Back to basics

I have a problem. Not with cord cutting, since I've been doing it, and doing it successfully, for over a decade. And by successful, I mean that I've saved money and watch as much TV as I want. That's may goal: save money, watch what I want. Still, I have a problem.

The problem is that I'm eleven years removed from the questions that a new cord cutter might be asking. And in those eleven years, the questions have changed. And for the questions that have not changed, some of the answers have.

The problem is compounded by the fact that even if all the questions and answers were the same, I'm no longer in the same confused mindset that someone totally unfamiliar with cord cutting would experience. While I know the answers -- that may sound arrogant, but it's true, I know my stuff -- I can't always anticipate the questions.

Here's where that gets worse. Many people new to cord cutting -- including me a dozen years ago -- didn't even know what questions to ask. I've become so familiar with cord cutting that so much comes as second nature to me. The more I'm immersed in the cord cutting world, the less I'm able to relate to the world of cable TV. Oh, I remember having cable and paying big bills, but I haven't personally dealt with it on a day to day basis for over a decade. I need a way to keep the experience fresh. And for Christmas, I got that. I think.

Out of the blue, I got a telephone call from a cousin who was looking for some advice about a particular alarm system. He was looking to install a system, and was gathering information about different ones, and knew that I had personal experience with a couple. I answered his questions, mentioning that the location would need Internet access in order to monitor remotely, but that only Internet service was needed, not cable.

That led to him asking me about watching TV with just Internet, not cable. Cord cutting. He knew about it, and knew that I did that, but never asked because he didn't know what to task. So, we had a little chat, and it became apparent to me how much different his experience was than mine. I cut the cord based on how things were in 2010. He's cutting the cord based on how things are in 2022. And in those years, things have changed a lot. I didn't realize how much different things were.

However, I now have a better appreciation of the obstacles and questions that someone wanting to take the step to cut the cord has today. I hope to put this new realization to work and improve the suggestions I make. That's not to say the suggestions I've made were wrong. They weren't and aren't. But, they may not be applicable to your situation. There's a lot that could be involved with cord cutting, depending on what you want to do. At its simplest, it is really easy. However, with all the questions people have, it can get complicated. Like with anything, it boils down to how fancy do you want to get? And it also depends on what's most important to you.

If you're not a cord cutter, you can be if you want. I truly enjoy my Streaming Life, and it may be that you would enjoy yours too.