Optimum: What You Should Be Paying For Cable Or Satellite TV

When people are looking to lower their monthly costs, one of the first places they look into is how much they are spending on their average monthly cable cost. After all, having cable isn’t a necessity, but it sure is nice to have when you’re trying to keep up with all the latest seasons of your favorite shows. 

If you’re considering switching to Optimum, you should know that they don’t offer any stand-alone TV plans, you’ll have to bundle it with either internet or internet + phone. Take a look below at the advantages of using Optimum for your cable cost, and then decide if the perks are really worth the price.  

Optimum TV Plans and Bundles 

When choosing Optimum, a proudly owned and operated USA company, aka Altice USA, you’ll need to reside in the tri-state area. They only provide TV, internet, and phone service to New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. They do have an impressive 420+ live TV channels to offer their customers; however, you can only get it in one of their many bundles. 

Here are Optimum’s Top Packages with TV and Internet Options:

Note: There are several different packages to choose from that vary in price, the number of channels, and the internet speed. However, the prices do fluctuate based on the state and area of your service location. There are also packages that include cable, internet, and phone if that is something you want to bundle together and save more money on.

How Optimum Prices Compare 

Optimum prices look relatively standard compared to its competitors; however, those prices above include cable TV and internet. When you consider how much you’re already paying to a separate internet provider and your cable company, then Optimum sounds like a great deal. The only downside is that you’ll need to reside in the tri-state area to benefit from any of their plans. 

One of the best things about Optimum is there are zero contracts to keep your services with them. But, there are plenty of additional costs that you can add up each month if you need to rent their modem or router. Plus, they have options to rent or purchase a smart speaker called Amplify that comes with Devialet audio. 

You’ll be able to find different promotions throughout the year that include premium channels at no additional costs. Plus, Optimum has a cool concept called ‘Price for Life’ that allows you to lock in your rate for as long as you keep your service with them. 

Note: HBO MAX, STARZ, and SHOWTIME are included in the Premier plan.

What to Do if You’re Paying Too Much Right Now

If your current monthly cable cost is higher than you care to admit, then it’s time to do something about it. Many people don’t know that they can reduce their monthly cable cost by making a few simple changes. All you need to do is be open to a few changes and make that phone call to your cable provider’s customer service.   

Tip: Optimum has a $500 contract buyout, so if you really want to cut loose your losses and switch companies, this is an excellent option. 

In the meantime, check out our best suggestions and tips for reducing your monthly cable costs. Some or all of these will save you some serious cash each month. Check now to see where you can start saving: 

• Premium Channels – If you have a ton of premium channels with your current cable package, chances are you’re paying a hefty price to have all those. Most cable providers make it look like all these premium channels are free or included in the price. But, if you look closely at how many channels you actually watch, you can easily see that other packages cost less each month without all the premium channels. 

If you’re paying for premium channels like HBO or Cinemax, you might want to consider reducing your premium charges to just one premium channel instead of multiple channels. Those additional costs can have a considerable impact on your final bill each month. 

• Cable Boxes – Many folks get away with having just one cable box in their home; however, if you think you need more – try to keep it under two cable boxes. Anything more than that is just money down the drain. Unless you have a family member in each room using every extra cable box, you don’t need to be paying all those additional fees.  

• Monthly Fees – Speaking of fees, when is the last time you checked your monthly cable bill? You will often find hidden fees on your monthly cable cost that has no reason to be on there. A perfect example is HD services; if you don’t have that brand new HD TV that requires this extra service, why are you paying for it?  

• Downsizing – Now is the perfect time to consider downgrading your cable package. Since most cable providers call you to upgrade, you need to contact them to downgrade. Those 800 channels are only as good as the people who are actually watching them.

If you’re like the rest of us, you’ve got a pretty good idea of what channels you enjoy watching, and you mainly stick to just those channels. Downsizing your plan can easily save you between $10 to $20 or more each month. This is a considerable saving for somebody who won’t even realize all those extra channels are gone!  

• Negotiate – The best thing about negotiating with a cable provider is that you have nothing to lose when asking for discounts or some freebies. The worst thing that can happen is they tell you no. But the odds are that your current cable provider will try to work something out with you because they want to keep your business. 

Note: Optimum doesn’t charge you any fees to cancel your service because there are literally no contracts with them. Some cable providers will charge you a termination fee of $10 to $20 per month and are calculated based on the remaining months when the contract is canceled.