TV

Here’s How to Get Out of a DIRECTV Contract Without Paying

September 11, 2020 By Kathryn Vercillo Leave a Comment

There are a lot of good reasons why you might want to get out of a DirectTV contract. Maybe you want to cut out television altogether so that you can make better use of your time. Perhaps you stream everything these days and don’t need satellite TV or cable TV anymore. Or maybe you just want to switch to a different provider in order to save some money.

Whatever the reason, you have the right to turn off that service. But, be careful, because if you’re in a contract, they might charge you money. Here are some things that you can do to get out of a DirectTV contract without paying:

Legitimate Reasons to Get out of a DirectTV Contract

Let’s look at the easy stuff first. If you have a legitimate reason to get out of a DirectTV contract then you can do so at no charge. Reasons that DirectTV will accept include:

You’re moving. If you’re moving to a new apartment that doesn’t allow you to install a satellite dish, then they will cancel your contract without an early termination charge. If you’re moving to a new country where the company doesn’t operate, same story.
The service is constantly having outages. If you have consistently experienced outages that prevent you from regularly using the service then they will often work with you, allowing you to get out of your DirectTV contract at no charge.
You’ve experienced fee increases. If the company has raised rates during your contract then you might have an argument to get out of the contract. Here’s more information on what to do if the company doesn’t provide the services agreed to in the contract.
The person whose name is on the account has passed away. Hopefully, this is not the reason that you want to cancel a DirectTV contract. However, I suppose it’s good to know that if that happens then they won’t charge you to cancel.

Speak to a Retention Representative

If you don’t have one of those reasons, then you’ll need to put in a bit more effort to work with the company. Notably, you could say that one of those reasons is the case, but sometimes they ask for proof. In any case, it’s time to try calling them.

You need to call their customer service number. However, once you reach someone, you need to ask to speak to a retention representative. That’s because the regular customer service person is not going to be able to assist you.

Obviously, given their job title, the retention representative is going to do all that they can to convince you not to cancel your service. You just have to stay calm and firm on the phone. Be very clear with them that you need to cancel, that you can’t keep paying for the service, and that you need to know how to get out of your contract.

Notably, they do charge a cancellation fee to get out of your contract. But, as with almost all other companies, you can negotiate with them. Be patient. Be kind. Remember that this is another human on the other end of the line, just trying to do their job. If you’re lucky, they’ll work with you. Sometimes they’ll waive the fee. Sometimes they’ll reduce it. See what you can work out.

Look for a Deal to Switch to a New Provider

If you want to keep satellite TV but just don’t want to work with DirectTV anymore, then you may be in luck. Sometimes companies will run promotions for new customers. They’ll offer to pay off your termination fees with the other company if you sign a new contract with them. This doesn’t make sense if you want to get out of TV contracts altogether. But if you’re just tired of dealing with DirectTV and wouldn’t mind getting the same type of service from another company, then this can be a smart way to go.

Other Options to At Least Reduce The Cost

If the above options don’t work, then here are some things to know:

It might be cheaper to pay the early termination fee than to keep paying the monthly fee through the end of the contract. If you truly don’t want the service, that’s something to consider. DirectTV typically charges $20 per month for the remainder of your contract as their early termination fee. They also charge a $15 deactivation fee on top of that.
If you don’t want to pay for a service that you’re not using then you could at least see about downgrading your DirectTV service to the lowest possible monthly plan. Then you can use that plan until the contract runs out. Confirm with the company that you are not starting a new contract though!
Sue the company. This is a long shot since you did sign the contract. However, if you think that you have a good case then you can file a lawsuit against DirectTV to recoup your termination fees.

If you cancel your service, make sure that you return all of DirectTV’s devices (like your remote) to them immediately. If you take too long, they’ll charge you for that too!

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Cord Cutting: How to Save Money on TV

June 17, 2019 By Kathryn Vercillo Leave a Comment

I have to admit that I get a little bit of a kick out of how trendy cord cutting is right now. That’s because I haven’t had an actual TV in my home in years. There was one in my house in 2006, but that’s only because my roommate set it up.

I’ve been watching TV online for about as long as it has been possible. Before that, I subscribed to Netflix DVD deliveries to get my show-watching fix. I am definitely someone who is thrilled that technology has advanced to the point where we can easily stream videos of all kinds, including live. It’s become a popular way for many people to save money on TV.

Here’s How to Save Money on TV

I use a combination of Netflix, Hulu, Philo, Amazon Prime, and individual network apps to see all of the shows that I want to see. Therefore, I find it a little surprising that anyone still subscribes to TV “the old-fashioned way.” And I guess that’s why I find it funny that cord cutting is such a hot trend.

But it is. And it makes sense that it is. So if you’re still watching TV through cable company subscriptions, you might want to think about cord cutting.

What is Cord Cutting?

If you haven’t guessed by now, cord cutting is the practice of canceling your subscriptions to cable or satellite television. In their place, you can sign up for streaming services. Of course, you can still use an Internet-equipped television to watch those shows. Apple TV is one of the most popular options for people who want to watch TV on their televisions but use a streaming service instead of cable.

Why is it Called Cord Cutting?

It’s called “cutting the cord” because of the concept that you’re no longer wired to the physical system of a cable box or satellite dish. You can just get your television shows through the wireless Internet.

The people who do this are called cord cutters. Interestingly, there is also a segment of the population called “cord nevers.” These are people who have never subscribed to a traditional service where you pay for a package of tv channels.

There are also “cord trimmers,” which are people who do continue to pay for a traditional TV service but have trimmed down their package and supplement that with streaming services. Research shows that nearly half of US consumers pay for both TV and streaming services.

Cord Cutting is on the Rise

The research above came from Deloitte’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications’ 13th edition of Digital media trends survey. They noted that this was the first time in the history of the survey that more people are paying for streaming TV than paying for TV subscriptions. The difference is small (69% compared to 65%; “cord trimmers” are the reason this combined number exceeds 100%). However, the trend is that paying for streaming is on the rise while paying for traditional tv services is on the decline.

One of the biggest reasons that people still subscribe to traditional TV services is that they want to be able to watch live television. People who enjoy live news and sports will usually keep their TV subscription. The cord trimmers will pare down to a plan that allows them to enjoy just these shows, then they’ll use streaming services for other viewing. However, streaming services are increasingly beginning to offer live viewing, so it seems like only a matter of time before this won’t be a reason to keep your old service.

Who is Cutting the Cord?

Interestingly, millennials are the biggest group of both cord cutters and cord nevers. 88% pay for a streaming service while only 51% pay for traditional TV. It may not be surprising that they’re more likely to stream than their older Gen X or Baby Boomer counterparts. However, it is a bit surprising that the younger Gen Z is less likely to cut the cord. Among that group, 80% pay for streaming services and 57$ pay for regular TV. Since they grew up with streaming, it’s intriguing that they’re opting in to television services.

Why People Prefer Cord Cutting

So, why is it that people are opting out of traditional television subscriptions in favor of streaming? I know that the number one reason that I won’t pay for a traditional service is that I don’t like the few companies that offer it in my area. I’ve used their services thanks to roommates. And I’ve used their non-TV services, such as cable Internet, and I don’t like what they have to offer.

Therefore, I prefer the option to choose from a wide range of companies, including small companies, that offer streaming services instead. There are more than 300 different streaming services to choose from! (Not sure where to start? The New York Times has a great article on that topic.) If I don’t like the one I’m working with, I can easily switch. That’s my number one reason. But it’s not the only reason, of course.

Cost Comparison of TV vs. Streaming

Many people cite cost as the big reason that they prefer cord cutting. Cable TV and satellite TV are expensive. You can easily pay over $100 per month. Often, you end up paying for a whole bunch of channels that you don’t want so that you can have the few channels that you do. This is frustrating. If you only want to watch a few channels, and you can access those shows through a streaming service, that it can be far cheaper to cut the cord. So, yes, you really can save money on TV when you aren’t depending on cable.

That said, as streaming becomes the norm, it’s hard to say what will happen with the price. The Deloitte research found that people, on average, have three streaming subscriptions. That’s still currently less per month than an average cable TV bill. However, those prices shift all of the time. Whether or not they remain as low as they are right now … well, only time will tell. But if you’re looking to save money immediately, then it’s definitely worth it to see if cord cutting would work for you.

Streaming TV Has Fewer Ads

One of the major reasons that people switch to streaming is that they’re tired of commercials. In the Deloitte survey, “44 percent of respondents cited “no ads” as a top reason for subscribing to a new paid streaming video service.” However, I have to point out that this varies widely from service to service. Netflix doesn’t have ads. YouTube television does. Hulu has the option to pay more for an ad-free experience.

One of the things that I’ve noticed over the years is that the ads have gotten longer on streaming services. I remember when there were only a few commercials during a show, and they were about 30 seconds each. Now I regularly see 1-2 minute commercial breaks on my streaming services. So, this is also going to shift over time.

Other Reasons for Cord Cutting

Here are some of the other reasons that people choose streaming services:

There is great new original content available. Did you know that Netflix’s original shows tied HBO for the number of Emmy’s last year?
Many streaming services offer seamless viewing across multiple platforms. I can start a show on my desktop computer, pause it, and then pick up where I left off on my mobile phone. I can take my TV wherever I go.
Each platform has a different design. Therefore, you can choose the streaming services that offer you the best ability to find new content or organize the shows you love.
If you add an antenna to your television, you can still get some channels, such as NBC, for free. Remember when that’s the way it always was?

Verizon Fios Promotions 2016

February 17, 2016 By Amanda Blankenship 1 Comment

Verizon has seemingly dominated the world of wireless. However, through Verizon Fios, the company is also making strides in dominating other technology services in the household as well. Bundle up all of your services through Verizon: wireless service, home phone, television and Internet, and it isn’t as expensive as you think it is.

Verizon, while a reliable company, has also had a growing reputation as being kind of expensive. However, Fios is not as expensive as you think it is. Actually, the services are comparable to some of the go-to companies for cheaper services.

Verizon is offering some of the best promotions on Internet, phone and cable bundles in the country. Here are some of the deals Verizon Fios is offering in 2016:

Cable/Home Phone/Internet: $69.99/month
Cable/Internet: $64.99/month
Local TV channels, HBO and Showtime for $50/month
Internet $49.99
Cable/Home Phone/Internet + $300 Visa Prepaid Card: $79.99/month
Custom TV Only: $54.99/month
Order Verizon Fios online and get the setup fee waived ($80 value)

A Few Things to Note:

If you order any of these promotions online, you will be able to receive the limited-time deal of receiving setup for free. You can also get any of these deals with no commitment. Of course, committing to a year or two years will (in some cases) save you some money. However, in the case of the Verizon Fios Triple Play, you can still receive the services for $69.99/month but you will not receive the $300 Prepaid Visa.

You should also note that most of these promotional prices require one to two years of a contract with the company. If the pricing is for a two-year contract, the price is subject to raise after one year.

Each of the Verizon Fios promotions have the option for “Custom TV.” This means that you get to choose some of your channels, which is great because who watches ALL of the channels? You can also get HBO, Showtime and other movie channels for the first six months of your contract in most cases.

If you are an existing Verizon customer, you can use these Fios promotions to your advantage. If you see a promotion that you think you could benefit from, you can call Verizon and talk to them about switching your current plan OR haggling for a new price.

Verizon Fios Reviews

Last but not least, you are probably wondering what people have to say about the Verizon Fios services. Verizon is one of the most reliable companies in the nation, however, what are consumers saying about the Fios services? As far as the actual TV/Internet/Phone, consumers absolutely love Fios. It seems, however, that people enjoy Verizon Fios until they have to give customer service a phone call. In just about every review of the company’s services people praised the quality of the television, Internet and phone but (almost) all of them have something bad to say about customer service.

Before you make any decision about Verizon (or any other company), be sure to compare pricing across the board. Of course, bundles can be convenient, but they can also be more expensive in some cases. Be sure to always compare.

Photo: Flickr: Mike Mozart

10 No Spend Challenges Everyone Should Try

January 17, 2013 By Jeffrey Strain 99 Comments

If you’re looking for a way to get a new perspective on how you spend money, one of the best ways to do this is to do some type of “no spend” challenge. While there are a number of things that a no spend challenge can help improve, probably the main benefit is that it’ll force you to break spending habits that you may not have even known you had. By finding these spending habits, being aware of them, and then coming up with solutions to change them, you put yourself in a position to use your money more effectively and on the things that are really important to you. In this way, no spend challenges are a wonderful way to help you get some insight into your current personal finances to see the changes that need to be made. Here are a few types of no spend challenges that can be extremely beneficial to your finances:

No Spend Day Challenge

The no spend day challenge is the classic of the no spend challenges. A no spend day challenge is basically a day where you are not allowed to spend any money. While they may not appear to be too difficult in theory, they tend to be more difficult than most people imagine because they often bring to light spending leaks that most people didn’t realize they had. Of course, you are not limited to only a single day. As you get better with your finances, you can try a no spend weekend, and no spend week, or even a no spend month. Any of these are bound to challenge the way that you currently spend money and force you to be creative in finding solutions to do and buy the things that you want without actually spending money.

No Impulse Purchase Challenge

This challenge can be an excellent way to greatly reduce the amount you spend shopping while at the same time making you more organized and think through all of your purchases. In this no spend challenge, you are only allowed to buy things that you have written down on a list before you went to the store to by them. No “oh, I need this too” purchases. If it’s not on the list, then it can’t be purchased. By sticking strictly to buying those things that you went to the store to purchase and buying nothing else, you will place yourself in a position to see how much you were spending on impulse purchases in the past.

No Credit Card Use Challenge

For those who have a volatile relationship with their credit card, a no spending with a credit card challenge can be an excellent way to help break the habit of using your credit card. You simply pick a period of time such as a month period where you’re not allowed to use your credit card for any purchases. This is a great way to see all those small expenses that you put on a credit card without even thinking about it in the past and should help you become much more aware of how often you used to use a credit card without even thinking about it.

No Buying Food Challenge

Not only is a no buying food challenge a great way to save money, it should also help you find new recipes and meals to broaden your cooking repertoire. Again, this challenge can be for any period of time, but it’s usually done for a week or a month depending on how much you have in your pantry. During this time, you’re not allowed to go and buy food from the store. Instead, you need to use the food that you have on hand. Since most families throw away a large amount of food each year, this is a great way to be creative using food without wasting. It can also help clean out your pantry of food that’s been there for a long period, and help you get creative in making meals from the food that you have on hand. The hope is that by doing all this, it will help you shop more efficiently and make better food purchases in the future.

No Eating Out Challenge

For those who have a tendency to let trips out to restaurants ruin their budget, doing a no spending money eating out challenge can be a great way to help temper this habit. As the name would suggest, the goal is to not eat any of your meals at a restaurant or from a takeout joint during this specified period of the challenge. Knowing that you won’t be able to go out to eat should help you prepare a bit more for cooking meals at home, and hopefully get you into a habit where going out to eat becomes a planned event instead of the default option.

No Cost Entertainment Challenge

One place where many people find leaks in their budget has to do with money spent on entertainment. By doing a month-long no spend on entertainment challenge, you will have to find new and creative ways to entertain yourself that don’t cost any money. It should give you a good opportunity to see how much you have been spending on entertainment in the past, and help you find different forms of entertainment that can be done without spending any money. By finding ways that you can entertain yourself without spending money, you place yourself in a great position to really pick and chose when you want to spend money on entertainment in the future.

No Coffee Shop Challenge

If you happen to be one of those people who has the habit of stopping in at the local coffee shop on a daily basis, doing a no spend at the coffee shop challenge can be an excellent way to help you break the habit over the short-term, and greatly reduce it over the long-term. While the coffee shop example is used here, this can be used with any habit that you have where you know money is leaking out of your budget. If you’re able to go a month without visiting the coffee shop, you should be in the position to make those coffee shop trips to treat rather than a daily habit, saving you a lot of money.

No Clothes Buying Challenge

Many people seem to get their therapy treatments by buying clothes (or other things). If you find that you’re spending money on clothes every month, doing a no spending on clothes challenge for a month can be an excellent way for you to reevaluate your wardrobe and buying habits. By the end of the challenge, you should know if there are any clothes that you really do need versus the clothes you merely want.

No Cable TV Package Challenge

Many people who try this challenge for a month are pretty surprised when they realize how much TV was a habit rather than something that they really wanted to see. Spending a month without cable TV can put you in a much better position to determine whether it is something that is worth the price, or something that is getting in your way to do other things. It will give a new perspective on how you have been spending time and how you really want to spend that time.

No Spend Hobby Challenge

Hobbies can be expensive and it’s often a good idea to spend a month of more on a challenge not to spend any money on that hobby. While this can be difficult, it will really get your creative juices flowing since it’s something that you enjoy doing. Often times, it will help reaffirm the reason that you originally became interested in the hobby and make you appreciate it that much more. it can also help you focus on where to best spend the money that you do have on your hobby once the challenge is over.

What all these challenges should do is give a different perspective on your spending in these areas, and help you think about new ways to achieve what you want in those areas without spending additional money. Taking on a no spending challenge can be difficult, but the information that you learn from them can be invaluable to helping you get better control of your finances and spending more wisely.

Have you ever done a no spend challenge? What are some of the things that you learned which surprised you if you have? Are you planning any no spend challenges for this year?

Watch TV: Strange Ways to Make Money

November 3, 2010 By Jennifer Derrick Leave a Comment

I’m not normally a big fan of TV. I find that it takes me away from other things I could/should be doing. However, I recognize that there are plenty of people out there who love TV. If you watch a lot of TV, it’s probably taking you away from other opportunities to earn more money. If that’s true, you can still make a little money from your TV watching. You probably won’t get rich, but you might make a little extra. (And, no, I’m not talking about jumping on some pyramid scheme advertised in a late night informercial.) Here are some money making ideas for your TV time.

Blog about your favorites: If you have favorite TV shows, movies, actors, documentaries, or directors, start a blog or website about your favorites. You can sell advertising space on your site/newsletter, or enroll in Google’s AdSense to monetize your site. Keep in mind that your site will do better if it is detailed, has uncommon information, is updated regularly, and has a “voice” that no other site has.

Become a critic: Becoming a TV critic isn’t that difficult. There are many sites that pay for reviews, or you can start your own. You can also get a job at a local newspaper. (Newspapers in small towns are easier to break into than national papers.) You can also write for magazines. Entertainment Weekly might be out of your grasp, but you have a better chance if you submit reviews to specialized magazines (e.g., you watch a nature documentary and then submit a review to your states’ wildlife magazine). You have to be willing to put in lots of unpaid time and generate some reviews that you can show potential employers. You also have to learn what makes a good review and learn how to properly submit your work. However, this can be one of the more lucrative ways to get paid for watching TV.

Learn about money: When you watch shows about investing, business, debt reduction, etc. you are learning things that will help you save and invest wisely. Shows like Clark Howard and Suze Orman answer questions from viewers. Who knows, your burning question might be answered. Watching CNBC or Bloomberg can be a good way to get a sense for how the stock market works, upcoming business trends, and any new legal or regulatory issues that might affect your money.

Become a Nielsen family: You can’t volunteer for this because Nielsen randomly selects people to join their panel. However, if you ever receive an envelope from them, you might want to join. They pay you to watch TV and record data about what you watched. This is how they come up with their “Nielsen Ratings” that you hear mentioned in the media.

Join RewardTV: RewardTV is a variant on the Get Paid to Site. In this case, you earn points by watching TV programs and then playing trivia games. Points can be “spent” on stuff or gift cards, or you can trade your points for entries into sweepstakes or use them in auctions.

Participate in focus groups: Sometimes advertisers will pay you to watch TV shows in which their ads will appear. They want your feedback about the quality of the ad, how it fits with the show, and whether it is motivating to you. Groups like this can be hard to find; I frequently find them through other survey sites that I participate in. You’ll get a screening survey and if you pass that, you’ll be asked to watch the show and complete a follow up survey later.

Watch for trends, ideas, and opportunities: Home shows can teach you how to make simple repairs or upgrades. Travel channels can show you budget travel ideas. Watching business shows might give you an idea of upcoming trends that will make good business ideas. Antique shows can give you ideas for profitable yard sale items. If you pay attention while watching TV, you might learn valuable money saving tips or get some ideas for your own ventures.

Do it better: Ever watch something and think, “I can do better than this crap?” Give it a try. Write a script for a new show or develop an idea for a new reality series. Educate yourself about how to submit these ideas to agents and Hollywood and see if you can launch your ideas. Watch TV to see what is already being done, what works, what fails, and why. Then do it better .

Look for freebies and contests: Sometimes when watching a show (particularly talk shows) the host will offer a limited time download of a song or eBook to promote a guest. You might also be able to get a free gift bag or other items if you are one of the first to register at the website. There are also contests and “play at home” opportunities that might net you some cash or other prizes.

Watching TV doesn’t have to be a complete waste of time. Look around and you might find some opportunities to turn your TV time into some extra money, or better money management, for yourself.

Is the Computer the New TV?

September 17, 2009 By David G. Mitchell 17 Comments

If you are reading this, I am fairly certain that I know at least two things about you. First, you are likely sitting at a computer terminal that has Internet access. Second, you are neither of my parents nor my brother.

I believe you are at a computer because this site is a web publisher and even when people want to share my articles, I suspect that they are e-mailed or posted on Facebook instead of printed and mailed to Cousin Ernie in Hoboken. I believe you are neither of my parents nor my brother because, despite my protests, neither my parents’ home nor my brother’s house have computers.

I’ve tried over the years to induce my parents to buy a computer. In the early 80’s, when my friends were using early generation Macintosh computers to do their research papers and reports for school, I was still using a typewriter. My parents thought that was fine. I tried to explain all of the benefits of getting a computer, but they never listened.

In the 1990’s I sent both my parents and my brother computers in the hope that they would find the Internet too interesting to ignore. My parents never plugged in their computer and my brother used his for less than a week. Even now, more than a year after I started writing, and half a year after my moment in the sun on ABC News Now, my parents and brother have never read my writings or seen my video clip. For that matter, they have never sent an e-mail, are completely unfamiliar with Facebook, have never shopped at Amazon, have never done any of the multitude of things that the rest of us do on a regular basis with our computers.

Even more importantly, my parents and my brother are content with their lives completely devoid of computers. My mother still sends me a letter about once each month. Even though she can call me on the phone, she still believes that a written letter allows greater self-expression and is more enjoyable to read. My parents still do all of their shopping in brick and mortar stores and, if the stores near their home do not have an item available, they patiently order it. If they need to prepare a formal response to business correspondence, they still have a typewriter. Their camera is not digital and its film is developed at Walgreens. They do not play solitaire for countless hours at their desks. In short, they live almost exactly as I remember my house in 1979. My brother’s home is the same and could have been used as the set for That ’70’s Show.

Last week, I wrote an article about my desire to do away with my television. I was pleasantly surprised by most of the responses. It seems that many of my readers are not TV addicts either. After I saw everyone’s responses, I realized that for many of us, our computers have replaced our televisions. I then tried to extend my thoughts about the TV to thoughts of justifying getting rid of my computer to save money. I just could not and cannot wrap my mind around that idea. I mean… We need our computers, right?

But for my parents completely contented lives without a computer, I would never even have considered it possible to live a computer-free life. It’s not like my parents or my brother live in the woods of Northern Canada. Dad is a retired dentist. Mom is a full time busy-body housewife. My brother is only 41 years old. If they can do it, why can’t I?

Of course, a big part of the reason that I could never give up my computer is that at the moment, I am doing a lot of writing for web-based publications. I need my computer to do that. Also, I enjoy the convenience and money saving opportunities that I can find by shopping at on-line retailers. Moreover, I am connected to almost everyone I know by web-based communications. Indeed, I have communicated all of the publishers for whom I write solely by e-mail. For that matter, when I schedule interviews for the “day jobs” that I am pursuing, I take care of all of the logistics via e-mail.

Computers are expensive machines to buy. The Internet is an expensive monthly cost. I don’t deny that. Nevertheless, I can’t see any of us doing without them. Accordingly, I suspect that our computers would be among the last costs that we would ever give up.
As for my parents, I hope that someday I can persuade them to get a computer. Failing that, I will work on my brother. I am not optimistic, however, because they each live within four miles of a library with Internet access and none of them is willing to go on-line. They are true modern primitives.

What do you think? Could you ever give up your computer and Internet connection? How do you control your costs of going on-line and maintaining your computer? Why do you feel that a personal computer and Internet access is essential for your household? Do you even think that?