TOTAL $171.95 -- WAY too much!

wow--cable and internet for $80/month?? How I wish I had your cable company. For us it's $95/month, and that's w/ crummy basic cable. I got fed up w/ the digital cable ($117/mo) in part because we didn't get all the services (our cable isn't really digital; it's an analog cable w/ digital signal, so it doesn't all 'fit') and cancelled it.

I'm waiting w/ increasing impatience for Comcast to take over adelphia. If it doesn't improve then, i'm off to Dish.

Cell phone--$0/month. I recently got a prepaid phone, but since I live in a dead zone don't use it much. I expect to use it when I travel.

It seems that everything is more expensive in my area. I used to pay $55.00 for DirecTV, no premium channels. I don't have a cell.....my land-line phone was $50.00 w/caller ID and 200 Min. Long distance. I had dial-up for $21.95 mo. I tried the cheaper ones and they were dreadful! I now have a combo package which includes Digital Cable + Stars & Encore premium channels and Tivo for 2 TV's, High-speed internet (will never go back to dial-up), and phone service still with caller-ID and unlimited long distance, and I now pay $118.00 mo. Not a great savings, to be sure, but with more options. I think it is a rip-off, the prices these companies get, especially for phone service, and scryn......I have never had phone service as inexpensive as yours, even when it was bare-bones. That must be awesome!! :>)

I'm amazed at some of those land line phone prices. I'm going to have to call my phone company and see if there's anything cheaper, though I think I already did that at one point.

$35 Land line phone (no long distance)
$5 Pay per minute cell phone
$50 regular cable - no extras - Argh!
$13 Tivo Service
$23 Earthlink Dial Up

$126 total Argh!

I'm amazed at the land-line prices, too, time to do some research

$55 landline (set price, and we make lots of calls to other states)
$15 for two prepaid cell phones (approx)
$18 for internet (dial-up, yuk)
$17 for Netflix (cancelled cable when it hit $45 a month)

$105 a month. Ouch, didn't realize it was that high.

3 Verizon Cell Phones $95/month (stepdaughter does pay for her own and gives $20 towards bill each month)
Blockbuster $17/month
Landline phone $20/month
Internet and cable (no premium channels) $95/month
So that puts me around $227 month total... Wow.. way too much..

$63 for phone, $120 for cable and high-speed internet. My company pays for my cell phone, but it would be over $100 per month (I have email and internet on it). DH's cell phone is about $75.

I actually just switched the phone service today. I just had local with Verizon and needed long distance so I did a Freedom plan. I learned something I am not too happy about. I have to pay $63 for a plan (in Maine), that in Mass. used to cost me less than $40. For the SAME PLAN, from the same company! Even the same sales person. Unbelievable.

$8.60/month for landline phone ,
$8/month for TV cable (30 ch),
$0.12/night hours internet(2.00 - 8.00),
I live in Russia.:-)

cable, broadband, unlimited phone- $140
1 shared cell, prepaid (we ALL hate the phone:)) $5