Question: If the Buckets were very poor, then why do they even have TV? Why don't they use the extra money for food?
Answer: TV is kind of a necessity. Here in the UK debt collectors can't take a TV if it's the only one in the house. Also, they can't afford newspapers so how would they catch up on news? The TV will last for a while whereas it would only buy a few days worth of food, so the TV is a more sustainable option.
Answer: In addition to the other answer about TV basically being a necessity, there's also the very real chance that they got the TV for dirt-cheap or even free somewhere. It looks like a crummy old antenna TV anyways. They often get old TV's in things like thrift stores or flea markets, etc. I actually specifically look for things like old TV's and VCR's in thrift store and find them a lot since I enjoy collecting old analog media and devices. Plus, given that the grandfather used to work for Wonka, it's entirely possible that he bought it in the past before the family became so poor.
Answer: Don't they have to pay for a monthly subscription? Isn't cable paid for every month?
This was based on the book, not the timeframe of the movie. There was no cable for TVs when the book was written OR in the 1971 original film. Yes, cable was available in 2005 at this film's time but that's not the logic here.
Corrected entry: There's no reason Verruca's dad or any of the other characters for that matter couldn't have climbed over the gate to save Verruca from the squirrels without resorting to the keychain.
Correction: Had Veruca's dad or any other part of the group tried to save her, the squirrels would most likely have attacked and knocked them into the garbage chute as well. Also note, that each time something happens to the other kids, Willy doesn't do anything as he sees them as being rightly punished.
Veruca looks about 6 or 7. These are adults watching. Willy didn't know until after the song that she was not going to die. He had no excuse.
I think that you have missed the moral of the story, completely. Wonka set the entire day up, by the way, wanting to find the pure child who could run his company for the good of everyone else, not him or herself. He knew Verruca was not going to die (his crazy personality let everyone believe otherwise, though) but he wanted to punish her, of course.
Answer: The Buckets weren't always dead broke. The TV may have been purchased before they became impoverished.
Phixius ★