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If calling your cable company and asking for a discount didn’t work to help save on utilities, you can always try satellite TV. As I mentioned in yesterdays post, our cable company gave us a $20.00 monthly discount for six months for staying on board as a customer instead of canceling our service and going to satellite TV. So, for now we still have cable, but in 6 months when our bill goes back up we will likely make the move to satellite TV.

If you are unsure if cable TV or satellite TV is for you, here’s a handy side-by-side cable vs. satellite comparison chart to help you make the right decision.

My husbands did a lot of research into satellite so that he could get educated on the various providers and price shop the service. In doing so he learned that there is a lot that goes into picking the right satellite company. After doing internet research and asking numerous neighbors who have DirectTV and who had Dish Network, it became obvious that DirectTV would be our choice – here’s why:

• With satellite dishes, customer service is key. If you are getting bad reception, you need a trained expert to correct the problem. DirectTV has the best customer service response team by far. Dish Network will try to talk you through correcting the problem yourself. Good Luck!

• You will pay approximately $5 a month more for DirectTV, but knowing someone will be there ASAP to correct any problems, in my view is worth it. — Just a note: you will have service interruptions during heavy storms; all satellite systems do. If your dish gets knocked around during a storm, you most likely will need adjustments.

Here’s a quick comparison chart of Dish Network versus Direct TV. You’ll note that they seem very similar with Dish Network winning with the lower price. But beware … you need to talk to people and do your homework. All our neighbors said DirectTV was far better and worth the few extra dollars.

All in all, satellite is cheaper than cable TV and in some cases you may even get more channels, a free DVR box and free installation. Always check for special offers and call and ask for them if you can’t find any.