I finally decided to cut the cord and cancel my cable in September. The cost of cable adds up over time and the additional tax, sports package fee, equipment fees, and service fees make it an unnecessary expense. Wifi is not taxed and only requires a wifi/modem router.
What I Learned When I Cut the Cord?
- Wifi/Modem – purchased my own for under $200 this saved $14.00 per month renting from Xfinity. You can find Xfinity router/wifi compatable devices at Amazon or Best Buy.
- Added two Roku streaming devices $39.99 at Target for both tvs. A Roku tv has Roku built-in so it eliminates need for the streaming device.
- If cable is an absolute must, a streaming device(i.e Roku) eliminates the need for a cable box which is $7.50 per month.
- The Xfinity beta app is avaiable on streaming devices. This allows access to cable channels without renting the cable box.
- How to get local channels? Purchase a rabbit ear loop antenna and an amplifier(improves reception) Check zip code at antennaweb.org to see which channels are available for your area.
- There are options to add channels to streaming device without cable but all involve additional costs. (YouTube TV $64.99 per month, Sling, ( 3 different packages with a different lineup of channels blue $35.00 per month , orange $35.00 or combined package $50 per month) Philo $25 per month. Hulu Live $64.99 per month.
Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Video provide options for movies or tv shows. If I want to add premium channels like Showtime or Startz on a short-term basis, I can add on my Roku or Amazon Video accounts.
After a month, the decision to cut the cord is working well. I have no issues with the antenna in terms of reception. I did not buy an amplifier because the reception with the antenna is great. For those who are avid sports fans, cutting the cord eliminates major sports networks. In order to view sports, adding one of the services above is required. The overall savings will come with purchasing a router and streaming device so the cable company’s equipment is returned.