How can I get my TV cheaper than cable?

Posted on: 13 Aug 2024
How can I get my TV cheaper than cable?

It is for this reason that many people are now looking for options to get TV programming without subscribing to cable TV services, which currently cost an average of over $100 monthly. Fortunately, there are now several great choices available to get TV and entertainment while paying way less than what a cable subscription costs. In this blog post, I will discuss some of the best approaches and providers to look at if you wish to get television for less than cable.

1. Try An OTA Antenna

Another means of receiving free Over-the-Air (OTA) TV stations is through the use of an antenna. An OTA antenna can capture local broadcast stations, including ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and PBS, in high definition. And the best part? OTA channels are free for viewing after you purchase the antenna used to receive the signals.

An OTA antenna can allow you to watch dozens of free channels depending on your location. There are so many types of antennas that can be bought, but usually, one only needs an indoor antenna that will only cost around twenty to fifty dollars to get the major networks. It’s also possible to suggest the placement near the windows or on the higher floors to increase the signal. And don’t forget – no monthly fees for local channels if you have an antenna!

2. Subscribe To Streaming Services

Current television streaming platforms such as Hulu With Live TV, YouTube TV, and Sling TV among others stream popular cable channels through live and on-demand formats. For $30-$65 per month depending on the service, users can have access to more than 50 live channels and thousands of shows and movies on demand. This is relatively cheaper than the large cable deals.

Almost all the streaming TV internet services provide local networks, top cable channels like ESPN, TNT, HGTV, FX, and most of the regional sports networks. You can watch on Smart TVs, mobile devices, media players such as Roku, Fire TV, and even web browsers. There are no contracts – you can cancel at any time. So long as you can find local stations with an antenna, streaming services have made it easier than ever to drop cable.

3. Try Free Streaming Apps

Some apps are completely free and run with the help of advertising and contain a huge number of TV shows, movies, and viral videos. Platforms such as Pluto TV, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, IMDBtv, and Crackle provide on-demand content with tens of thousands of hours of programming in various categories including entertainment, kids, news, comedy, drama, reality TV, action movies, and so on.

Most of the programming on free streaming apps are older TV series and movies, but they do get new content from time to time. And if you can supplement free streaming with an OTA antenna for live local and major network channels, you can get by just fine without paying for cable or a streaming TV package. The video quality and stability are also getting better with time in free streaming apps as well.

4. Share Streaming Service Costs

Most streaming TV services now have features that enable you to share the cost with other people such as your family or friends. For instance, YouTube TV enables up to 6 distinct user accounts under one master account as well as 3 streams at the same time. Unlike most streaming services, Hulu’s ad-supported plan allows users to create unlimited profiles. Orange & Blue packages can be added up and used within one Sling TV account. Some streaming services such as Philo allow the creation of up to 10 user profiles with their respective watchlists and preferences.

That means that for as little as half the monthly cost of streaming TV subscriptions, you can share login details. So long as the people you are sharing with are honest this can be a very easy way to save a lot each month. As long as the specific limitations or restrictions regarding streams or profiles are clearly stated, this is not a problem at all.

5. Make Sure to Explore Free Trials

Every streaming TV service that is currently available provides their new clients with free trial offers that can last for 7 days but can also be longer in special cases. This is the best approach to trying a service and determining whether it will provide the channels and the features you require for the cost. Suggest a free trial of different services until you select the perfect combination of plans.

After the trial-increasing period, you can either purchase a subscription for continued service or move to the next platform to take advantage of the trial period. What you should do is ride through promotions and utilize new customer offers, which will help you reduce expenses dramatically. Just ensure that you set up a reminder for trail cancellation should you not wish to be charged upon its expiration.

Five Reasons to Ditch Cable and Save Your Hard-Earned Money

It once was that early cancellation fees acted as a check to many who were contemplating the cancellation of cable TV but these have been eliminated by flexible streaming TV and à la carte streaming plans. When you compare the costs after adding up to your bill, streaming platforms are always cheaper than cable services with many unnecessary channels you never tuned to.

With a mix of OTA antenna channels, shared streaming subscriptions, free ad-supported apps, and active trial hopping, one can save hundreds per year without compromising on the chance to watch the most beloved entertainment, shows, and movies. All that is required is a little bit of work on the organization’s part to set it up correctly and deal with payments. However, the time that is spent doing this work can be earned back rather soon since one starts saving money.

Therefore, do not wait any longer to get a break from costly cable services. Use the tips mentioned above to have your tailored TV solution without having to break the bank every month. When you make the transition to streaming plus antenna channels, you’ll wish you had left cable behind even sooner!

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