Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Cable TV Alternatives for a Shoestring Budget

OK so someone asked me today if I knew of any great alternatives to cable. Sure I do! There are many great alternatives to cable. I decided to make a list of my favorites.

Take note, you may need other equipment or services such as an HD antenna, a Smart TV, a gaming console, a laptop, and an internet connection. You will need a high speed internet connection for all options other than local TV. You also have the option of streaming services on you laptop and plugging that into your HDTV. Smart TV's have internet capabilities so work great with these services.

Sure, these arent all the options but these are a few that I use and they are all completely legal!

1. Network Websites- Want to catch a show go directly to the source. Most networks post their hit shows for free on their website so go check them out! VH1, Bravo, NBC, BET and many other networks air most of their popular shows right on their website.

Pro: You can watch both local and cable network shows absolutely free!

Con: You wont be able to catch the shows as they air. You may have to catch the show from the next day up to the following week. You may not have access to old episodes. You wont have access to many premium channel networks like HBO, Showtime(Showtime does let you sample select full episodes)and, Starz without a cable subscription.

2. Netflix- My husband loves NETFLIX! We never get bored with the great selection from them. You can find TV shows, Movies, Documentaries, etc. all in one place.

Pro: You have access to instant streaming for only $7.99 a month, add DVD's by mail for around $10. You can keep the DVD as long as you like and when you send it back your next DVD is on the way....these folks are super fast! You have access on many devices. It is compatible with gaming systems such as XBox, PS3, and Wii. It is also available on many droid devices, it works great on my HTC EVO.

Con: While you may watch episode after episode and season after season you wont find the current season on Netflix. Some titles are instant and other titles you will have to request by mail. If you put off a movie you want to see be aware it may not be available instantly the next time you go to watch it. I don't know often they cycle their instant content but be aware it is cycled so if your too late you may have to order it by mail.

3. Hulu- Hulu is a great site very similar to Netflix but free! Hulu is an online video service that offers a selection of hit shows, clips, movies and more. Hulu is free and legal through advertising that advertising runs during normal commercial breaks. Hulu acquires the rights to distribute its videos, making them available to users legally. Hulu Plus is an ad-supported subscription service that offers current and back season shows from ABC, Comedy Central, FOX, NBC, and MTV to connected devices for $7.99 monthly.

Pro: Hulu is absolutely free! It is now compatible with PS3,(Yay! just found this out)iPad, and iPhone. It will soon be available on XBox 360 and Android devices.

Con: Hulu's free content isn't as large as Hulu Plus or Netflix. Its not yet available on other gaming consoles or Droid devices. Hulu is not available internationally or in Canada. Hulu states, "We've always been very public about our intentions of being an international service, but do not have any details to share at this time."

4. XfinityTV(Formerly Fancast)- Extremely similar to Hulu, in fact there is some sort of relationship between the two websites. This webservice is owned by Comcast.

Pro: Much of the programming is free. Fancast seems to have free programming available that you would find on Hulu plus at cost.

Con: Some programming is locked and only available to Comcast subscribers. Doesn't seem to be available on any other devices other than the PC, iPad, and iPhone.

5. RedBox- Movies cost just a dollar per day. There is no sign-up, all you need is a credit/debit card. You can find many of the latest DVD Movie releases at RedBox.
Did you know that McDonalds owns RedBox?

Pro: You can get free RedBox movies with the Redbox movie codes issued every week. RedBox now offers games for $2.

Con: People have had issues with receiving the wrong movie from people returning bogus DVD's back to the machine. Some are saying that they have been returning their DVD's on time, but the machine is not recognizing the ID sticker and not giving them credit for the return. Some people have been charged an additional dollar for every day that they thought they had the discs and then RedBox charges them for the cost of the DVD. I haven't experienced any of these issues but did have a problem returning a video because the kiosk was full. It was an inconvenience because we had to drive further to another kiosk.

6. Local TV- all you need is an HD antenna and you are in business!

Pro: You can watch all the major local networks(depending on your reception)absolutely free. You can watch the local network shows as they air. You get a few bonus channels on almost every network station you recieve with the HD antenna. This is the only way I know how you can watch sports without cable service.

Con: Your channel lineup may vary depending on your geographic location and antenna. No cable networks. Definitely not a huge selection.


There are a ton of ways to get your TV fix on a Shoestring budget, these were a few of my favorite and completely legal ways. Best Blogger Tips
  • Stumble This Post
  • Save Tis Post To Delicious
  • Share On Reddit
  • Fave On Technorati
  • Buzz This Post
  • Tweet This Post
  • Digg This Post
  • Share On Facebook

Friday, April 15, 2011

Free Jet Magazine Subscription TODAY ONLY!!!

I received an email from a friend today, it mentioned a great offer that you just don't want to miss out on. In honor of the Urban League, Black Expressions is giving you a FREE! one year subscription to Jet Magazine. Yes folks! That is 36 issues of great news and entertainment.

But hurry, this offer is only available today April 15th 2011! To get your complimentary subscription, click here. This offer ends at midnight (EDT). Don't miss out on this great offer! Best Blogger Tips
  • Stumble This Post
  • Save Tis Post To Delicious
  • Share On Reddit
  • Fave On Technorati
  • Buzz This Post
  • Tweet This Post
  • Digg This Post
  • Share On Facebook

Great Earth Day Deals!

There are a lot of awesome organic and green deals this April in honor of Earth Month. On April 17th Target is giving away one million reusable bags, made from 100% recyclable Tyvek material, at Target stores nationwide. This offer is good while supplies last. Be sure to check out Target’s Earth Month Page for more great deals. (Thanks Organic Deals)

Our next deal is courtesy of Money Saving Mom As some of you may know I love to reuse and recycle things. Having a large family sometimes clothing gets passed down and sometimes we purchase or are gifted second hand clothing. Thred up, a place to buy and sell used kids clothing, is offering a great deal for Earth Day. Use coupon code EARTHDAY and you’ll get $15.95 in your account to pick a free box of clothes and have it shipped to you at absolutely no charge.
Best Blogger Tips
  • Stumble This Post
  • Save Tis Post To Delicious
  • Share On Reddit
  • Fave On Technorati
  • Buzz This Post
  • Tweet This Post
  • Digg This Post
  • Share On Facebook

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Give Back!



Today a Facebook friend asked if anyone had any volunteering ideas for her children. Volunteering is something I have always love to do whether it was just helping someone out or actually volunteering my time to an organization.

Our first volunteer experience began when my oldest daughter, now 14, was around five years old. We volunteered for a program that raised funds for the the AIDS Council of North Eastern New York.




"The AIDS Council’s Help Fight AIDS Through Books & Music project is a completely volunteer-driven program that sells new and gently-used books, music, and movies as well as entertainment books and plush animals to raise money to support the AIDS Council’s client Services Emergency Fund. Now in its 18th year, Help Fight AIDS Through Books & Music has raised more than $500,000 in net funds to support people living with HIV/AIDS. For more information, log on to: http://www.helpfightaids.com/. "

This experience was really rewarding because we do have a loved one that is an active client of the program. We need to do what we can to raise awareness and teach our youth about this disease that is devastating to our communities.

We have also been involved with feeding the homeless and feeding the community. We plan to do 7 acts of charity throughout the year and we will keep that updated right here.

Here are a few other options for youth volunteering:
  1. Volunteer Match
    Volunteer Match is an online recruitment tool. Organizations are able to list the services they need assistance with and volunteers are able to search and find the volunteer opportunities they are interested in.
    "VolunteerMatch is a national nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities by helping good people and good causes to connect. Its award-winning online service, http://www.volunteermatch.org/, makes it easy to find a way to make a difference by location, expertise, or availability. VolunteerMatch provides many of the nation’s most recognized businesses and organizations with Web-based solutions to
    facilitate and track volunteer engagement at local and national levels."


  2. Youth Volunteer Corps of America
    Youth Volunteer Corps of America allows young people work together
    to make a positive change in our community. The program has allowed yuth from ages 11-18 to serve their communities since 1987.

  3. Youth Assisting Youth
    Youth Assisting Youth is a non-profit charitable organization that provides a peer mentoring service to improve life prospects for at risk and newcomer children. YAY matches children aged 6-15 with trained and dedicated Youth Volunteers aged 16-29 who act as positive role models. Since 1976 YAY has helped more than 20,000 young people.

  4. Do Something
    "DoSomething.org is one of the largest organizations in the US that helps young people rock causes they care about. A driving force in creating a culture of volunteerism, DoSomething.org is on track to activate two million young people in 2011. By leveraging the web, television, mobile, and pop culture, DoSomething.org inspires, empowers and celebrates a generation of doers: teenagers who recognize the need to do something, believe in their ability to get it done, and then take action."

  5. United We Serve
    United We Serve is a nationwide service initiative that helps meet growing social needs resulting from the economic downturn. Serve.gov is your online resource for not only finding volunteer opportunities in your community, but also creating your own.

These are all some really great organizations. Check them out and see where you fit in. I have two organizations I want to work with this year.

The first is Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. Their Mission is to raise money and awareness of childhood cancer causes, primarily research into new treatments and cures and to encourage and empower others, especially children, to get involved and make a difference for children with cancer. Please visit the website to learn a little about Alex's story.

The second is Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup.


"Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup, the nation's largest community improvement program, takes place annually from March 1 through May 31, involving an estimated 3 million volunteers and attendees. The hardworking volunteers donated more than 5.7 million hours in 2010 to clean, beautify and improve more than 33,000 communities during more than 30,000 events in all 50 states and beyond. Activities included beautifying parks and recreation areas, cleaning seashores and waterways, handling recycling collections, picking up litter, planting trees and flowers, and conducting educational programs and litter-free events. "

What will you do this year to give back? Feel free to leave a comment! Best Blogger Tips
  • Stumble This Post
  • Save Tis Post To Delicious
  • Share On Reddit
  • Fave On Technorati
  • Buzz This Post
  • Tweet This Post
  • Digg This Post
  • Share On Facebook