For some people, nothing is more relaxing after a long day of work than settling into a comfortable chair and watching their favorite television show. Unfortunately, cable television is only getting more and more expensive. If you don't want to miss out on your favorite shows but you also don't want to spend a small fortune each month for cable, you will be glad to know that there are some cheaper alternatives.
Hardware Solutions
If you are tired of paying for cable television but you still want to watch live TV, there is one option you might consider - an HD antenna. Depending where you live, you may be able to access free channels on your home television without doing anything at all.
If the quality of the picture is low or if you want to see if you can maybe get a few more channels, try purchasing an HD antenna. This device works in a similar way to old-school rabbit ears - you simply plug it in to your TV and place it near a window. If all goes well, you'll immediately have access to free channels like news and sports. An HD antenna usually costs under $40 which makes it an affordable solution.
Streaming Services
Unless you really want to watch live television, you can probably get by with some kind of streaming device or service. These solutions only cost a few dollars a month, in some cases, and they give you access to a wide variety of shows and, often times, movies. For example, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Netflix all cost about $10 a month and give you access to popular shows that are currently playing as well as a large library of other shows and movies.
In order to take advantage of these services on your television, however, you'll have to purchase some kind of streaming device like a Roku, a Google Chromecast, Apple TV, or an Amazon Fire TV stick - these generally cost about $30 to $50 and you only need to buy them once. You may also be able to stream through a gaming station like the PS4 or Xbox One. Even some of the newer TVs have streaming devices built-in.
Cable Replacement Services
If you really want to enjoy cable TV without paying high cable bills, you might want to look into a cable replacement service. These services are very similar to streaming services in that they send the signal over the internet instead of over an analog wire. The difference is that you can watch live channels in real time.
Some examples of cable replacement services include Sling TV and PlayStation Vue - some cable providers like Comcast have also stated that they are working on their own cable replacement services. These services could save you some money, but probably not a lot - monthly charges are generally around $20 to $30 per month and you may have to pay to add premium channels like HBO, TCM, Epix, and more.
In addition to all of these options, you can also now purchase subscriptions to a single premium channel in many cases. For example, if you only want to pay for basic TV but you want to watch HBO shows, you can pay a monthly fee to add HBO. Before you choose an alternative to cable, take the time to think about what you really want and then find the most affordable option.
Hardware Solutions
If you are tired of paying for cable television but you still want to watch live TV, there is one option you might consider - an HD antenna. Depending where you live, you may be able to access free channels on your home television without doing anything at all.
If the quality of the picture is low or if you want to see if you can maybe get a few more channels, try purchasing an HD antenna. This device works in a similar way to old-school rabbit ears - you simply plug it in to your TV and place it near a window. If all goes well, you'll immediately have access to free channels like news and sports. An HD antenna usually costs under $40 which makes it an affordable solution.
Streaming Services
Unless you really want to watch live television, you can probably get by with some kind of streaming device or service. These solutions only cost a few dollars a month, in some cases, and they give you access to a wide variety of shows and, often times, movies. For example, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Netflix all cost about $10 a month and give you access to popular shows that are currently playing as well as a large library of other shows and movies.
In order to take advantage of these services on your television, however, you'll have to purchase some kind of streaming device like a Roku, a Google Chromecast, Apple TV, or an Amazon Fire TV stick - these generally cost about $30 to $50 and you only need to buy them once. You may also be able to stream through a gaming station like the PS4 or Xbox One. Even some of the newer TVs have streaming devices built-in.
Cable Replacement Services
If you really want to enjoy cable TV without paying high cable bills, you might want to look into a cable replacement service. These services are very similar to streaming services in that they send the signal over the internet instead of over an analog wire. The difference is that you can watch live channels in real time.
Some examples of cable replacement services include Sling TV and PlayStation Vue - some cable providers like Comcast have also stated that they are working on their own cable replacement services. These services could save you some money, but probably not a lot - monthly charges are generally around $20 to $30 per month and you may have to pay to add premium channels like HBO, TCM, Epix, and more.
In addition to all of these options, you can also now purchase subscriptions to a single premium channel in many cases. For example, if you only want to pay for basic TV but you want to watch HBO shows, you can pay a monthly fee to add HBO. Before you choose an alternative to cable, take the time to think about what you really want and then find the most affordable option.