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The SO and I are going to skip gifts this year for each other and buy a HDTV/BlueRay player. Probably a Sony. We wanted something internet/Netflix compatible. We didn't want anything top of the line like 3D and the prices are dropping like crazy. It's a good time to buy.
What kind of prices are you finding for this? With the player, can you download movies from the Net for free, or do you have to have a service like Netflix?
What kind of prices are you finding for this? With the player, can you download movies from the Net for free, or do you have to have a service like Netflix?
I'm still learning about all this but I'd heard there were many shows available for free on hulu. I spent some time checking it out and I found mostly clips and excerpts. Most of the complete shows they had were things I wouldn't normally watch. Hulu has a subscription service available for @ $8 per month that's supposed to have a lot more shows. They say there's a free trial for a month.
Netflix is about $10 per month and is supposed to be the best and even the new releases are downloadable. But the cable companies/ISP's are making big noise complaining that Netflix is a bandwidth hog and people who use the service should pay a lot more for internet. I think this is going to be an issue going forward. Netflix is supposed to have a free trial for a month too. I may try Netflix for a month on my computer and see if I like it.
Google TV sounds good except I guess it has peeved the networks. I don't understand this one. If I want to watch CBS, why should they care how I watch it as long as I see the commercials? After all, they broadcast over-the-air for free. What's the difference? Anyway the networks have refused to allow their shows to be streamed to Google TV. I've read all the reviews I can find and I guess you can tell the difference and buffering affects the delivery of the shows.
I think I still have a lot to learn. It's the blueray player that's the brains of ITV. Most are based on using a wireless scenario that doesn't work in my house. Don't know why but I have ferocious interference. Cell phones don't work either. I have a wired LAN and I have to get a player with an ethernet connection.
I also tried a digital antenna with a signal booster. I can't get anything over the air except for some strange stations I'd never seen before. No networks at all. So that won't work either. I refuse to pay $100 per month for cable so if ITV turns out to be a no go, I'll just continue to buy the movies I want to see when they go down in price. I'm not used to watching a lot of TV anyway.
This is all pretty confusing and I can see why people are hesitant to invest in this.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,722 posts, read 58,067,115 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by newenglandgirl
What are frugal retirees doing to control expenses in 2011?
gonna downsize some more to reduce insurance outlay, Also recalibrate the way stuff is insured, reduce liability umbrella to match reduced assets, push deductible expenses into 2011 and LTC gains into 2010. Definitely doing the 2010 ROTH conversions.
Quote:
in 2010, what are you spending on this holiday season—gifts, entertaining, etc?
the usual,,, edible gift exchange with family($5 max), hand-made, or donations to world hunger and rural economic development charities. (buy chicken or goats through local contacts, not WW NGO's). & more downsizing Making sure that more 'stuff' flows OUT not IN.
'Entertainment' always fits within $100/mo food + entertainment (excluding travel transportation)... Great travel sales came out on Kayak today. Greatly improves my options for seeking winter sun
The Christmas season avails lots of free entertainment, a few concerts already + volunteer ushering in near future.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,722 posts, read 58,067,115 times
Reputation: 46190
Quote:
Originally Posted by newenglandgirl
$100/month for food?? What do you survive on??
What about pet food?
Plenty - (5) helpings of fresh fruit and veggies daily. Bob's Red Mill Oatmeal ($.64/#), and Costco Rotisserie Chicken (~20+ meals / $4.99 bird). Tillamook Ice Cream is the killer ... $2.50 / month for (1) 1.75 gal. Get plenty of $3/# fresh Salmon from the Indians down the road. Just BBQ'd (2) 20#+ turkeys ($.22/#) that will keep me most of the winter for soups, salads, casseroles, Pot-pies, and burritos.
Drink only water ~ free from well (and daily fresh fruit smoothies).
Pets don't get premium food + they live on a farm, the scraps from my turkeys! and plenty of varmints. (I haven't needed to try the varmints, yet)
Full Disclosure: I do avoid eating at least one day / week and provide the extra food to poor (usually seniors I care for). Been doing this for over 30 yrs without ill health benefits so many warn of... I did just get back to my High School Weight, but the High School width is very elusive. (Were we really THAT skinny!)
I am semi retiring next month. I will be cutting back to basic cable and ordering more from NetFlix. I plan to move to a lower COL city eventually and hope to get a part time job to supplement SS and savings.
Will be cutting the cell phone and moving to a less expensive city. Possibly cutting cable...that one will hurt the most.
Cable TV only offers show after inane show. I prefer getting movies (DVDs) at my three local libraries. To get reception for PBS, I have to pay $7.50/mo. If that goes up, I drop it. Mostly wildlife and entertainment shows that I can get at the library on DVD.
Plenty - (5) helpings of fresh fruit and veggies daily. Bob's Red Mill Oatmeal ($.64/#), and Costco Rotisserie Chicken (~20+ meals / $4.99 bird). Tillamook Ice Cream is the killer ... $2.50 / month for (1) 1.75 gal. Get plenty of $3/# fresh Salmon from the Indians down the road. Just BBQ'd (2) 20#+ turkeys ($.22/#) that will keep me most of the winter for soups, salads, casseroles, Pot-pies, and burritos.
Drink only water ~ free from well (and daily fresh fruit smoothies).
Pets don't get premium food + they live on a farm, the scraps from my turkeys! and plenty of varmints. (I haven't needed to try the varmints, yet)
Full Disclosure: I do avoid eating at least one day / week and provide the extra food to poor (usually seniors I care for). Been doing this for over 30 yrs without ill health benefits so many warn of... I did just get back to my High School Weight, but the High School width is very elusive. (Were we really THAT skinny!)
You must be in great shape.
What costs me is coffee and cream for it, stone-ground flour bread (pricey), and salmon (pricey). Plus need to buy oil (olive) and other condiments every now and then (pricey). I don't ever buy cookies or crackers. I make delicious cookies adding a little oil and honey and flour and baking powder and vanilla or orange peel and raisins to my leftover (yes, Bob's!) morning oatmeal. Seems like I get breakfast twice, with plenty of fiber!
I am semi retiring next month. I will be cutting back to basic cable and ordering more from NetFlix. I plan to move to a lower COL city eventually and hope to get a part time job to supplement SS and savings.
Minervah, now that you're free, where are you headed? You had mentioned Cleveland--is that still an option?
I am a member of a movie group, about 8 of us who get together almost every month in each other';s homes to watch a movie that the host chooses, and it's a potluck. I look forward to that more than watching TV alone. The host provides beverages and desserts, everyone else brings the food!
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Making sure that more 'stuff' flows OUT
not IN.
