People everywhere are looking for ways to save money in their everyday lives. One of the first casualties of the family budget is the cable television or high speed internet service. The cable industry is aware of this, and has created packages to make their products appear more affordable and beneficial to maintain on a limited budget. The packages, called service bundles, include home phone service, cable television and high speed internet. The question is, do these bundle services actually save the family any money?
Home Phone Service
For many families, home phone service is no longer needed. Cell phones are affordable and portable, giving greater access to loved ones. With unlimited long distance included in most plans, the need for a traditional home phone service is often unnecessary. The internet offers many websites and services that will allow users to connect their computers together and speak without requiring any additional costs. Video and voice chatting programs let you see and hear the person you're speaking with from anywhere in the world. Traditional phone services do not provide this service.
If a family feels the need for a home phone service as part of their cable bundle, the cost per month averages $30 for the first six months to a year, increasing to $50 for the remainder of the two year contract. That works out to an average of $1080 over two years for home phone access as part of the bundle.