Cut the Cable TV Cord and Save Money

Mike about Money | Cut the Cable TV Cord

​Cut the Cable Cord and save big money every month      

There are lots of people moving from Cable TV subscriptions to Streaming TV. Maybe some of your friends and family have already "cut the cord." Is it possible to leave your cable TV provider, continue to enjoy all the Television channels you currently watch…and save money?

I’ve done the research myself and have tested several providers and can tell you the answer is "absolutely!" You can save lots of money each month and watch your favorite TV shows and more without having a to pay those high Cable TV subscription prices, deal with the poor Customer Service and without a 2-year contract or other long-term commitment.

Honestly, I got tired of paying $250 a month for television! I went looking for ways to save money and still provide the TV channels that my family watches. I researched antennas for my tv but those are not a great choice, especially if you live in or near a city. Reception is not great, and you can only get a few of your local channels. Even though Federal Law requires the Local channels be available via HD antenna, you must place the antenna in the right spot in your home and, unless you are willing to put up a 50-foot pole in your yard, the reception just isn’t good enough on enough channels to make this a viable option.

Next, I started reviewing and testing the Streaming TV Boxes. The most popular ones include: Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, or Playstation. You need one of these to connect to your Internet Modem (which you can do wirelessly, and you TV. This is the device that lets you stream channels onto your TV just like your old Cable Box. These boxes are available from $30 up to $400.

Now, next question is, based on price, features, flexibility, ease of use, I like either the Amazon Fire TV or Roku. In fact, right now, you can get a Free Amazon TV. More about that later.

After you choose your Streaming access box you need to choose a streaming TV/Movie provider. There are live tv streaming services and lots of On-demand subscription services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and HBOGo. Live TV streaming allows you to watch the channels and shows you know from Cable TV, live and on-demand.

DirecTV Now, Sling TV and PlayStation Vue are currently the most recognizable of these services, and the three are similar in practice. They're not alone, though, as YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV (currently in beta) joined the fray more recently.

Based on my research and actual use of these services, the best deal for the dollar is DirecTV Now from ATT. For the basic package of $35, you get 60 premium channels. You could get more channels if you want to spend a bit more but the channel lineup for $35 is fantastic. Really all you need for Live tv including news, entertainment, kid’s channels. Then, what I did was add a few extras such as CBS all Access, HBO and Showtime (special deal from DirectTV Now just $13 a month for both), Netflix is a must have and Amazon. We get Hulu on a special promotion.

You do need to have a good Internet service. I suggest 100 mbps service which will vary in price based on your city and state. With Internet, Live Streaming service and some additional subscriptions added, you could be spending under $100 a month for live TV, Internet and Movies and shows on Demand.

Look for student discounts and specials on Amazon Prime, Hulu with Spotify, and other discounts on TV and streaming services. I like to take advantage of trials. For example, the Sundance Channel offered a free 3-month trial. It was great to try it out and see new movies and shows our family may not have ever seen. Very enjoyable service especially if you are an independent movie fan.

You simply buy a Streaming Device, add a subscription for Live TV service and top it off with your favorite added streaming like Netflix and you are on your way to saving a substantial amount of money each month that can be redirected to help pay off debt, savings or other positive uses.

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