Is anyone else telly-free?

FrugalLina

Oooh, good point, I hadn't thought about that - thanks, I knew this was the right place to come for advice on this!

LondonDreamer

Personally, I'd probably get a radio if you use it for background noise when the laptop would otherwise be off. You're also then not using any of your broadband's download limit just to stream the radio. But if it's for noise when you'd be using the laptop anyway, no sense in powering two things.

You don't have to sell the TV in order to cancel the licence, just disconnect the receiver. Our flat only has a cable connection which I refuse to pay for, so I never got a licence even though we have a television that we use for DVDs. You may want to sell it for a bit of extra cash since you use your laptop anyway, just pointing out that you don't need to.

snowleopard61

I've lived without TV for extended periods - grew up abroad in a country that didn't yet have it, then again as a student and for several years when first married, and once again for about five years when the children were junior school age. I eventually gave in to the children's pleading because they felt people at school thought it was weird and geeky (!) The object wasn't particularly economy or to avoid them seeing anything specific, but rather to put them in a position where they had to read for pleasure as I did growing up - for want of other entertainment! - which I think has influenced my whole life. We also did that very old-fashioned thing when I was a child - I'm only 50 rather than 70! - of sitting around the radio (the 'wireless'!) as a family, which I remember with pleasure.

Oddly enough, when I have TV I am fairly addicted to it; I don't watch huge numbers of soaps but the couple that I do, I won't miss an episode - yet if I don't have it at all, I don't care. Can certainly recommend TV-free living. My one caveat would be to make sure you tell the TV licence people in words of one syllable that you don't have one at all - they are remarkably suspicious and reluctant to believe it! I have considered getting rid of the TV to avoid the licence fee, but unfortunately my elder daughter (aged 20) has her own now, so unless I were mean enough to make her pay it, I can't.

snowleopard61

PS - As regards the children: it worked at the time, as I made sure they had unlimited quantities of books via the library, charity shops etc. - but sadly neither of them has turned out to be a reader, although they're both bright enough.

pigpen

I've not had terrestrial tv for 20 years.. we have a tv, a very large one connected to the xbox.. we have no aerial or receivers so couldn't get tv if we wanted to.. My children all grew up without tv and they are in no way disadvantaged from those who had them (not that that is relevant to the OP) They only asked 2 or 3 times while growing up why we didn't have one when all their friends did.

I refuse to pay the silly money for tv when I can watch it all in my own time online for free! (I'd have internet anyway)

I have a radio in the kitchen and one in the front room but if you have a small house I would invest in good quality speakers and play through the laptop if it is going to be on all the time anyway... you can always download music or buy CDs and play those while your laptop is not being used online.

System

I just listen to music online. Either on my hard drive or one of the music channels. Well my pc is hardly ever turned off anyway.

Im listening to Spotify at the moment.

babyshoes

Digital radios can be great quality with a wide range of stations to chose from, also many have optional extras like alarms, i-pod docks and usb ports. They are also a lot easier than traditional radios to 'tune' as it automatically picks up which stations are available. Also great for knowing the exact time as it automatically updates the clock several times a day. However, if you live somewhere away from a major centre, the number of available stations drops off a bit, so it is worth checking what's available in your area before you buy one - there will be information online. (We have several around the house as until recently the OH worked for a company making them.)

We also don't have a telly, and don't miss it at all. You quickly find plenty of other stuff online to fill your time! We haven't responded to the licensing people's letters at all, and they haven't (touch wood) visited us yet (and we have been here over 8 years) - or at least not when we are home. They don't have a right to come into your home without a search warrant & accompanying police officer so you can just tell them to go away - without giving them ANY information if you don't want to. There is loads of info about this on the internet so you can look it all up for yourself. Some of them can apparently be quite nasty and threatening, so be careful what you do or don't say to them!

vax2002

You will need to read up on how to repel the TV inspectors, they will call regularly and many people have reported that letting them in resulted in summonses and false statements, the best policy is to chuck them straight out of the gate, thus removing any opportunity to get your name and start making up lies to get commission.

paidinchickens

Got rid of the tv licence last year and watch no live tv. We watch probably three programmes a week if that. We have three kids living at home and they don't bother either. We get far more done as a family and wished we had done it years ago.

System

Cant get rid of our telly.... hubby likes the soaps