Tired of spending a lot of money on cable? Ditch cable without giving up TV with these cable alternatives.
Think it’s time to ditch cable? We did years ago and love it. We weren’t watching it often and it didn’t seem worth the monthly cost. That doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy watching tv. Most evenings are spent watching hockey, football, or lately Family Feud.
We have found other, more affordable cable alternatives that allow us to watch the shows we enjoy. I’m pretty sure the last time I wished we had cable was for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I was able to watch someone’s stream on Periscope but it wasn’t the same. It’s not quite worth the $100+ monthly bill for one event, once a year.
How to Ditch Cable Without Giving Up TV
You will need a few things if you want to ditch cable and continue to watch tv. The main thing is internet or data on your cell phone. Internet is best if you want to watch on your actual tv.
Streaming Devices
There are many options that work on your computer, which are great but it’s also nice to be able to watch on your TV. There are several options out there, these are some of the most popular options.
We have three Apple TVs in our home, one on each tv. They are devices that hook up to your tv and allow you to download apps including different streaming services. This is perfect for anyone that uses iTunes a lot, which is why we choose it. We buy all of our movies on iTunes.
We have one of these as well. They are a very small and portable option. We use ours to hook up to a projector. They are also great for travel. Amazon Fire TV Sticks now have Alexa making finding your shows even easier. If you enjoy Amazon’s Instant Video this is a really good option for you.
This is very similar to the Amazon Fire TV Stick but there are multiple models. The Roku Express is the cheapest option and is very small like the Amazon Fire TV Stick.
Other Options
Many TVs also have streaming options built-in. They are often more limited though. Blueray players and many game systems also have streaming options, so before buying something new check to see if you already have a device that will work. Also, some gaming devices charge streaming fees.
Streaming Services
Netflix- ($8-$14) We have had Netflix for years and love the service. There is a wide range of movies and tv shows, including some great exclusive content. There are no commercials and you can stream on many different devices. They also have plans so you can watch on multiple devices at the same time.
Hulu- ($8-$12) This is another service we have. Unlike Netflix, Hulu has a lot of current shows, many go up the day after they air. They also have some exclusive content. With the cheaper plan, you do get limited commercials. You can also add-on premium channels and live TV. You can get up to $25 back if you sign up using Ebates.
Amazon Prime Video- ($9 for a standalone product, free with an Amazon Prime membership)- If you already have Amazon Prime you have these service already. If you just want Prime Video it’s only $9. There is a wide range of movies, tv shows, and original series. There are no commercials. You can get a 30-day free trial.
SlingTV– (starts at $20/a month) We use this largely for sports but we watch other tv shows on it from time to time. There are many different packages available. It’s becoming a very popular alternative to traditional cable. You can get a free 7-day trial.
These are just a few of the cable alternatives out there that allow you to ditch cable. We have used and enjoyed all of these. We also get a hockey package that allows us to watch all of our favorite hockey teams games. This is something we’d do even if we had cable because we can’t get many games where we live.
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Lily
We’ve talking about ditching cable, but we can’t let go of our football.
Lisa Sharp
We use the services I talked about to watch football. We are both big football fans. We usually watch red zone all Sunday until a game we care about is on. The NFL also has a package so you can get all of your favorite team’s games.
Denise
Awesome tips! I have Apply TV but now I’m definitely tempted to try out a Fire Stick too.
Denise // TheElleAesthetic.com
Lisa Sharp
We use our Apple TVs the most but we like having the Fire Stick as well.
Kiara
We have sling and we like it, especially since we are mostly watching Netflix anyway. We also have a Firestick, which is awesome too! It’s amazing how much we have been saving on cable.
Lisa Sharp
It really is amazing how much you can save, even if you use a few streaming services.
Parul
Both my husband and I feel TV is a total waste of time. It just sucks all your productive time because honestly there are addictive shows and something or the other is going on. We’ve been without cable for the past three years even though we pay for it every month because it’s included in our apartment rental. We never bothered to configure it. Also gave up on Netflix last December. So basically, no cable, no Netflix or any other service for about three months now. So basically now we watch only what we really want to watch and cast it on our TV using Google Cast. Life is happy! 🙂
Cheers!
Parul
Lisa Sharp
That’s great! We do watch some as a way to wind down in the evening. And we both love sports, which is often what we watch. It can easily become something that takes up far too much of your time. During the day I basically only watch tv or YouTube while I fold laundry or while I do dishes. It makes those chores go a little bit faster. 🙂
Jenny
We haven’t had cable or satellite for 17 years. We live in the country with no access to cable. Guess what we have? An old fashioned antenna. We have an antenna booster. We get 20+ channels depending on where the sun is! Sometimes we will pick up a channel 300 miles away in another state. Better yet, just ditch TV. There’s nothing good on anyway.
Lisa Sharp
We’ve thought about getting an antenna but since this has been working we haven’t bothered. We enjoy watching some shows but usually, they are on Netflix or on-demand on Sling. Other than sports we rarely watch anything live anyway.