Whats our best option? Need to cut costs really

mummybaker

Hi everyone,
We are with SKY at the moment and pay £30.90 per month for unlimited broadband and the basic sky TV we dont get fancy channels or calls etc.
Weve been with them for 12yrs

I'm looking at this and thinking realistically we only really use a couple of the sky channels for things like greys anatomy and hubby watches the walking dead and true blood ( i cant think which channels that is) but for the amount of time I wonder if we could download those online?

I'm a total novice on this sort of thing. we have a sky+ box and I'm sure I've read we can convert it to a freeview option? I need the recording function really as were busy and have 3 children so it's ideal in some form.

If anyone can help me find where to download the programmes we actually watch on sky and then our best option for a recordable tv option ( we have no aerial but have the sky dish )
W are looking to move but most of the hosues weve got out eyes on have dishes up too.

Any ideas?

mummybaker

Oh and I forgot to say broadband what should I do for that? we have unlimited now so I would need this again.

penrhyn

Sky broadband Unlimited will cost you an extra £2.50 / month if you cancel your TV subscription.
Cancel your Sky TV subs and you will still be able to view the Freesat from Sky Channels.
The Sky+ facility will be diabled, but can be reactivated as a stand alone for around £10.25 / month.

Your alternative if you don't wish to buy an aerial is Freesat (not from Sky), Humax have a range of Freesat boxes.

almillar

You can download TV series (LEGALLY) from iTunes, and I guess Amazon and others, or subscribe to LoveFilm, Netflix etc.
I'd prefer to buy the series on DVD or Blu-Ray. You can afford quite a lot for the price you're paying Sky.
You have several options after you cancel your Sky sub.
1. Do nothing. Continue to use your Sky box. You will revert to 'freesatfromsky' (don't call it Freeview!) and get these channels:
http://www.sky.com/shop/freesat/home/what-can-i-watch/
You CANNOT record. As penryn points out, you can ask Sky to take £10.25 off you every month to allow you to record. That would be £246 after 2 years. That would buy you a Humax Foxsat HDR - a FreeSatHD recorder.
This has similar functions to the Sky box, no subscription and plugs into the same connections, with the same dish.
Channels:
http://www.freesat.co.uk/what-you-get/our-channels
Or if you have an aerial you know to be good, you can buy a Freeview+ or FreeviewHD+ box, that will allow you to do similar stuff but through an aerial.

davidlizard

almillar wrote: »

You can download TV series (LEGALLY) from iTunes, and I guess Amazon and others, or subscribe to LoveFilm, Netflix etc.
I'd prefer to buy the series on DVD or Blu-Ray. You can afford quite a lot for the price you're paying Sky.
You have several options after you cancel your Sky sub.
1. Do nothing. Continue to use your Sky box. You will revert to 'freesatfromsky' (don't call it Freeview!) and get these channels:
http://www.sky.com/shop/freesat/home/what-can-i-watch/
You CANNOT record. As penryn points out, you can ask Sky to take £10.25 off you every month to allow you to record. That would be £246 after 2 years. That would buy you a Humax Foxsat HDR - a FreeSatHD recorder.
This has similar functions to the Sky box, no subscription and plugs into the same connections, with the same dish.
Channels:
http://www.freesat.co.uk/what-you-get/our-channels
Or if you have an aerial you know to be good, you can buy a Freeview+ or FreeviewHD+ box, that will allow you to do similar stuff but through an aerial.

If you restrict yourself solely to iTunes, DVDs and iPlayer type services, you can save another £12/month because you will not require a television licence.

Someone I know gets his DVDs off Ebay, watches them and resells them, occasionally for a profit. And because he does not watch TV other than DVDs and XBox games, he has no need for a licence.