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Need to squeeze a few extra bucks out of your monthly budget or want to put a little more money towards your savings? Have you ever considered cutting the cable, even temporarily, to achieve your financial goals? According to the NPD Group, cable television plans average $123 and are projected to hit $200 by 2020. My fiancé and I, finally took the leap a few months ago and cut the cable in order to save a little money. Long story short, its worth it. Here are a few lessons we learned during the process and some things you should consider if you too, want to officially break up with your cable company #byetimewarner.
1.) There are plenty of alternatives to cable, spend a little time researching what options are available to you.
Luckily there are a ton of alternatives to cable including, but not limited, to reading a book. Just kidding, I won’t get that extreme on you guys. Seriously though, cutting the cable does not mean you have to cut yourself off from society and live like a hermit. There are plenty of cheaper and free alternatives, here are just a few:
2.) Calculate the numbers and see what options make the most sense.
While there are plenty of alternatives to cable, a lot of these alternatives require an internet connection in order to stream shows, videos, etc. Make sure you add your internet cost to any of the alternatives listed above and see if it makes sense for your situation. If you truly want save money and cut cable but don’t want to part with TV, it won’t make much sense for you to pick a bunch of different services, that when combined, cost more or are equal what you are currently paying for cable.
For instance, my fiancé and I were paying $170.00 a month for Time Warner (Cable & Internet) whereas now, we pay $134.99 a month for Netflix, Sling, & Internet which saves us $420.12 a year.
3.) Find out what cable and internet providers are in your area.
Call or check online to see what other providers can service your address. My fiancé and I were so eager to cut the cable that we did not check to see if our building was wired for any other providers first. It was super annoying to find out that the only provider for our building was Time Warner, the same company we were trying to ditch in the first place because their rates are too high!
4.) Old school TV antennas are nothing like the rabbit ears our parents had to deal with.
A TV Antenna is probably going to the best and cheapest alternative to cable that you’re going to find. It’s a one time purchase and does not require internet to use. We purchased the “ Mohu Leaf 30 TV Antenna”. It’s an Indoor, 30 Mile Range, Original Paper-thin, Reversible, Paintable, 4K-Ready HDTV TV antenna. Its SUPER thin, easy to install, gets about 68 channels, and if you are wondering, yes, it gets some football games on Sunday as well.
Click here to buy it on Amazon
The best thing about buying an antenna is that you are getting free TV and no bill. Purchasing the leaf antenna was probably the best purchase of 2017 for us. Paying $34.95 one time to get free TV For Life (channels like ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, etc within a 30 mile range without a cable or satellite subscription) was definitely worth it.
5.) Don’t be afraid to go cold turkey and cut the cable!
Hundreds of people every day part ways with their cable companies and even more people just like you and I are seeking alternatives to skyrocketing service provider prices. When I went to cancel our services, the customer service rep at Time Warner/Spectrum, kept me on the phone for 13 minutes essentially explaining what I would be missing out on if I cancelled. It was ridiculous and it literally got to the point that I had to tell him that all I wanted to do was cancel and no amount of features were going to make me change my mind. After another 2 minute guilt trip, the customer service rep finally processed my request.
Take the plunge, cut the cable, lower your expenses, and increase your savings. Pick up a book, check out some alternatives, stick it to the man, put money back in your pocket, and cut the cable. As the saying goes – “You will never get rich by watching (TV) someone else who already is (actors etc.).”
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Deborah says
Carmen love it. It Makes Real Sesnse by Makes Real Cents.