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RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> Ask Howard -> Saving money
Post Info TOPIC: Saving money
darbyjudy


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Saving money
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Howard maybe you can answer this question for me.  At the present time I have Verizon phone service w/unlimited calling in the USA.  I also have Verizon DSL for the computer when I am home. For these services I am paying $90.00 a month.  I then have dish network which is $87.12 a month which includes their 200 channels, showtime and the local network channels.  Now when I am out in the MH i use the Dish and just take a receiver from the house with me.  I can get all of the channels if I am within 150 miles of Tampa.  If I am out farther then I lose the locals.  So I am paying $177.00 a month for these services.  Is it possible to go to a Hughes antenna system and have internet, Dish , and cell phone for less money.  It would be nice to have the internet when out in the motor home.  I don't know if this is possible but I see more and more of the campers using your type of antenna.hmm

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Howard


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Sorry darbyjudy,

Unfortunately, our technology is not a money saving deal.  We pay $68 a month for satellite internet service, $70 a month for DirecTV (using the same dish but different receivers), and $85 a month for Verizon National Access cell coverage for two lines with no roaming and no long distance.   So our total is $223 a month.

Now, we consider our satellite internet expense as a business expense so it does not appear in our monthly basic living expense financials.  We offset it agains website income and is shown elsewhere.

With our satellite TV, we have no movie channels, but we do have TIVO/DVR service, two DVRs, and Distant Network Service.  Distant Network Service is New York and Los Angeles feeds of ABC, CBS, NBC, & FOX.  We have that instead of "local" channels.

So our set-up ain't cheap, but it works for us.  smile 





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emeacham


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Darbyjudy, I'm just chiming in to give you another fulltimer's perspective; we have Verizon family share cell plan with 1400 minutes, plus a Verizon Air Card with unlimited access to the internet.  Those two services run us about $148 monthly.

We also have the Directv Mobile Users service with one DVR/TIVO receiver and one "regular" receiver.  We don't have any movie channels, and our bill is around $76.

So, our set up is fairly similar in cost to Howard and Linda's.

Hope this helps.

Happy Travelssmile
Ellie

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Ellie & Jim,  Fulltiming since 12/17/06
2008 Phaeton 40' QSH Diesel Pusher
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D and J


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One other thing not mentioned is the expense of the equipment needed for satellite internet. Startup costs of air card service are much less than internet dish costs.

If you plan on spending a lot of time in "middle of nowhere" deserts, then satellite might be your best bet for coverage.

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Doug and Jutta   Volvo 780  Teton Homes Experince Aspen
travelinbob


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Similar to the others, our Verizon Air Access Card is $65, AT&T Cell Phones (2) is $72 and our Direct TV with 2 boxes is $56.
All the services have worked well over the past 11 months and I do not think I will be changing anything.
Bob & Judy and our 2blackdogs

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travelinbob & southwest judy
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Sandra


RV-Dreams Family Member

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We've found there are also 'pockets' all over the U.S. where you can't get Verizon coverage. There was a campground in Fulton, TX which was one of these pockets where we spent a month this winter where you had to walk around to find a spot within the campground to use the cell phone and if you left that spot you lost your call. If we didn't have internet satellite we would have been out of luck. But we loved the campground and the area! There have also been places in the desert in Arizona and NM where we didn't have cell coverage. Just something to think about in making a decision. We're glad we have internet satellite.

Being from Canada we have Starchoice TV which we can receive anywhere in the U.S. (so far anyway). We use two dishes because the 2 satellites used are too far apart to just use the internet dish.Works for us!

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Sandra
DeeJee


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Does your campground not offer wifi or cable? or do you prefer dishes and MiFi's? We'll be full timing by Sept. and were going to use the camp sites services, but keep the MiFi for traveling.

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John & Dana Ellison

Knoxville, TN, (Fort Mill, SC 10/13-1/15)

Full Timing Since October 2013

2014 Cedar Creek 38FL (Biscotti) 

'08 Super Duty F-350 2WD DRW Lariat Crew Cab Long Bed, 

18K Draw-Tite Hitch

 
GENECOP


RV-Dreams Family Member

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You will find campground Wifi is not dependable.......in general..


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GOING FOR IT
Howard


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This is a very old thread and much of the information and numbers are no longer relevant or accurate.  Therefore, it has been closed.



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