When you’re trying to cut your monthly expenses Cable is typically one of the first things on the list. Did you know that the average Cable Subscriber only watches around 17 out of 170+ Channels? It’s crazy, you’re probably paying for more than you actually need or want, but Cable providers force you to buy big packages in order to get the few channels you actually do want. The average family spends $160 a month on Cable Bundles! Let me share with you How to Cut Cable and Satellite TV to Save Money!
How to Cut Cable and Satellite TV to Save Money
There are so many alternatives to Cable TV these days that allow you to watch Movies, TV Shows, and even Sports without having a monthly Cable Subscription and I’ve been getting a lot of questions from readers on what they need in order to watch shows without cable. I thought I would put together a quick step by step guide on what you need to ditch your current Cable or Satellite TV Provider.
1.) Cut Cable but Keep Your Internet
The first thing you need to keep in mind is that in order to stream video through your TV you will need a good internet connection, if your internet and cable are bundled together make sure you keep your internet and that you have download speeds of at least 10-25 megabytes per second in order to have a good viewing experience.
2.) Upgrade Your WiFi Router
Another piece of the puzzle you want to make sure is up to date is your WiFi Router, Amazon has a great selection of WiFi Routers that you can grab for a great price, you’re going to want something up to date that supports 802.11ac for the best streaming experiences. We recently upgraded our router and I’m so glad that we did! Our previous router was about 5 years old. Technology is constantly changing and we are noticing a considerable difference in streaming! If you have a router that came from your ISP there’s a good chance you could use a new one, so check your router because this will really help to improve your streaming experience!
3.) Buy a Smart TV or Streaming Player
If you currently have a Smart TV then you’re going to be set up already to stream directly to your TV using your Wireless Router. If you don’t have a Smart TV then I’d suggest watching for deals on them, the prices have really come down a lot lately making them a lot more affordable than they were in the past. Amazon has a great selection of Smart TV’s Here.
The other option would be to buy a Streaming Media Player like a Roku, Google Chromecast, or Android TV, the only one I don’t love is the Apple TV Because it doesn’t work with all the streaming services, make sure you check to make sure the service you want to use is compatible with the streaming player you pick! You can find a great selection of Streaming Players Here. These attach to youra current TVs using HDMI Ports and they can turn your existing TV into a Streaming device!
4.) Add a Digital Antenna for Local Channels & Sports
Local TV Channels have gone digital which means the signals are so much better than they used to be. You can grab a Digital Antenna to pick up local channels for FREE! These also include a lot of local sports so if you’re hoping to still catch the game live a Digital Antenna is a great inexpensive way to get local TV and sports without a monthly fee.
You need to check here to make sure you are close enough to TV stations to receive their signal. That will help you to determine what type of antenna will work for your house!
5.) Find Alternatives to Cable TV
The first thing you want to do is find an alternative to Cable TV that fits your lifestyle and your favorite shows. Personally we use Amazon Instant Video because I already have a Prime Membership and my kids love the kids shows available through Prime Video. This works really well for us because they have some great kids shows including Thomas the Train, Barney, Wishenpoof, Team UmiZoomi and more!
Amazon Prime includes Prime Video, but if you do not have Amazon Prime you can get it for just $8.99 per month making it a great option!
Here are a few other options you can check out:
- Netflix – $8.99 per month (Starting Price)
- Hulu Plus – $5.99 per month
- Disney+ – $6.99 per month
- Vudu – Buy and Rent Movies
- Sling TV – Starting at $20 for 33 Channels including ESPN!
These prices are so much cheaper than Cable in most areas and you can pick the solution that works best for you! If you look at the average most people spend on Cable, once you have the right set up you can really save a lot of money each month by switching to these streaming services rather than traditional cable or satellite TV, plus you get the ability to customize and choose the services and channels/shows that are right for you!