Sky Tv or Freeview?

We have been sorting out our new TV subscription since we've been in our new home. Unfortunately we have been forced to go with Sky tv as the house doesn't have have an aerial but has a Sky box. I thought this would be fine, we could get a Freesat box with recordable space and watch the things we really want to watch. However, it doesn't work like that, and Sky seem to use every opportunity to get money off you. 

Recordable Freesat

It seems you can only record on Freesat if you pay Sky ten pounds a month for this feature. Not just this, but you have to buy a certain box from Sky. Even doing this doesn't let you access the On Demand features Sky offers apparently for free, but not really.

Sky box

We bought an old Sky box with recordable space. The company wouldn't let us use this one and said we need to purchase a new one, unless we pay for channels and then get one for free. We also need to purchase a specific card from them in order to access the channels and recordablity.  Another chance for them to get more money from us.

Extra channels

We've finally opted for Entertainment package from Sky, because to be able to record on Freesat, with buying a new box, paying monthly and buying a new card we would end up paying £150 over the year and not get On Demand. With the extra package we are paying £208 for the year and do get On Demand, so we figured 'in for a penny, in for a pound' and went for the more expensive package. This is upsetting, considering we thought we could buy the £50 box outright and be done with it, and we've ended up signed up to a contract that we can't get out of before the year is up and we're forking out money each month.

Freeview or Sky?

If we had had a Freeview box, we could have just recorded Freeview, which is what we wanted to do in the first place! I even have a TV with Freeview built in, which is a waste! With paying a TV license this year we are spending an absolute fortune just to be able to watch Freeview TV. Neither of us are that bothered about watching TV but we would like to be able to record, or watch on Demand key programmes we enjoy as we have busy lives. If you have the option, get Freeview, it's so much more flexible! I'm very disappointed with the service from Sky and the lack of flexibility.