How to Eat Healthy on a Disney Cruise – DCL Insider Tips

October 21, 2018 ThatHelpfulDad Leave a comment

If you are looking to learn more about how to eat healthy on a Disney Cruise, then you’ve come to the right place.

As a cruise veteran, I can tell you that while the temptation to indulge is always there and the opportunity is ever-present, there are ways to manage your cravings, have a great time, and still keep yourself in relatively good shape so you don’t come off the cruise as a blob.

In this article, I’ll share some of my ideas, give you links to learn more. I invite you to share YOUR ideas in the comments as well.

Look – I get it, when people think of food on cruises they often think of giant buffets that re forever swarmed by super-size-me crowds. With mountains of FREE food forever flowing in endless rows, the ability to consume “infinity” calories IS possible, and if that’s your goal then this article is NOT for you (you might prefer my other article ‘How to Eat your Way to an Early Grave.’ Haha, Just Kidding).

In all seriousness, I’m not here to preach to you, I simply wanna help you have a good time and do it in a healthy manner, and those 2 goals (having fun AND staying healthy) are not mutually exclusive – with just a little bit of ‘paying attention’ you can indulge, enjoy, and stay healthy.

3 Tips to Eat Healthy on a Disney Cruise

Tip 1 – Buffets are not all bad

Let’s get this out right up front – the buffets on a Disney Cruise are actually quite good and while it’s true that they are filled with numerous poor choices (fried foods, seafood covered in cream sauces, sodas, hi sugar ice cream, etc, etc), there are a lot of other good choices too.

For example, if you’re having breakfast at Cabanas, consider these ideas:

Smoked Salmon/Fish
Miso Soup (if you’ve never had soup for breakfast you are missing out, a good bowl of Miso Soup is an awesome start!)
Eggs + Bacon without the bread
Fresh Fruit Bowl – you’ll find mangos (like a super B12 shot), citrus wedges, melons, grapes, apples, bananas, etc.
Greek Yogurt Bar – make your own concoction
Ask your waiter or someone at the food counters for a handful of fresh spinach to add to your plate to much on for roughage
And so much

Any 1-3 combo of this would likely started you off on the right track with high protein, healthy fats, and low carbs.

Just be careful that you take your time eating and don’t go up more than twice.

One time would likely be ideal to keep you in the 300-500 range for calories. If you go twice, be sure you get a workout in to build some calories back off. If you go back to the buffet 3+ times, you’re heading into the ‘eat to infinity and beyond’ range and that’s not good even for Buzz Lightyear.

DCL Insiders Tips

If you like to practice Intermittent Fasting like me – get the early dinner seating so you’ll be done eating by 630-7pm.

The next day you can hit the gym for some “Fasting Cardio” before breakfast.

Finally stroll into one of the buffets around 10 am the next day and you’ll get 15+ hrs on your fast and still enjoy all the benefits of the Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle you are used to.

Tip 2 – Indulge “Consciously” at Dinner

Lots of DCL Insiders talk about one of the benefits of Disney Cruise restaurants is that the food is good (it is!), you can have as many servings as you want (you can!), you can order double-entrees (it’s true), etc, etc.

All this may be true, but just because you can, doesn’t mean you should or that if you do that you’ll feel good about it.

Instead, let’s try a different plan – consider the “Tapas” approach.

Let me explain.

Whether you are eating at Animator’s Palate, Enchanted Garden, Royal Palace, Palo, Remy, or any of the other great venues on a Disney Cruise, consider doing ‘family style’ meals.

Do all four of the appetizers on the menu look good? Great, so order them for the table – that way you can have 1 of each and the total calorie content will stay relatively low.
You want a soup and salad and 1-2 entrees? If the soup is creamed based, split it with your spouse. Then eat as much of that salad/roughage as you want because it will fill you up with healthy food (but careful on that creamy dressing – put that on the side and dip into it if you want to).
Regarding the entree – consider the fresh fish dishes (they are very good – so long as they are without creams), or varieties of lean meats (both the chicken and steak are good). Skip the fries. Skip the pasta. And skip the stuff you can have anytime at home. Pock something that sounds good but is healthy and lean. It’s not hard to eat healthy on a Disney Cruise with just a little effort.
You want more than 1 entree? – I’m sure more than 1 will look good and yes you CAN order multiple ones, but again let’s turn back to that Tapas Approach to manage this and increase our enjoyment: each of your party can order a different entree (or even 2) and have them be placed in the middle of the table. Then you can all enjoy a lot more variety and you’ll control what you eat.

DCL Insider’s Tip

Use the small bread plates for your eating plate – not only does this save space on the table, but it will force you to eat slower and savor the food more, then you’ll get a chance to control your portion size too.

How about that dessert?

Again let’s go the ‘sharing’ route – do you really need an entire sundae for yourself? Personally I find that 2-4 bites is enough for me of any dessert so rather than be locked into 1 dessert I like to sample a few bites of each one. If everybody orders a different one, you can try lots of different desserts. Try it, you’ll like it!

Tip 3 – Hit the Juice Bar at Senses Spa

The Senses Spa has a Juice Bar with lots of option.

From fresh-squeezed single juices, to juice creations, to fruit/veggie smoothies. For about $5, you can’t go wrong with one of these treats. And if you are post-workout, they have protein blends too. Bonus!

Don’t Forget the Workout

Bonus Tip

Eating Healthy on a Disney Cruise is not that hard with the tips we’ve talked about. And to take it to the next level, be sure to add in your workout too.

You can workout on a Disney Cruise in a variety of ways.

Hit the FREE Gym on the upper decks.
Take a swim in one of the many pools.
Play some hoops.
Take long swim on Castaway Cay or go snorkeling.
Or even just walk the decks of the ship.

Up for a challenge?

Try to walk from Aft to Forward on every level – play the Midship Detective Agency to break of the time if you like – then get a juice at Senses.

If you want a SUPER GOOFY Challenge – Start in the aft, bottom floor, walk the stars all the way to top, walk to midship, walk the stairs all the way down, walk to forward, walk the stairs all the way up – and again finish with a juice at Senses or maybe do the Rainforest Rain Spa).

Remember if you can stay in a ‘net’ caloric deficit or at least in balance, then you’ll maintain your weight – and that’s our goal, right?

Want to learn more? Try these links…

Eat Healthy on a Disney Cruise

Those are 3 tips I used to eat healthy on my last Disney Cruise. Using these tips I was able to avoid getting bloated, keep my energy level up, and have a great time. I hope they help you do the same.

What are YOUR tips to eat healthy on a Disney Cruise?

Enjoyed This Article?

Share it with a friend – here’s a social media friendly image you can pin, post, or pass along.

Online Streaming TV Tips

10 Things to Consider BEFORE You Cut the Cord – Cord Cutting Tips

August 9, 2018 ThatHelpfulDad 1 Comment

Are you considering cutting the cord and looking for tips on how to stream live tv online with a streaming service like Sling, DirecTV Now, Hulu Plus, etc.? If so, this article can help you because we’ll discuss 10 important considerations you need to think about BEFORE you cut the cord, such as…

How to watch LOCAL news and sports?
Is having a channel guide important?
Do you want a DVR?
And much more.

Editor’s Note: This article is one of a series of articles in our Guide to Cord Cutting Series – if you’re serious about cutting the cord, be sure to subscribe to our blog and pick up your free copy of our Step-by-Step Guide to Cord Cutting – visit the home page to learn more.

Cord Cutting Tips – 10 Important Considerations

1. How can I stream LIVE LOCAL TV for NEWS and SPORTS?

If you want a tv streaming experience that is as close as possible to watching cable tv then you’ll want to be able to watch LIVE LOCAL tv, right?

If that’s important to you then you should know…

Not every online tv service provider offers live LOCAL tv and even if they do, they may not offer live local tv in YOUR area or they may not offer ALL your local channels.

You need to know this going in.

What local channels (NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, etc) are most important to you?

Which ones are offered on the various streaming services?

I suggest you make a chart as you go through your options.

Remember, if you care about your LOCAL NEWS and LOCAL SPORTS teams, you’ll need to be able to watch your local channels. And unless you plan to try to do this over the air with a separate antennae (easier said than done and quite frankly a bit of a pain), then you’ll need to know what the cord cutting companies offer.

This is one is the most important questions in my opinion yet it’s also the one most often overlooked AND some streaming companies make it hard to figure out.

Be sure to get a copy of my Step-by-Step Guide to Cord Cutting so you can learn even more about which Streaming TV Providers offer the best local channels in your area. In this regard, there is a BIG difference in what’s available from each company.

You may also want to check out the following VIDEO TIPS on the topics of How to Stream Live LOCAL Sports and How to Watch Live LOCAL News.

2. What Channel Lineups and Channel Packages are offered by Streaming TV Services Providers? Can I customize the Channel Package?

I think this is a bit obvious, but just in case let’s talk about the fact that each of the different streaming tv service provides (Sling, DirecTV Now, etc) all have different channels available in their various channel packages.

Some, like Hulu, Philo, and YouTube TV offer just 1 option and that includes basically all the channels they offer. Others like Sling, DirecTV Now, PlayStation Vue, and FuboTV have multiple channel package options with varying degrees of customization.

It’s also important to note that not channels are in every package.

Let me give you some examples.

If ESPN or NFL network is a big deal, you’ll have to ensure the package offers it – but not every provider offers these networks.
Same goes for kids’ networks – my son ‘has to’ have Nick Jr. Unfortunately Nick Jr is not on most of the packages so that really limits me.

One of the benefits of reading my Step-by-Step Guide to Cord Cutting is I save you time by giving you the links you need to see what each online tv streaming service offers.

Here are a couple video tips to help you: How to stream the NFL Network and NFL Redzone and How to watch Kid’s Networks online like Boomerang, Cartoon Network, Disney Channel shows, and the Nickelodeon networks.

3. Does the streaming tv service provider have a DVR?

Is having the ability to record content on a DVR important to you? If so, then you should check to see what streaming services offer this AND if there is an extra fee to have it.

Additionally you’ll want to know…

If you can fast forward/rewind while watching your recorded shows (not all of them let you do this, particularly when it comes to commercials on certain shows).
How many hours of storage you have. Some only give you 20 hours, some give you UNLIMITED storage.
How long you can keep a show for ? Some streaming tv service provides limit your DVR saved content to < 30 days, others give you unlimited storage time.

BTW, I review all these in my Step-by-Step Guide too.

4. What On-Demand TV Show and Movies are Offered? Can you Skip Commercials?

What’s the library of on-demand tv shows and movie content like? Do they even HAVE an on-demand library?

Can you fast forward or rewind on-demand content?

Are you locked into watching commercials? (That sucks!)

Just how many commercials does the average on-demand show have?

Think having to watch commercials during an on-demand show isn’t a big deal?

Think again — when my wife and I watched an Anthony Bourdain show on Direct TV Now’s On-Demand service from CNN…

There were 7 required-to-watch, non skippable, commercial breaks with 6-8 15-30-second each commercials for all 7 breaks for a show that was less than 1 hour.

Worse yet it was the same commercials every single time!

It was so ridiculous we couldn’t watch another on-demand episode.

I’d call that a problem, wouldn’t you?

5. Is there a LIMIT on the number of Screens you can watch on at the same time?

How many simultaneous streams (i.e. how many tvs?) can you watch the streaming tv programs on at the same time?

Some allow you just 1 stream, some up to 5. Sometimes you can get more streams if you pay an ‘add-on’ fee. Sometimes is also depends on which plan you have for a specific streaming tv service provider.

For example Sling Orange (most basic plan) gives you just 1 stream, but Sling Orange + Blue (highest plan) gives you 4 steams. DirecTV gives you 2 streams to start but you can pay $5/month and get a 3rd stream. PlayStation Vue gives you 5 Streams.

If you don’t want to do the research on your own, I review them all in my Step-by-Step Guide to Cord Cutting to make it easy for you. You can download this guide from my home page or you can watch it in VIDEO form here…

6. How will you access the streaming tv app? Do you have sufficient internet coverage for streaming?

With cable tv you use cable boxes, but with streaming tv service providers you’ll use their app. In order to access the streaming tv app, you’ll need to download it either to your Smart TV’s Smart Hub or more likely to a Digital Media Player (DMP).

● Popular DMPs include Amazon Fire Stick, Apple TV, Roku, etc.
● I’d be cautious on relying on just your Smart TV interface as not every streaming tv service provider’s app is compatible with all smart TVs.
● You’d be much better off just getting a DMP for each tv if you can since the streaming tv apps are usually created/updated specifically for DMPs.

Here are a few of the more popular Digital Media Players – my favorite is BY FAR the Amazon Fire devices (I have multiple Fire Sticks and the Fire TV), but the Roku and Apple TV options are also very popular.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick is a low-cost, awesome way to cut the cord and access the tv streaming service provider apps. It is my go-to choice.

The Amazon Fire TV with 4k Ultra HD is the same as the Fire Stick but with the addition of 4k viewing (for shows/networks that offer 4k).

The Amazon Fire TV Cube give you the ability to combine the Fire TV with an Amazon Echo and an IR blaster for your remote so you may be able to control your TV, receiver, etc from one device.

Apple TV 4K – 64GB

Don’t forget about ensuring you have adequate Internet Speeds AND Coverage Throughout
Your House.

Remember you still need the internet in order to stream tv online. You’ll also need an adequate internet speed.
● Your speeds could be as low as 50/50 Mbps if you only have a couple tvs, but if you have a large family, have lots of tv/tablets, etc, then you’ll probably want 100-200 Mbps to be safe.
● CHECK YOUR CURRENT SPEED: http://www.speedtest.net/

Will you also need a Wifi Mesh to help maximize your internet coverage?

Let me make this very simple for you – if your house is > 1500 sf and/or you have lots of tvs/tablets you want to stream on then do yourself a favor and get a wifi mesh.

Personally I use the Google Wifi Mesh – it’s awesome, setup was super easy, and since we installed it we’ve haven’t had a single ‘buffering’ problem even while streaming on 5 devices at once in a 3k sf home.

Here’s a review I wrote about Google Wifi if you want to learn more…

https://thathelpfuldad.com/product/google-wifi/

7. Can you add Premium Channels like HBO, Showtime, etc? What if a specific channel is missing from the streaming tv provider?

Additional original programming is also on other premium channels like HBO (Game of Thrones, Westworld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Ballers, Veep, and more), Showtime (Homeland, Shameless, Billions, Ray Donovan, and more), and other premiums, but unlike Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, you should be able to add these premium channels directly WITHIN your streaming tv provider app (or if you have Amazon Prime you can add it as a ‘channel’ there too).

As a result, premiums are considered simply additional channels within your streaming service app overall.

BUT, not every streaming provider offers all the same premiums. Also, the cost for these premiums varies by providers too so it pays to shop around.

In addition to premiums, you also need to consider what happens if a particular channel is not available in any of the packages you’re looking at?

Don’t let this stop you from cutting the cord, if a specific channel is missing, you can look into the potential to add a specific channel (for a small fee) to your online streaming tv interface (for example you may be able to add add CBS, Boomerang, Akorn TV, etc as single add-on channels to your Roku, Amazon Fire, or Apple TV accounts).

One benefit of using the Amazon Fire devices is that you can add premium channels like HBO and Showtime as ‘standalone’ channels within your Amazon TV interface so you can access them individually whether you have a major streaming tv service provide or not. It’s super easy to add (or delete) a channel from your Amazon Video account.

That Helpful Dad’s Tip: why pay for HBO all year if you just want to binge-watch Game of Thrones? Instead add the HBO channel on Amazon Channels, binge-watch the series for a month or so until you finish, and then cancel the channel until the series comes on again: Cha-ching – money saved!

Here are 4 examples of how Amazon Channels can help you find specific cord cutting options..

8. What PROMOTIONS are offered for New Subscribers?

Pretty much every cord cutting company offers a free trial, but some offer longer periods, unadvertised promotions (for a month or more) that you either have to ask for or that you can get as part of promotions when you buy something (for example YouTube TV offered a 2-month free trial when you bough a Pixel 2 XL on Verizon). Best Buy and Groupon often have promo code incentives like this.

There are also other sign-up bonuses like free Apple TVs, Roku’s, Amazon Fire Sticks, etc.

These deals frequently change so pay attention to what’s available. You can find all the basic promos directly on the streaming tv service providers websites with the links provided in my Step-By-Step Guide to Cord Cutting.

9. What’s the User Interface like? Is there a Channel Guide?

If you’ve watched cable tv all your life then this is an important one. Questions to ask are…

Is there an easy to use channel guide?
How easy is it to find your favorite channels?
How do you navigate through the user interface to find content?

This may or may not be a big deal to you. If you tend to know exactly what you want to watch before you watch, then most of the cord cutting user interfaces will work for you, HOWEVER if you like to channel surf or look at a traditional ‘cable-tv’ style guide, then this could be a huge problem.

Case in point, I love the streaming content that Hulu with Live TV provides but the lack of a traditional guide made it so hard to browse content that we had to cut the cord on Hulu because it was just too difficult to use.

10. Know how much you can save with cord cutting before you take the plunge to ensure it’s worth it for you.

Before you go through the process of cord cutting, I recommend you first determine how much you might potentially save and see if that amount is worth your while to pursue.

In my Step-by-Step Guide to Cord Cutting I’ll walk you through this in detail and provide examples, but if you want to do a quick test just…

Look at your current cable bill and find out how much you are paying for internet only. If your under a bundled plan multiply the price by 1.25 (because you’ll lose the bundled discount.

Determine the cost of your new streaming tv service package.

Add parts 1&2 together.

Subtract the answer to #3 from your TOTAL current cable bill.

The difference is your potential savings.

After cutting the cord, I’m personally saving around $80/month, but I have LOTS of friends saving $100-125/month as well.

The big question for YOU is ‘how much is enough of a savings for you to cut the cord and ditch cable?’ $80? 50? 25?

Once you know your break point, you’ll be more inclined to take action and cut the cord.

Good luck!

~Michael

Helpful Links

What to Read Next?

https://thathelpfuldad.com/cord-cutting-how-stream-live-tv/

Money, Career, and Finances, Product Reviews

10 Reasons to Switch to Google Fi as your Wireless Carrier – Google Project Fi Review

July 25, 2018 ThatHelpfulDad 6 Comments

Google Fi – Save Money, Be Happier

I’ve been using Google’s Project Fi (AKA just Google Fi) now for over 2 years. My average monthly bill is around $30 (incl taxes). In this article I’m going to give you 10 reasons why YOU should consider switching to Google’s Project Fi as your cell phone carrier. Trust me, once you give Fi a try, I doubt you will go back.

Editor’s Note: I am a real consumer of Project Fi not a paid supporter. I honestly do believe in the service. That said, when I share a link to Project Fi’s homepage it is a Referral Link which I hope you will find to be a win-win, because if you sign up for the service, after 30 days of being active we BOTH get a $20 credit. Pretty cool, huh?

Here’s a direct link to the offer if you want to learn more.

10 Reasons to Switch to Google Project Fi

1.SAVE MONEY.

Since most people nowadays rarely bother to read an entire blog post, I’m starting with the most important reason first.

Switch to Google Project Fi and I’d wager you’ll save a nice little chunk of change.

The average bill for my phone with Verizon Wireless was over $60 a month – that was on a family plan that was supposed to be saving me money and even included a 22% employer discount. It was a fairly basic plan with unlimited talk/text and I averaged 1GB data or less per month. Can you say “screw-job?” Yeah, that’s what I thought too, so I decided to try Google Fi.

So what’s my average bill with Google Project Fi for similar coverage (unlimited talk/text and 1GB data)?

$29 – inclusive of all fees.

I don’t think it takes a math whiz to realize which one is the better deal.

2. GET REFUNDS ON UNUSED DATA

What’s better than rollover data?

How about getting an actual refund on the data you don’t use?

It’s pretty much a flat fee of $10 per GB, but the catch is that with Google Fi you only pay for the data you actually use and get a refund on what you didn’t use.

How’s that for consumer friendly?

3. BETTER COVERAGE INSIDE BUILDINGS

My job takes me inside a lot of big buildings (hospitals, hotels, etc) for extended periods of time. With Verizon I was always frustrated to be without service on many an occasion. My colleagues with AT&T, T-Mobile, etc also seemed to have similar issues.Since I switched to Google Project Fi this hasn’t been an issue.

Why? Because as long as you can connect to wifi inside, you’ll have coverage. And with so many places having wifi now, this make connecting easy.

4. A COMBO OF WIFI AND CELL TOWERS

What makes Google’s Project Fi unique is that the coverage for your service is provided by a combo of WiFi and cell towers owned by a variety of carriers.

The benefit of this is that your Google Fi phone will automatically switch back and forth between WiFi or cell towers to provide you the best network coverage – it’s silent, seamless, and happens without you even knowing.

This means less dropped calls and better coverage overall.

Google’s massive scale also means you don’t have to worry about having every WiFi password stored in your phone to connect – Google has an ever-growing list of (public) WiFi networks coded into your phone’s service so you’ll phone connects to many of them automatically.

5. INCREDIBLE INTERNATIONAL DATA “FOR FREE!”

That same $10 per GB you paid for in the US also applies in 120 other countries for no additional fee.

This is simply amazing if you travel internationally even a couple times a year.

With Verizon I used to have to pay $2 per MB or else call them and add a crappy little temporary international plan for either $10/day or an extra $40 a month (for a generous 100MB of data and 100 mins of talk and 100 texts) – gee thanks, Verizon.

With Google Fi there is no need to call or notify them to get access to their international plan because all their plans include international coverage. That means you don’t have to fear international roaming charges so long as you are in one of the 120 counties on the list.

Just use your phone like you do in the US – what could be simpler?

6. GOOGLE USERS UNITE

Assuming you have a google account already (perhaps for your gmail or YouTube usage), then you basically already have a Google Project Fi account since Google Fi is simply an extension of your already existing google account.

This allows you to manage everything with one google account.

Again simple.

If you are one of the few people in the world who somehow doesn’t have a google account, signing up is easy, quick and simple – just click on that login button in the top right hand corner of your Google search page and join the rest of us.

7. SAVE EVEN MORE IF YOU DON’T WANT DATA.

If for some reason you don’t want data, that’s A-OK with Google Project Fi.

Believe it or not, you’re actually allowed to have a plan with Google Fi ex-data if you so desire.

That puts your bill down in the $20/month range and could be perfect for your elderly friends and family who just want talk/text.

Try doing that with Verizon or another carrier!

8. LOW RATES FOR INTERNATIONAL CALLING

When you call another country from the US, (depending on the country you call), average rates are in the 1-4 cents per minute range. Awesome!

How about when you call the US from another country? Once again you’ll enjoy low rates with Google Project Fi. If you’re calling over wifi, those rates are often in the 4cents/minute range (as it was for us while travelling in South Korea recently).

Wifi not available? Need to call over your cell network while in another country? You’ll be looking at approx 20cents/minute – that may not sound as awesome, but keep in mind there are no roaming charges either. Ahhhh…

9. NO CONTRACTS

You heard me right.

With Google Project Fi, you do not have to sign any contract.

Not happy? Leave.

No early termination fees.

No hidden fees.

Nothing to come back and bite you later.

Once again, consumer friendly.

10. USE YOUR OWN PHONE

Admittedly, this is the only one that could be a bit of a problem for some people.

While it’s true that you can indeed use your own phone with Google Project, that phone must be compatible with the Google Fi system.

As of this writing that list is very short and includes only the Pixel and Nexus lines and a few Motorola and LG models.

You can view the current list of all Project Fi eligible phones here:

https://fi.google.com/about/phones/

Is this requirement a big deal? Obviously it could be – especially if you are an Apple fan. Personally I’m an Android guy and have been for some time.

I used to be a Samsung guy before I switched to Google Fi, but a couple years back I gave the Nexus 6P a try and it ended up being the best phone I ever owned. Currently I have a Pixel XL.

Before switching to a ‘stock android’ phone, I never realized all the bloatware on other phones. Now I could never go back.

The Google Project Fi phones are android-stock phones without bloatware. In addition, not only will you enjoy automatic system updates for your phone, but you’ll quickly discover that there are less bugs to worry about.

With my old Samsung phones I used to dread installing a new system update because it invariably meant problems while Samsung and Google worked out the inevitable bugs.

With Google Project Fi, I haven’t noticed a problem with any update so far because these updates are pretty much built with the Google Fi phones in mind.

And best of all, using a Google Project Fi phone means you also get first access to new Google updates and exclusive features (for example, UNLIMITED STORAGE on Google Photos) – pretty cool, huh?

MAJOR UPDATE ON PROJECT FI COMPATIBLE PHONES:

Google Announces that Project Fi will support Samsung, One Plus, and iPhones as well!

This means more users can benefit from the Project Fi Experience.

To learn more about Project Fi click here.

Google Fi – What’s the Bottom Line?

I’ve just given you 10 reasons to switch to Google Fi.

I can honestly tell you that since I switched Google Fi has exceeded my expectations.

I’d encourage you to learn more by checking out Project Fi’s Homepage and seeing if the service is right for you too.

If you liked this article, be sure to share it with a friend. Here’s an easy-share image>>>

More Google Tips

My Favorite Google Products

Get More Tips Like This

Online Streaming TV Tips

How to Stream NFL Network and NFL Redzone with DTVN, Fubu, Sling, PS Vue, Hulu, YouTube TV, etc

Video July 19, 2018 ThatHelpfulDad 2 Comments

Cord Cutters – are you looking to find out how/where you can stream NFL games? I’ll show you which online tv service providers are the best choice if you’re looking to watch LIVE NFL GAMES on NFL Network and NFL Redzone. Before you switch to DirecTV Now, Fubo, Sling, PlayStation Vue, YouTube TV, or Hulu watch this video for important tips on which providers offer the opportunity to stream NFL Network and NFL RedZone.

Choose the right streaming service and you can watch NFL live streams, Sunday Night Football, NFL Network, NFL Redzone, NFL Live, Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime, and Monday Night Football. Ready? Let’s go.

Check out our Complete Guide to Cord Cutting here:

1. Essential Guide to Cord Cutting VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9k6ZkbyabM&t=5s
2. Essential Guide to Cord Cutting ARTICLE: https://thathelpfuldad.com/cord-cutting-how-stream-live-tv/

Additional Resources:
Watch Live Local News Online: https://youtu.be/9natWVw6hPY
DirecTV Now Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1LSntUSn-U&t=33s
Hulu Plus Live TV Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxLyfV8Mhrg&t=11s
PlayStation Vue Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wA56Q4Sib8&t=19s
Sling TV Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hQsDvihkIs&t=13s
YouTube TV Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks-qYM-DWTE&t=90s

Subscribe to Our Blog for some Helpful FREE GIFTS, including a 35-page Step-by-Step Guide to Cutting the Cord...

Get your copy now on our home page: https://thathelpfuldad.com/

Don’t Forget to Follow us on Pinterest:

Tao Wisdom

Tao Te Ching – Lao Tzu Quotes and Wisdom for Life

July 12, 2018 ThatHelpfulDad 2 Comments

Tao Te Ching – A Guide to Life

If you are a wisdom seeker like me, then you’ve probably already of the Tao Te Ching – a tiny book of only 81 ‘stanzas’ written by Chinese Philosopher Lao Tzu between the 4th-6th century BC. The wisdom of this little book has been so powerful that it’s credited with influencing Confucius, Buddha, and other philosophers.

On this page I aim to share some of my favorite wisdom from The Tao. I’m also including visual content to make it easy for you to share with your friends too.

Did You Know?

If you enjoy this article, you can get all my tips by email. Read them at your leisure and apply them to improve your life. When you subscribe (it’s free), you’ll also get THREE cool gifts as well! Click here to open my home page in a new tab and learn more after you read this article.

The Tao Te Ching – In Pictures

All of these are “Pin-Friendly” image sizes perfect for Facebook, Pinterest, and more. Feel free to share.

(Text Version)

Tao Stanza 2

The Master of the Tao acts without doing anything. She teaches without saying anything. She has, but doesn’t possess. She acts but doesn’t expect. When her work is done, she forgets about it. That is why her work lasts forever.

(Text Version)

Tao Stanza 7

The Master stays behind, that is why she is ahead. She is detached from all things, that is why she is one of them. Because she has let go of herself, she is perfectly fulfilled.

(Text Version)

Tao Stanza 8

In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, don’t try to control.
In work, do what you enjoy.
In family life, be completely present.

(Text Version)

Tao Stanza 9

Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.
Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench.
Care about other people’s approval and you will be their prisoner.
Do your work, then step back. This is the path to serenity.

(Text Version)

Tao Stanza 10

Giving birth and nourishing, having without possessing, acting with no expectations, leading and not trying to control: this is the supreme virtue.

(Text Version)

Tao Stanza 11

We join spokes to make a wheel, but it is the center hole that makes the wagon move.

We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds what we want.

We hammer wood for a house, but it is the inner space that makes it livable.

We work with being, but non-being is what we use.

(Text Version)

Tao Stanza 15

Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself?

That Master doesn’t seek fulfillment. Not seeking, not expecting, she is present and can welcome all things.

(Text Version)

Tao Stanza 22

The Master sets an example for all. Because he doesn’t display himself, people can see his light. Because he has nothing to prove, people can trust his words. Because he isn’t supposed to be anyone, people can recognize themselves in him. Because he has no goal in mind, everything he does succeeds.

(Text Version)

Tao Stanza 23

Express yourself completely, then keep quiet.

Be like the forces of nature: when it blows there is only wind; when it rains there is only rain; when the clouds pass the sun shines through.

(Text Version)

Tao Stanza 24

He who stands on tiptoes doesn’t stand firm. He who rushes ahead, doesn’t get far. He who tries to shine, dims his own light. He who has power over others, can’t empower himself. He who clings to his work, will create nothing that endures.

To live in the Tao, Do your job, then let go.

(Text Version)

Tao Stanza 27

What is a good man but a bad man’s teacher?

What is a bad man but a good man’s job?

(Text Version)

Tao Stanza 29

The Master sees things as they are, without trying to control them. She lets them go their own way, and resides at the center of the circle.

(Text Version)

Tao Stanza 30

Believe in yourself and don’t try to convince others.

Be content with yourself and don’t need other’s approval.

Accept who you are and the whole world will accept you.

More Tao Wisdom Coming Soon

This brings us a little more than 1/3 of the way through the Tao Te Ching. Keep checking back for more as I create new images you can use to share the Tao wisdom with your friends.

Do YOU have a favorite Tao Stanza?

Let us know in the comments below.

Never Miss a Tao Tip

Visit my home page to sign up for email alerts when new articles are published.

Get Your Copy of The Tao Te Ching

Video Readings of The Tao

References to Learn More about The Tao

Here are some helpful links to learn more about The Tao Te Ching and Lao Tzu.

The Tao Te Ching: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao_Te_Ching
Lao Tzu, AKA Laozi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laozi
Lao Tzu Teachings: http://www.laotzu.org/
Lao Tzu GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2622245
Complete Online PDF of Tao: http://www.with.org/tao_te_ching_en.pdf
81 Clickable Tao Te Ching Stanzas: http://thetaoteching.com/taoteching5.html

What to Read Next?

Life Lessons

Inspirational Quotes from Margaret Mead

June 29, 2018 ThatHelpfulDad 1 Comment

Margaret Mead lived a Legacy Life.

Margaret Mead was an anthropologist… and a rebel. Quite a combination, huh?
She lived between 1901 and 1978 and worked as an American cultural anthropologist, author, and speaker. Renowned for her anthropology contributions, she was controversial for the way she expressed her views during the 1960’s sexual revolution.

Margaret Mead perservered in spite of those who trolled her at the time and she went on to build a lasting legacy. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Jimmy Carter, has numerous schools named after her in the northeast, and was even featured on a US Postal Stamp in the late 1990’s.

The Wisdom of Margaret Mead in Pictures

These are all ‘Pin-Friendly’ images, feel free to share with your friends.

To learn more about Margaret Mead…

Check out these references:

for more positive quotes check out this montage for young influencers.

What to Read Next?

https://thathelpfuldad.wpmudev.host/there-is-beauty-everywhere-if-you-only-look/

https://thathelpfuldad.wpmudev.host/ichigo-ichie-anthony-bourdain/

https://thathelpfuldad.wpmudev.host/spend-time-legacy-goals/

Cooking and Recipes, Product Reviews

Anthony Bourdain Books – The Best of Bourdain Part 2

June 11, 2018 ThatHelpfulDad Leave a comment

Are you a fan of Anthony Bourdain? Like me, I’m sure you’re sad that Tony is no longer with us, but rather than dwell on the negative, let’s not forget that he left a lasting legacy for us – part of that legacy are the many books Tony wrote. And what a life lesson those books taught us! Recall that Anthony was just a little known chef in his early 40’s who was often on the skids until he a tongue-in-cheek article he wrote for The New Yorker found unexpected success and quickly morphed into his first book “Kitchen Confidential” – the title that skyrocketed him to fame. In this article, we’ll talk about that book and others he wrote so you can build your library with some must-have Anthony Bourdain books.

Bourdain’s Best-Selling Books

Let’s start with the four books by Anthony Bourdain that are basically must-own titles for any of his fans of the show. If you love Tony for his tell it like it is, no apology style, and you want to enjoy some of his most classic stories, the start with these books…

Check out Anthony Bourdain in the early days

Any list of Anthony Bourdain’s best books has to start with this book – it’s the title that effectively propelled Tony to stardom and it’s an all-time classic in the ‘chef reveals his secrets’ category.

This is the book that warned us ‘don’t eat fish on Monday,’ that taught us the inside scoop on sneaky tricks by penny pinching restaurateurs, and gave us our first glimpse into Tony’s (sometimes scary, often hilarious) life story and outlook on life.

If you’re building a library of Anthony Bourdain books, then Kitchen Confidential is your #1 first buy – don’t wait, get it now!

See it on Amazon

Go behind the scenes of Anthony Bourdain’s first book – listen to what Tony had to say about the New Yorker article that first made him famous….

A Cook’s Tour is perhaps Tony’s 2nd most popular book.

It was written around the time he starred in a TV show of the same name in the early 2000’s on The Food Network. It’s basically an account of his world travels to Portugal, France, Vietnam, Russia, Morocco, Japan, Cambodia, Mexico, Spain, and the famous restaurant French Laundry in Napa Valley.

This is classic Tony – in addition to introducing you to the local food and culture, you get his humorous take on each of the locations as he tries to answer the question “What would make the perfect meal?”

See it on Amazon

The most recent of Tony’s books, Medium Raw is actually a long-overdue ‘sequel’ to his original book Kitchen Confidential. It became an instant NY Times Best Seller.

Fans of Tony who want to see him at his most personal, will love this book because it’s basically a memoir of his recent years, his rise to fame, his thoughts on other TV show ‘chefs’ (and he uses that word loosely when describing some of his rivals), and more.

It’s a no-holds barred, adults-only, put the kids to bed and enjoy kind of book.

See it on Amazon

Personally The Nasty Bits is one of my favorite Anthony Bourdain books. I’m not sure why it’s often overlooked because this title features so much of that hilarious ‘Hardcore Tony’ that so many fans love. If you like that style of Anthony Bourdain, then you’ll enjoy this book.

What’s here is a collection of 30+ essays in classic Bourdain-style on topics from from behind-the-scenes in restaurants, to “Tony Rants” about places and people he doesn’t like, to some inside scoop on his passions, and more.

The Nasty Bits is fast-paced, funny, and really hard to put down!

See it on Amazon

Anthony Bourdain Books – Other Popular Titles

If you’re looking for cookbooks by Anthony Bourdain or you were a big fan of his popular No Reservations Show, check out these titles.

Cookbook

Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook: Strategies, Recipes, and Techniques of Classic Bistro Cooking

Cookbook

Appetites: A Cookbook

Cool Picture Scrapbook!

No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach

Anthony Bourdain Books – Titles You May Not Know?

There was more to Tony than just his funny quips about traveling around the world. Did you know he also enjoyed making graphic novels? Or that he wrote a couple culinary mysteries? Or that he even penned a what-if historical book?

See – there’s more to Tony than you knew!

Intrigued?

Then check out these Anthony Bourdain books too…

Graphic Novel
Available October, 2018

Best-selling Graphic Novel

CIA Murder Mystery

Food, Crime, & Mayhem

Mob Crime Mystery

The real cause of Typhoid?

Anthony Bourdain – Advice for writers

Are you an aspiring writer? Check out some of Tony’s advice for wanna be authors and producers…

Ichi-go Ichi-e, Tony

What Now?

If you’re striving to live a legacy life like Tony did, follow our blog and let’s stay in touch. If you’re on Facebook, accept my personal invitation to join The Legacy Life Facebook Group too. Be sure to share some of the funny stories and memorable quotes you picked up by reading all of Anthony Bourdain’s books!

Life Lessons, Wisdom for Life

Ichi-Go Ichi-E – The Best of Anthony Bourdain Part 1

June 11, 2018 ThatHelpfulDad Leave a comment

Remembering Tony – Part 1

If you follow my work, you know that I often write about legacy life topics in an attempt to inspire myself and others to consciously choose activities that will help us live our best lives possible. I first heard about the concept of Ichi-Go, Ichi-E while watching an Anthony Bourdain episode some months ago — and writing an article about that life lesson has been on my to-do list ever since.

It’s a shame that I waited until Tony’s passing to finally get around to writing it — clearly I have a lot to learn about the Ichi-Go, Ichi-E concept. My hope is that by bringing this life lesson to your attention, you’ll be able to apply it to your own life and reap the benefits it offers.

Editor’s Note: This article is part of a series of posts called “Remembering Tony” that focus on sharing snippets that remind us to savor The Best of Bourdain.

What is Ichi-Go, Ichi-E?

In episode 68 (season 8, show #7) his “Parts Unknown” show on CNN, Anthony Bourdain was again visiting his long-time friend Masa Takayama — the world renown ‘god’ of sushi. During the show, Masa and Tony were sharing a meal with friends and that’s when Masa started talking about concept of Ichi-Go, Ichi-I, teaching us that we must savor the special moments in life because they only happen once…

“Ichi-Go, Ichi-E: In This Moment, Never Again”

The all-knowing source that is Wikipedia naturally has more to say on this concept and it’s actually quite good so I’d like to share it with you. Among the notations about Ichi-Go, Ichi-E are the following:

The important of “treasuring meetings with people.”
Other definitions: “for this time only,” or “one chance in a lifetime.”
Critical Point —” even when the same group of people can get together again, a particular gathering will never be replicated, and thus, each moment is always once-in-a-lifetime.” Masa talked about this very thing with Tony too.

This is sage advice. This is life-changing, life-improving advice!

Imagine how much your life would be improved if you applied the wisdom of Ichi-Go, Ichi-E to the special moments of your life — those special moments that occur every day — if you merely pay attention to them and be present for them.

IchiGo, IchiE … In Pictures

All too often we left the moments of our life pass us by without truly savoring them. Sure we might enjoy them and have a good time, but if we’re honest with ourselves, a lot of the time our minds are elsewhere and we’re not fully engaged. We take the good times for life for granted because while we are living them we foolishly believe that they will occur again and again.

Ichi-Go, Ichi-E teaches us to think differently. It teaches us to recognize life for what it is — a precious gift that is not guaranteed. Once we understand that mindset, we can begin to appreciate the good times even more.

Whether it’s with family, friends, our favorite pet, or visiting a special place…

…If you live by the motto of Ichi-Go, Ichi-E, you’ll learn how to suck the marrow out of life and enjoy all that it has to offer — just as Anthony Bourdain did during the time he was with us.

RIP, Tony. Thanks for sharing your life with us, my friend.

What to Read Next?

https://thathelpfuldad.com/anthony-bourdain-books/

https://thathelpfuldad.com/there-is-beauty-everywhere-if-you-only-look/

https://thathelpfuldad.com/there-is-no-guarantee-of-tomorrow-dont-wait-to-enjoy-your-life/

Never Miss an Article

Subscribe to our blog – it’s free and you’ll get all my tips by email to read at your leisure…

Life Lessons

Impatience Destroys Goal Achievement – How to Deal with Impatience

June 7, 2018 ThatHelpfulDad Leave a comment

Tao 64 — Pin-Friendly Image | Share the love

Impatience, Anxiety, Fear, and other negative emotions are powerful levers that often drive us to “push for closure” on a problem before a viable solution is realistic — this forcing of the issue then typically results in a whole host of negative consequences…

We fall short of our goals.
We often make the problem worse than what it already was.
And sadly we rob ourselves of a chance to live the best life possible.

But it doesn’t have to be that way for you. In this article, we’ll talk about some strategies you can use to overcome your impatience and achieve your goals.

Impatience Destroys Goal Achievement – Examples

Let’s consider some examples about this problem.

You want to get rich but instead of seeking the advice of trusted counselors and investing your money wisely, you decide to speculate on some ‘hot stocks’ a buddy told you about, dumping more than 50% of your savings into the play — only to see the stock flame out and take your nest egg with it. (Easy come, easy go).
You want to get married and have kids, but rather than take the time to get to know yourself first, or date a variety of people to learn what you like/don’t like, you rush into a relationship with someone you met online (“because he’s just so dreamy”), get married in a few months, and get pregnant shortly thereafter — only to learn that you’re actually not that compatible, you fight all the time, and you can’t wait to file for divorce. (At least there’s other fish in the sea).
A bunch of your friends at work invite you to join them for a mud race next month – you’re not in shape now but since one of your goals is to take better care of yourself, you agree to join them – only you don’t take the time to do train for the event and instead just decide to wing it (“after all, how hard can it be?”). You end up tearing your ACL while jumping down from one of the high walls and get laid up for 6 months, during which you balloon into a fat blob which spirals you further into depression. (Ouch!)

What can we learn from these examples?

Impatience isn’t our friend. It’s time we came up with a plan for dealing with it so let’s do just that.

How to Deal with Impatience

When you have a plan for dealing with impatience, you realize that you can overcome your ‘patience’ problem and still achieve your goals.

The first step is to take the time to understand your goals in life. The second is to build solid plans for achieving them. After that it’s really just a matter of executing on those plans and letting life unfold in due course. Major goals are not achieved overnight. But they ARE achievable. The formula is simple…

Consistent Action + Time = Results.

When you know your goals, have our plan, and are actively working your plan, then you just need trust in the process, be patient, and know with confidence that things WILL go your way when the seeds you planted are ripe for harvesting. This is key wisdom so humor me as I try to drive it home with you…

Just like with any seeds, you can’t expect to them to grow without a little TLC from you… and time.

Overcoming Impatience – Examples Revisited

Let’s turn back to our examples and come up with some better strategies…

If you want to build your wealth, educate yourself on the topic, seek advice from trusted advisors, and invest your money in things YOU actually use.
- After years of trying to do things by myself, and following hot tips (which never worked!), I changed my approach and began investing in things I actually used — that’s what led me to invest in Google at $85/share, Amazon at $300ish, and Facebook under $30. Don’t get me wrong, I still make mistakes, but a lot less often. I also work with advisors to guide me now too. The result: I’m on the path to financial freedom.
If you want to get married and have kids, take your time getting to know your potential spouse first. What’s the big rush? Date for a few years and really make sure. Get to know each other at every level — you’ll be glad you did. As for the kids, enjoy married life for awhile, build up your finances, get your foundation in place, and then have the kids.
- The result: you’ll all be better off for having waited, because you’ll have had your ‘go-out’ fun, you’ll be wiser, you’ll be in a better position financially to provide for them, and you’ll have built up a great bank of wisdom that you can share with your kids (setting them up for success in life too!).
So you’re gonna run that mud race? Please do a bit of research first. You might want to check out my YouTube Tough Mudder library (you’ll find 50+ vids on the topic with tips on clothes, shoes, obstacles, and more). I can’t promise you wan’t get hurt, but at least you’ll know what you’re getting in to! Here’s a pic of me in action for your amusement…

Achieving Your Goals – With Action… and Tony Robbins

Success guru Tony Robbins talks about the importance of taking action as the primary way to achieve one’s goals. Here is one of his many videos on the topic:

In addition, Tony has also developed what he calls the “Massive Action Plan” – you can read more about it on his website here: https://www.tonyrobbins.com/career-business/how-to-make-a-massive-action-plan-map/

Dealing with Impatience – The Wisdom Way

I always love it when the wisdom of great teachers matches up – such is the case here. You’ve seen the opening quote from Lao Tzu, you’ve witnessed what Tony Robbins had to say, you know the famous line from Ben Franklin (“Haste Makes Waste“), but let’s take a look at a few other tidbits of wisdom on this topic.

John Wooden on Impatience…

And lest we think impatience is just a modern-day problem, think again. Consider what King Solomon had to say on this topic…

It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way. (Prov 19:2)

The plans of the diligent lead to profit, as surely as haste leads to poverty. (Prov 21:5)

Sage advice – if we take it to heart.

Overcoming Impatience – What’s the Bottom Line?

Prepare yourself for success.

Take action.

Reach your goals.

Rinse and repeat again and again.

Before you know it you’ll be living your best life right now.

What to Read Next?

For more on the subject of planning and goal achievement read the following…

https://thathelpfuldad.com/5-power-ful-tools-overcome-lifes-challenges/

https://thathelpfuldad.com/use-your-time-wisely/

https://thathelpfuldad.com/slow-and-steady-wins-the-race/

Get All My Tips by Email… and some Cool Freebies!

Online Streaming TV Tips, Product Reviews

PlayStation Vue Reviews, Tips, and FAQs

June 1, 2018 ThatHelpfulDad 2 Comments

Are you considering making a switch to cut the cord and use PlayStation Vue as your live tv streaming service? If so, this article is for you. We’ll tell you the pro’s and con’s of using PlayStation Vue from a point of view of an actual user.

UPDATE: In November, 2019 Sony announced it’s plans to SHUT DOWN PlayStation Vue in Jan 2020 – effectively killing what was perhaps the best streaming tv app of the bunch. What a shame!

Watch the VIDEO Review of PlayStation Vue

Prefer to see our review of PlayStation via video? Check out this YouTube vid…

Editor’s Note: This article is part of a series devoted to helping people cut the cord called “2018 Essential Guide to Cord Cutting” – be sure to read that article for more tips about Direct TV Now as well as other streaming options. That article also has an in-depth video discussion as well. You can watch the video on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/t9k6ZkbyabM

Credibility Notice: I am an average consumer just like you. This is an honest review. I am a real life cord cutter not a paid endorser.

PlayStation Vue FAQs for Cord Cutters

What is PlayStation Vue’s Website?

https://www.playstation.com/en-us/network/vue/

Do I need to have a PlayStation to Watch PlayStation Vue?

NO you do NOT need a PlayStation box to watch Playstation Vue!

You can watch PlayStation Vue with many of the normal tv streaming devices such as Roku® players, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV®, Android TV, a web browser, Google Chromecast, and on iOS and Android mobile and tablet devices. Learn more here: https://www.playstation.com/en-us/network/vue/faq/introduction/#no-playstation-required

This is such a big misconception that it’s actually hurt PlayStation Vue’s chances of survival! Various reports have surfaced that Sony may discontinue PlayStation Vue because of it’s poor sales – that’s a shame because PlayStation Vue really is a good service. Personally I think it’s the best overall service of ANY current live tv streaming service because of all the great features it offers and how easy it is to use. It would be a shame to see PlayStation Vue go away.

What Channel Packages are offered on PlayStation Vue?

PlayStation Vue offers LOTS of variety and there is something for everybody. There are FOUR main plans available:

Access: $40/month for 45-50 local broadcast channels and favorite cable networks like AMC, ESPN, HGTV and more, depending on your area.
Core: $45/month gets you all the Access channels PLUS NFL Network, NBA TV, MLB Network and more regional sports networks.
Elite: $50/month gets you the Core channels PLUS select ‘movie’ speciality channels like MGM, FXX, Sony Movie Channel, Universal Kids, etc.
Ultra: $75/month gets you the Elite package PLUS premium networks HBO® and SHOWTIME® included. There are over 90+ networks to enjoy on this plan!

To learn more use this link: https://www.playstation.com/en-us/network/vue/channels/

To see what’s available in YOUR area you need to look for the box in the upper right hand corner and enter you zip code. See this pic…

Is there a Limit on the Number of Screens I can Watch PlayStation Vue on at one time?

What’s great about PlayStation Vue is that you can watch up to FIVE (5) live tv streams at one time on with any of their plans. That’s the most of any tv streaming service.

You can also watch away from home on up to 3 devices.

BONUS COOL FEATURE: If you do happen to own a PS4^™console, you can choose up to three live programs to watch on the SAME screen — you can put any live game, news, TV show, or movie in a split-screen setup to watch two or three live programs at once.

Does PlayStation Vue have a DVR?

Another great feature of the PlayStation Vue Service is there DVR. All plans include a DVR with UNLIMITED Storage of shows for up to 28 days. In most cases you can also fast forward through your DVR recordings – which is NOT always the case with other streaming service providers.

Does PlayStation Vue have On-Demand TV Shows and Movies?

Yes but the content library doesn’t seem to be as robust as other tv streaming services and you can’t fast forward through commercials on most of the on-demand content.

What Local Channels does PlayStation Vue Offer? Can I get Regional Sports Networks too?

It depends on your area. In my area (Tampa, FL) PlayStation Vue is one of the best streaming services available for local channels and regional sports networks. Basically we can get every local channel we want (except for our local NBC which no streaming service offers in our area).

To see the local channels available in YOUR area use the instructions I provided above in the “Channel Packages” section.

Does PlayStation Vue offer Premium Channels like HBO and Showtime?

Yes, PlayStation offers a number of premium channels and combo packages. Check it out…

Does PlayStation Vue offer other channel add-ons?

Yes, PlayStation Vue has some great customizable channel add-on packages. This includes the NFL RED ZONE Channel – a network that PlayStation Vue is one of the only streaming service provides to offer. Check it out…

What is the User Interface and Channel Guide like on PlayStation Vue?

While perhaps not as user friendly as a traditional channel guide offered by cable tv providers, the channel guide on PlayStation Vue is at least as good as that offered by other good streaming services such as Direct TV Now, it’s superior to Sling TV, and worlds better than Hulu Plus (which doesn’t even have a channel guide!). Here is a screenshot…

Does PlayStation Vue offer Promotions for New Subscribers?

Yes, the normal offer is a 5-7 day free trial on their website.

TIP: PlayStation Vue regularly offers promo codes at places like Groupon and Best Buy. If you have a promo code here’s an example how to use it on PlayStation Vue: https://www.playstation.com/en-us/network/vue/partners/groupon-ls/

What’s the Bottom Line on PlayStation Vue?

I love PlayStation Vue – it had everything I wanted in a streaming tv service. It’s a shame that Sony killed PlayStation Vue.

What other Streaming TV Services are available instead?

Want more tips like this?

If you like helpful tips like this and practical solutions to real life problems, be sure to subscribe to my blog. It’s free and super easy to sign up…

Never Miss a Tip!