I recently got the following question from a reader:

Mr Credit Card

I know this is not really a credit card related question but recently, I got turned down by Direct TV because of my credit. What do I need to do to get a cable tv or satellite tv provider?

To be honest, I was not sure if I was the best person to answer this. But I know the person from Satellite TV Guru and I asked if he could kindly answer this question. He went further by telling us how to get a satellite tv even when you have bad credit (just goes to show how important having a good credit score is). Below is his answer and post.

We’ve all seen the commercials, Satellite TV companies offering great deals that can save your family hundreds of dollars a year over cable. One thing that isn’t really talked about however is that you need to pass a credit check in order to get Dish Network and DirecTV. Although most people can pass this credit check without an issue, there is an alternative for those of you who may have bad credit or no credit. Unlike a mortgage or car loan this credit check is very easy to pass.

If you can’t pass the credit check you’re not out of luck. A pre-paid plan for satellite service is offered by Dish Network. The fact that you don’t have to sign a contract and you dont receive a monthly bill are two benefits of Dish Network’s pre-paid option. Generally you have to give Dish Network a credit card and social security number if you sign a contract, but this plan eliminates having to do that. Dish Network pre-paid works a lot like a pre-paid credit card. You buy a pre-paid card at Radio Shack or your local electronics store and simply pay for the service in advance. You then use the pre-paid card to
activate your service over the phone.

This allows you to pre-pay for the following Dish Network packages:

HBO, Cinemax, Showtime and Starz can also be pre-paid for and included with your programming package.

This solution is also ideal If you have a second home or vacation home that you only spend a few months a year at.

Dish Network pre-paid does has some minor issues to work around for some people. Most importantly you need to make sure you have hardware compatible with the pre-paid service. Radio Shack offers the special hardware that’s required for the service to work.

For those who can’t get satellite service through a contract because of your credit (or lack there of) this is a decent alternative. When you factor in the cost of the hardware the service is more expensive than signing a contract. If you don’t want to have to deal with the pre-paid service you can always try to repair your credit and re-apply for service in a few months.

Weekend Carnival Round Up

I got involved in some carnivals this week. Check them out for more interesting money post.

I had my post listed as Editor’s Choice at the Carnival of Personal Finance at Living Almost Large.

Carnival of Debt Reduction was hosted at ABC of Investing.

Carnival of Money Stories at Not The Jet Set.

Carnival of Everything About Personal Finance at Nil2Million.com.

Have a Great Weekend.