Topic: Ten things not to buy in 2014

[oldcoastie6468]

1. Cable TV

Cable television’s heyday is over. Subscribers have been declining since 2004, and analysts say there’s no end in sight. Roughly 54.8 million households currently pay for cable TV, down 3.3% from 2012 and down 17.6% from a decade prior, according to research firm IHS. Cable companies are expected to shed roughly 1.3 million subscribers in 2014.

The decline is due in part to so-called cord-cutters: consumers who are canceling cable and transitioning to lower-cost services, such as Hulu and Netflix NFLX -2.50%   , which provide much of the same programming at a fraction of the price. Using an Internet connection, consumers can stream many cable shows, news programs and sports games, as well as movies, directly to their TVs. Some channels’ websites also provide viewers access to their shows. (MarketWatch recently launched a calculator — Are you ready to cut the cord? — that allows consumers to find the shows they normally watch through such lower-cost options.)

These services are mostly beneficial for people who do not mind watching shows after they’ve aired and are willing to part with most live programming.

{snip}

2. Landline Services

3. GPS Devices

4.DVD & Blu Ray Players

5. Hotel rooms

6. Two-year phone contracts

7. Desktop & laptop computers

8. Extra legroom in economy

9. Credit cards with points or miles programs

10. Digital cameras

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/10-things-not-to-buy-in-2014-2013-12-27?pagenumber=1

[radioman]

I agree with all, except hotel rooms. Whats happening with hotel rooms? I guessed I missed that one.

[oldcoastie6468]

I agree with all, except hotel rooms. Whats happening with hotel rooms? I guessed I missed that one.

I THINK they're saying to stay at places other than in a hotel room.

[Dan]

How about Republicans and their BS?
Or have we got that covered?

[Glock32]

They say digital camera sales are down by over 30%, almost entirely due to the ubiquity of cameras built into smartphones. I have a really nice Canon Digital SLR that I hardly use anymore, because the iPhone 5s has such a great camera built in.

[Weisshaupt]

So why are Blu-ray players a bad idea? I presume its because I can "stream" HD- except that adjusts according to the bandwidth available, and you don't always have Bandwidth available so... yeah.   Especially where I live, where the best broadband  coverage I can obtain is actually from my cell phone.  Yeah, I think I will still with my Blu-Ray a little while longer, thanks. Stupid Urban yuppies. 

Same with Hotel Rooms.  Yeah, some of us don't want to burden others with our impending business trips and stays.  Not that such a thing would occur to city dwelling  non-contributing zeros who have to extract benefits by force from those who actually produce something.

[Glock32]

I like the convenience of digital delivery, but I am leery of it totally replacing physical media. When it's something I have a casual interest in watching or listening to, streaming is fine. If it's something I really enjoy, then I will not settle for anything but a physical recording of the content in my possession.

[oldcoastie6468]

They say digital camera sales are down by over 30%, almost entirely due to the ubiquity of cameras built into smartphones. I have a really nice Canon Digital SLR that I hardly use anymore, because the iPhone 5s has such a great camera built in.

I still prefer using my digital SLR camera.

My IPhone takes good pics, but I prefer the separate digital camera.

How much would you sell your Canon for?

[ToddF]

1. Cable TV  - done that

2. Landline Services - done that

3. GPS Devices - have it in car now

4.DVD & Blu Ray Players - still have, but stream 100% now

5. Hotel rooms - don't get this one.

6. Two-year phone contracts - will do for the next phone.  Getting past the 2 year period, and figuring out that my $600 phone is locked to Verizon, is leaving a VERY bad taste in my mouth.  Never again.

7. Desktop & laptop computers - never happen, as long as there are uses for them that can't be replaced with a tablet.

8. Extra legroom in economy - Delta just started a program where you could pay for such.  Why would it go away?

9. Credit cards with points or miles programs - we'll see, what with Democrat garbage legislating profits away from CC companies.  That might be a good prediction.

10. Digital cameras[/quote] - Smart phones for the kill

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/10-things-not-to-buy-in-2014-2013-12-27?pagenumber=1
[/quote]

[AlanS]

1. Cable TV Haven't had it since we got married (over 29 yrs)

2. Landline Services Keep it for DSL

3. GPS Devices I keep an atlas, although there are times I'll borrow my son's GPS

4.DVD & Blu Ray Players Still have a DVD player for our gazillion movies. Even have a VCR for a lot of the kids' movie.

5. Hotel rooms A must when we travel. It's either that or a camper. I'm not dragging one of those across the country and the wife doesn't do tents.

6. Two-year phone contracts I swore I wouldn't, but did when my last phone died.

7. Desktop & laptop computers I enjoy a keyboard. Sue me.

8. Extra legroom in economy I've avoided flying for the past 20 yrs. I hope to keep my record going.

9. Credit cards with points or miles programs Don't have them now.

10. Digital cameras We have 2. The wife loves to have pictures taken. Seems she doesn't like to do the taking, though. The old one is usually regulated to the boat for the occasion fish that happens to be stupid enough to get on the hook.

[radioman]

1. Cable TV  - I cancelled cable but subscribed to AT&T Uverse, which provides DSL(fast), plus use AT&T as cell phone provider

2. Landline Services - done that years ago

3. GPS Devices - I still have a GPS in my car, but only use my iPhone with Google maps. Next car will not have one though

4.DVD & Blu Ray Players - I won't buy another one, but still have my Sony Blu Ray

5. Hotel rooms - Yeah, I don't know where this guys is going with this one

6. Two-year phone contracts - I would love to get out from under my 2 year contract, 1 year remaining, but what is the viable alternative?

7. Desktop & laptop computers - I still have desktops and Server, but replace laptops with iPads

8. Extra legroom in economy - NA as I'm too short for this to be an issue

9. Credit cards with points or miles programs - I put all my spending on one credit card, which racks up a lot of dollar awards every quarter. The last quarter dollar payback funds our Christmas. Why would I do away with this? I still pay x amount of dollars for my living expenses, whether I put them on my card or not. OBTW, the balance is paid in full every month so as not to incur any interest charges.

10. Digital cameras - I've got a Canon Rebel that sits on the shelf all the time now, because I love my downsizing efforts, and having a smart phone that performs as a GPS, knowledge base, telephone, and digital camera is too good to pass up.

[Libertas]

How about Republicans and their BS?
Or have we got that covered?

Indeed.  No bigger boondoggle out there capable of effing you over and over again!