How to cut the cord and get rid of cable for good

Is your cable bill out of control? Have you looked at your cable bill and decided that it’s not worth it especially when you already pay for one or two streaming services that you watch more often? Maybe it’s time for you to cut the cord and get rid of cable for good.

Why do people “cut the cord” and what does it mean?

When it comes to cable, people cut the cord by cutting themselves off of their dependency on the cable company.

There are many reasons why people do this:

1. Big cable and ISP companies are known for poor customer service and billing issues, among other problems.
2. They don’t watch cable anymore so they have no need for the service.
3. They found a new company, perhaps one that’s offering a better deal at a cheaper rate.
4. They’re using streaming services for the television they want instead of paying for a cable package that gives them hundreds of channels they never use.
5. They would rather save a few hundred dollars every month by getting rid of their cable.

Is cord-cutting really cheaper?

So for those people who are looking to save money, it’s important to figure out whether it really is cheaper to cut the cord and get rid of cable for good.

The problem with streaming services presently is that everyone wants to have their own. Covid gave people a great excuse to catch up on their favorite shows and to binge watch everything that was available on Netflix so now people want more options.

The solution? Production Studios and companies have started bidding wars to get the rights to different shows and movies so that they can open their own streaming services.

Cord-cutting can legitimately be cheaper than the average $116 per month cable bill as long as you don’t go overboard and purchase dozens of subscriptions just so that you can watch 1 or 2 shows from one particular channel.

The table below shows some of the top streaming services and their monthly costs:

*Amazon Prime video also comes with the option of individual channels or streaming services like subscriptions to Stars, Lifetime, HBOmax, or the Great Courses lectures, things that cost an average of $8 per month for each subscription.

If you were to get every subscription on that list your monthly cost would be $196, which is more than the average household in the US pays for cable and internet. So, it’s not cheaper than cable if you need or want every streaming service out there.

However, if you pick and choose the subscriptions that you watch most, chances are you can save a lot of money.

What is the best streaming service to replace cable?

The best streaming service to replace cable is entirely based on what it is you like.

For Sports

If you want the best sports, getting an exclusive package through Disney plus will give you access to ESPN. ESPN Plus gives you a great number of sports but, right now sports teams and networks are competing for the same exclusivity as individual production studios did with television shows so in the future you might see an even longer list of available sports streaming options.

For popular TV shows on now

When it comes to popular television shows that are on regular TV now, there are a few options. Sling TV gives you thirty live television channels much the same as you would get with a cable subscription but the cost is about $40 per month.

If you are interested in popular TV shows that hail from a few years ago or even a decade ago, Netflix and Amazon Prime are two wonderful places to look. Netflix gives you entire seasons of a show, especially older shows that will cause you to mutter something to the effect “I had forgotten about that! I used to love that show!”

Amazon Prime contains a lot of network television shows from the past oh, many of which you can watch for free or for free with commercials through secondary providers that are automatically included in your Amazon Prime subscription like IMDb TV. You can watch television shows like Lost, Bones, Monk, or The Newsroom. For anyting that is not freely available on Amazon, you can always purchase it on Amazon using your digital credit, for shows like Friends, The Office, or Scrubs.

If there is a specific network you like most, such as Universal Studios Productions, you can get a subscription to the new NBC Universal streaming service called peacock for $10 per month. This will give you access to shows like Parks and Rec or the office.

For “on demand” movies

If you want on demand movies right now, the best investment is going to be Amazon Prime. Amazon Prime video comes with a regular Amazon Prime subscription which costs $119 per year. This subscription works out to just under $10 per month in addition to getting the 2 Day free shipping for every item you order from Amazon and access to free Amazon music, books, and a variety of other subscriptions. Technically you can access Prime video exclusively but it costs $13 a month so it’s actually cheaper for you to pay the one-time annual fee and get On Demand movies.

There is a caveat to this. Amazon gives you access to an impressive catalogue of on-demand movies that are included with your subscription. However, there are a lot of things available from other networks on Amazon Prime for which you have to pay an additional fee. Most of the time a rental fee for any movie you get on Amazon is $2 or $3. 

Tip: If you get the regular Amazon Prime subscription, you can opt out of the 2 Day free shipping on things you don’t need immediately in exchange for $1 Digital Credit that can accumulate and be put toward Amazon movie rentals.

Filing complaints against your cable or streaming company

If you are ready to cut the cord or you have tried to cancel your cable subscriptions but the companies have been less than helpful, you may have a legal option to consider. Many cable customers have found financial relief from their cable provider after filing a an official legal complaint against them through the Consumer Arbitration process.

FairShake can help you get the compensation you deserve from your cable company. Start your claim now for free: