How to lower utility costs in Lakes Region? (Phone, internet, TV, electric) (home)

[Last1Standing]

Seems like the cost of these has gone up a lot in the last 5 years. I currently have:

Landline and internet: Fairpoint $85/mo
Cell phone: Tracfone, which I use only on the road. $100/year for 400 minutes.
TV cable: Metrocast $43
Electric: Eversource (formerly PSNH) $80/mo

I would love to get rid of Fairpoint. I MUST have reliable internet for my work and I have fairly frequent connectivity problems with Fairpoint. I lose at least $500 a year in income due to several lost days of work per year. Fairpoint's customer service for both the landline and internet tech support is just spectacularly poor. I found them extremely deceptive and dishonest when they were selling me my phone plan and it took several months for them to get my bill right. Notice that they don't even publish the cost of stand-alone internet on their website.

MY IDEAS:
TV: Roku + Hulu and Netflix
Telephone: Tracfone with triple minutes. (Cell phone reception in my area is variable.)
Internet:???
Electricity: ???

Got any good ideas for how to reduce the cost of these services? I am NOT technologically minded at all. I'm looking for alternatives that are ***cheap, simple, good quality (i.e., good voice quality), and that work consistently.***

Thanks for your ideas!

[robr2]

It sounds like you want better, faster, and cheaper but as we all know you can only have two of those.

If internet is important for you job, then get internet from Metrocast. Since you are wanting to do Roku, Hulu, Netflix, you will need a high speed internet connection. But it won't be any cheaper.

If you are dropping the landline and cell service is spotty with Tracphone, then look at another cell provided but it won't be any cheaper.

Eversource - you don't have choice unless you want to install a photovoltaic system, battery backup, and perhaps horses turning a generator. Again, it won't be any cheaper.

[Nonesuch]

Drop Fairpoint, get Internet from a cable provider. Drop Hulu or Netflix, you don't need two streaming subscriptions.

I MUST have reliable internet for my work and I have fairly frequent connectivity problems with Fairpoint. I lose at least $500 a year in income due to several lost days of work per year.

If you can find a wireless carrier with strong signal to your home, switch cell phone to a service with high-speed data and tethering, giving you a replacement for your landline phone and also backup Internet service.


Best thing you can do to lower your power bill is to use less electricity.
No, really -- determine what devices in your home use the most power, and use them less often, or upgrade to more efficient models (e.g. turn off lights or replace with LED).