According to a recent article in SmartMoney magazine, more and more Americans are turning off their T.V. service for good. While many do this for economic reasons many have found more benefits than just more money in the bank at the end of the month. Imagine right now how much time you spend each week watching television. It is estimated that the average American spends thirty five hours or more a week watching T.V.

What would you do with an extra thirty five hours each week? I quit watching television after moving out of my parents home and not being able to afford the service. I consider this one of the best things that ever happened to me. I am less tempted to order pizza or go to fast food restaurants since I don't see the commercials any more. This has resulted in even more money in the bank as well as feeling healthier and losing inches off of my waist.

I also spend more time working on things that are important to me like writing, spending time with my loved ones and reading. I am happier. There are many studies supporting the fact that watching television is not conducive to happiness.

Do you currently have fast forward and recording capabilities with your television service? Those who do often find themselves still watching commercials that they could fast forward through due to a state of mental absence. It is argued that television does not make you happy because while watching it your mind is quieter. Simply zoning out on your favorite television show only results in you snapping out of it when it ends and ordering a large supreme pizza, or perhaps running to the closest fast food restaurant for thousands of calories worth of deep fried fat, carbs and cholesterol.

So, what could you do if you canceled your service? With the money you pay on your cable or satellite bill you could easily start a new hobby. Perhaps you could invest that money and start gathering assets to grow wealth. You could actively grow your wealth with all of your new found time. Maybe you could spend more time laughing with friends and family? You could also work on improving the relationship you have with your spouse. Ultimately television is full of advertisements and empty messages. With the internet you can always find important news without a cable or satellite bill.

So, what would you do with the extra time and money you would gain if you cancelled your television service?

References:

Kadet, A. (2010, August). Boob Tube Anonymous. SmartMoney, 88.