I don't have cable, and am a certified TV addict.
I use an antenna. If you're near the towers (say, 10-15 miles or so-- you can check the distance from your abode to the towers
here) you might be able to use an over-the-air antenna, supplemented with a computer (for Hulu, ESPN 360, etc.) hooked to your TV. I can get the vast majority of available entertainment that way. The big hole is sports programming. For some people that is non-negotiable. For me, since I can get everything else functionally for free, I can't justify $80-$100 a month just for access to sports programming.
You will have to "bring your own DVR," however, if you consider a DVR a necessity.