Cutting the Cord on Cable TV
Technology has come a long way very quickly. Nowadays, there are a variety of alternatives to cable television and they're offered at a fraction of the cost. With all of the services available to the public for a lower monthly fee or even free, it's no wonder people are changing their tune (or channel) about cable television!
Is It Time to Cut the Cord on Cable TV to Save You Money?
Now there are other alternatives to help save you money while still enjoying the shows you love!
The rising cost of cable television is causing many of us to question whether we really NEED all those channels. At an average of $59 dollars a month, cable television may no longer be the first choice of consumers. In fact, this cost is just for the most basic cable packages and most cable companies now offer "bundles" that include your phone, internet, and cable services combined. These bundles can be extremely expensive, depending on which bundle you choose. A "premium bundle," for example, may include hundreds of HD channels, premium movie channels, high-speed internet with wireless capabilities, and your home phone service. This all sounds great, but with a price tag of well over $200 per month, it may be a good idea to take stock of your current entertainment needs and see if you really need all of those extras.
So, what are these alternatives to the high-priced service you may have now? We've outlined the most popular:
Netflix
Netflix plans start as low as $7.99 a month (as of 04/25/2016). They offer an unlimited amount of movies and TV shows streaming instantly over the Internet. You can watch all your favorites from your computer or television (via Xbox 360, PS3, Wii or another similar system) and have the same Pause, Fast Forward and Rewind features as OnDemand! Don't have a computer? Prefer to receive your shows and movies by mail? In addition to the streaming option, you can choose to add the DVD plan for an additional $7.99 per month OR simply go with the DVD-only plan! Click here to check out Netflix now.
Amazon Prime
For just $99 per year or $10.99 a month, Amazon Prime offers instant videos to its subscribers. According to the website, "Tens of thousands of movies and TV shows, including The West Wing, Parks and Recreation and Parenthood" are available through the Amazon Instant Video catalog. These videos stream instantly and cost no extra than the annual fee. With Amazon prime, you are able to view your videos on several devices such as: Kindle Fire HD, Xbox360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, iPad, Roku, and many televisons, and Blue-ray players. Click here to visit Amazon.com now.
You have two choices with Amazon Prime. You may rent a video or you may purchase a video. Whether it is a movie or a TV show that you are renting, you have 30 days from the date you rent it to begin viewing it, after that, you have 24-hours to complete it.
Hulu/Hulu Plus
Hulu.com is a free website where users are able to watch TV shows on their computers or desktops. That service, however, is limited to the "PC Environment" and only offers the last 5 episodes of the current season. If you're interested in viewing entire seasons of shows (even from a few seasons ago) you're more than likely going to want to look into Hulu Plus.
With a low price of $7.99 a month, Hulu Plus allows you to view both movies and TV shows in HD on a variety of different devices. Hulu Plus offers popular TV shows and movies with only one catch – advertisements. While advertising is limited, you do not have the luxury of fast forwarding through them to get to your program. These advertisements, however, are in place to keep your monthly payment for a subscription to a low price. It's a small sacrifice to save a few dollars. Click here to visit Hulu now.