Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
Television can be a convenient form of entertainment, but it certainly doesn't come cheap if you are paying for cable. According to a Forbes article published earlier this year, the average television portion of a cable bill is $78, a figure that has nearly doubled in the past decade.
In the past, if you wanted to get rid of cable, you could either switch to almost as pricey satellite services or hook up a roof antenna and cross your fingers for a good signal. However, today, budget-conscious families have all sorts of options that can make cutting the cord to cable easy.
Try one of these alternatives to cable:
Libraries
Have to start by giving a shout-out to our local libraries! In many areas, these do so much more than simply loan out books. You can almost always find movies and TV series available to borrow for free, and if your branch doesn't have the flick you want, you can often request it from an affiliated branch.
In addition, Time Magazine reports more than 100 library branches across the nation are exploring the use of Hoopla, a service that will let library patrons stream movies and music for free.
Netflix
If you don't want to wait for free streaming to become available through the library ““ or if you are looking for a larger selection of titles ““ you may want to subscribe to a streaming service.
Netflix was an originator of movie streaming, and it remains a good choice today. It can be a bit light on recent movies, but it offers lots of television shows, older flicks and kids' selections as well as some original programming. Currently, Netflix costs $7.99 a month for unlimited streaming. As a bonus, there are no commercials.
Hulu and Hulu Plus
Netflix doesn't carry many, if any, current television series, but you may be able to find new episodes of your favorites shows on Hulu and Hulu Plus. For those who don't mind watching on their computer screen, Hulu is a free way to watch up to five recent episodes of popular shows.
For those who want to watch entire seasons on their TV, Hulu Plus is a better bet. It costs $7.99 a month, but gives you complete access to shows from both network and cable television and includes HD content. Be aware that Hulu Plus airs some commercials along with the shows. Here's how to get Hulu Plus free for two weeks free: http://SavingsAngel.com/hulu
Amazon Prime
If your family does a lot of online shopping or owns a Kindle, Amazon Prime can be a great way to save on more than just TV. Prime subscribers pay an annual fee of $79 and receive access to much of Amazon's streaming library for free. You also get free two-day shipping for Amazon purchases and free e-book rentals for your Kindle.
However, not everything that is available for streaming is free to Amazon Prime members. Some current seasons are not included and must be purchased separately. Here's how to get Amazon Prime free for 30 days:https://savingsangel.com/freeprime
Redbox
Families that are more into movies than TV may want to check out Redbox Instant, the newest entry to the streaming category.
Redbox movies have traditionally been rented out of kiosks located in or near stores such as Meijer and Walgreens, but the company has recently branched out into streaming. For $8 a month, you get credits to rent four DVDs at kiosks plus unlimited streaming from home. For now, Redbox seems to have a mix of new and old movies with the titles appearing to skew more toward adult and teen fare. Here's how to get one month for free:http://SavingsAngel.com/redbox
Streaming services are not only convenient, they can also be easy to set up. Many new TVs, Blu-Ray players and gaming systems have access to these services built right in. Streaming devices like AppleTV, Roku, and the new Google Chromecast provide a nice dedicated streaming interface worth checking out.
In addition, many of the services don't require a commitment or contract so you can take them for a spin without being obligated to stick with a specific provider. Try out a couple, find the one with the titles your family loves and then say good-bye to your cable bill for good.
Finally, if you're not sure you can part with cable for good, try dropping it for one month and see how you and your family fare. Worst case scenario? Your cable company will be happy to take you back and may offer you an incentive to reconnect.
