Overcoming the TV Habit

Gary North - January 03, 2015

If you stopped watching TV for a week, would you (1) pull the plug permanently, or (2) have withdrawal symptoms for a week?

If you don't know, try it.

Here is a pretty good article on breaking the TV habit: //www.garynorth.com/snip/1162.htm.

I have a simpler solution. I used it 40 years ago. It worked.

Put a piggy bank next to the couch where you watch TV. Every time you watch a one-hour show, put $2 into the piggy bank.

If someone else watches, and you're a free rider, have that person put in $2.

Then break the piggy bank -- or at least empty it -- in the last week of December. Put the money in your bank account. Then write a check for this amount. Send it to a charity.

In short, put a price on your time. Pay the price. Economics teaches: "When the price rises, less is demanded."

You will cut your TV habit by 50%. If not, make it $3.