cable alternatives

Cut the Cord: 5 Best Cable Alternatives to Save You Money

Want to feel good about your budgeting skills? Whatever you do, don’t add up all the money you’ve shelled out to your cable provider over the years.

More and more people are “cutting the cord” by ditching their cable TV for cheaper alternatives. Whether you’re trying to start saving money for your kids’ futures or you’re just trying to make your bills more manageable, there are plenty of options.

To toss out that cable bill without sacrificing your favorite entertainment, try these cable alternatives:

Cable Alternatives to Save You Money

You don’t have to step back to the Middle Ages to save money. Here are some ways to stay in 2018 while enjoying less expensive relaxation:

Wide-Range Streaming Services

Without a doubt, the most popular choice is one of several streaming services that cover a wide variety of networks and genres. We’re talking Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon for the most part.

While these platforms offer a wide selection of options from primetime TV to workout programs, they have their drawbacks. They don’t offer any local channels, so if you’re a fan of local news and certain other programs, you might miss out.

Channel-Specific Streaming Services

One reason many people stick with cable longer is they they enjoy the premium channels like HBO. However, more and more networks today are creating their own streaming services you can subscribe to. If there’s a specific channel you don’t want to miss, this could be a helpful option.

Live TV Streaming Services

While many people enjoy the “on demand” nature of the two options above, others miss the format of live TV. If that sounds like you, you can still get that without a cable bill.

IPTV stands for internet protocol TV. It’s live TV you receive over the internet rather than through cable. There are a variety of online live TV formats, and they each tend to cost far less than cable does. To find the best IPTV service, research the channels you want most.

A Digital Antenna

While all of the options above can provide great entertainment, there’s one piece that’s missing with most of them: local channels. The good news is that there’s still a way to get those local channels, and it costs less than you might think.

We’re talking about a digital antenna. You can buy this device at most electronics stores. When you install it and connect it to your TV, you’ll be able to access local channels for free via “over the air” TV.

Keep in mind that not everyone will be able to do this with good results. It depends on whether you find a good digital antenna and where you live in regard to the local signals.

Cutting the Cord Without Cutting Your Entertainment

As much as we’d all enjoy cutting back on our expenses, that usually comes with some sacrifices. In this case, though, cable alternatives make it possible to get all or most of the features you enjoy from your cable plan without the high monthly bill.

For more great ways to save money in your home, check out our frugal living blog.

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