Since cable is ridiculously expensive and you’re paying for more channels than you actually watch, it makes total sense that you want to cut the cord. But, what about the channels and shows you DO watch? Here’s how you can cut the cord, but still enjoy those shows without having to pay for cable.
More and more Americans are cutting the cord on their cable companies. About 3.4 percent of Americans discontinued cable services and about 13.5 million households do not pay for traditional cable.
Since cable is ridiculously expensive and you’re paying for more channels than you actually watch, it makes total sense that you want to cut the cord. But, what about the channels and shows you DO watch? Here’s how you can cut the cord, but still enjoy those shows without having to pay for cable.
Finding Hardware to Cut the Cord
After you return the boxes to the cable company, you’ll need to find a way to stream shows to your TV. There are several devices including Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or you can use a game counsel like Xbox or PS4.
You may not even need to purchase a streaming device if you have a smart TV. Most TVs purchased in the past two years already have most streaming apps downloaded.
Streaming devices ranges from $35 to $400 – it just depends on what you need. If you have a laptop or Mac, you can plug your computer directly into the TV. There are programs like Acestream Mac to help you play and stream movies and TV shows from your computer.
Available Streaming Services
You’ve probably heard of Hulu ($8-12 monthly), Netflix ($8-12 monthly), and Amazon Prime ($99 a year) because they are the most famous of the streaming services.
You pay a monthly fee to watch as many shows as you want on demand. There are other options depending on how much you want to pay.
Hulu focuses on more recently aired TV while Netflix is more of an all-purpose service. Amazon Prime is a portion of a larger service from Amazon that includes shipping, e-books, and other perks.
You can also search a site called JustWatch that lets you find books and series a la carte. You can also purchase a TV network’s services like CBS All Access for just live tv, programming, and next-day episodes. HBO also offers their own app to watch movies and their original shows.
Cable-Replacement Services
If you really enjoy your cable experience and want a lot of the same perks, you may want to look into cable-replacement services like DirecTV Now, YouTube TV, Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and Hulu with Live TV.
These services offer on-demand shows and also live channels. You have more options to pick and choose the channels you want. These services are typically less than traditional cable because they stream over the Internet and not the analog wire.
You can find the cable favorites like History, ESPN, USA, VH1, TBS, CNN, and more. You can also record and watch programs later on some services.
Depending on what you want, you may find the little extras adding up. Some services charge you to stream on more than one device at a time You may have to add extra packages as well that will continue to raise the price.
HD Antenna
If you want to watch live TV and not stream, you may want to consider an HD antenna. These antennas are the modern day rabbit ears you may remember as a kid.
This is an ideal way to view local broadcast stations, sports, and news. These antennas are less than $40 and have no monthly fees. Your channel selection depends a lot on where you live.
Streaming Sports
Sports fans may have to be creative to watch live sports. You can use the HD antenna like mentioned above, or you can use one of the cable replacement services.
Big sports fans can also stream sports services with their packages such as NFL Live or NBA League Pass. These services are rather expensive and can cost anywhere between $100 – $200 annually.
If you enjoy multiple sports, your best bet is most likely the HD antenna or cable replacement service if you want to save money.
Other Available Services
There are also two services that let you create your own library. These two services don’t offer as many options, but if you don’t watch tv regularly, you may want to check them out.
Plex charges $5 a month, $40 a year, or $150 for a lifetime subscription. You can then select what you want in your media library. You can then stream to your computer, TV, or mobile device anywhere you want.
Crackle is actually free. Sony owns Crackle, which has a wide selection of original shows like Seinfeld, All in the Family, and more. Crackle’s selection isn’t as large as Netflix or Hulu – but you can watch tv for free!
Recent Hit Movies
If you want to watch newer movies, you may want to think about HBO Go or Showtime. Starz is another great option for movies.
You can also check into renting a movie starting at $1 for DVDs through Redbox. You will have to return the DVD, but you can return to any Redbox location.
Finding Classic TV and Movies
Hulu and CBS All Access have great selections of classic TV shows. You can also find several options on Amazon Prime and Netflix.
You may find Turner Classic Movies in some of the streaming packages. If not, other streaming services like Amazon and Netflix have large libraries of classic movies. You can also check out your local library to see if they have any DVDs, BluRays, or electronic movies to borrow.
Family and Children’s Shows
If you don’t want to purchase a kid’s show station, you can look at other options besides Nickelodeon or Disney. Check out the PBS app along with YouTube’s kid-friendly channels. Best part – these are free options!
You can also find a lot of kid’s shows on Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Netflix. Again, check out the library or rent a movie from Redbox for a cheaper movie night.
In Conclusion
With more and more people cutting the cord, companies are offering more options to keep up with the demand. You can cut the cord and watch all your favorite shows. First, you need to figure out what shows are most important to you.
Streaming will give you the option to pay for what you want to watch and not be stuck in an expensive contract. Be sure to take advantage of the free options mentioned above such as your library, YouTube channels, PBS, and other websites.
Want to Save More Money?
Now that you learned how to cut the cord and save money, you should look for other ways to save money like our article “5 Eco-Friendly Ways Small Businesses .”
You can also search through our for more articles to help you run your small business.
