5 Signs You’re Ready to Cut Ties With Cable TV

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Older man cutting the cord and cancelling cable TV
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This story originally appeared on CableTV.com.

Like a best friend who always knows the right thing to say, your favorite TV channels are there for you — or not.

Cable TV (and its variant satellite TV) has long romanticized itself as the ideal way to access home entertainment.

But cable TV isn’t without its faults. There are big bills, for one thing, and the restrictive contracts are a hassle.

It may be time for you to find a new way to watch the best shows on TV. Here are some signs you’re ready to cut ties with cable TV.

1. You have high-speed internet

Couple looking at computer and bill.
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With fast internet, you can use online streaming services to watch TV without a cable TV company. You may even already have Netflix — but did you know that there are live TV streaming services that let you watch shows at the same time they’d play on TV?

Many of these streaming services are less expensive than top cable TV plans. But because streaming TV needs internet access to work, you’ll need to make sure your internet is fast enough to support them — a download speed of 25 Mbps is an OK place to start.

You can learn about the best live streaming TV services to take the next step in dumping cable TV for good.

Or, if your internet isn’t fast enough and you’re not interested in upgrading, read on to find another money-saving solution.

2. You watch mostly local channels

A happy woman smiles and holds a remote control while watching TV
Marcos Mesa Sam Wordley / Shutterstock.com

It can be nice to simplify your TV viewing to local news and primetime shows. If that’s how you like to watch TV, your pocketbook is in for a real treat.

If you ditch cable TV and switch to a digital antenna, you can catch all your local over-the-air broadcasts.

And if you live relatively close to local TV towers, the right digital antenna for you may cost the same as a nice dinner.

That’s not the monthly price — that’s a one-time purchase fee, after which you can practically watch TV for free.

3. You watch mostly premium channels

A woman holds a TV remote control while watching HBO
pixinoo / Shutterstock.com

While you can’t catch premium channels with a digital antenna, you can stream them online — often for less than your cable TV company would charge you.

Some cable companies charge as much as $20 per month to watch HBO, but you can stream HBO Max for only $14.99 per month. Or you could go with Hulu + LiveTV, which lets you add all sorts of premium channels for reasonable prices.

Just because you want to live large with top-quality TV channels doesn’t mean you have to drain your bank account. Streaming online is the most affordable way to watch premium channels.

4. You want more flexibility

grandfather and grandson watching tv
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It’s no secret that cable TV comes with strict contracts. Most cable TV providers lock you in for at least a year, and satellite TV companies shackle you to your contract for two years.

Long-term contracts could cause significant problems if you’re looking to travel or move soon. If you want more flexibility, you should cut ties with cable TV. Instead, when it comes time to renew, switch to a streaming TV service or a digital antenna—most don’t come with contracts.

And by waiting for your original contract to finish before cutting the cord, you’ll avoid cable TV’s expensive early termination fees, which usually cost $10 to $20 for every month left on your contract.

5. You’re paying more than $65 per month for cable TV

A young Asian man at his laptop computer is surprised and shocked by a bill
Rachata Teyparsit / Shutterstock.com

Many live TV streaming services cost $65 or less per month. Counting cable TV equipment and hidden fees, it’s likely you’re paying more than that for your existing setup.

If the math adds up that you’ll save more with live TV streaming services, there’s no reason to drag your feet. You can try out most of the best streaming services free, often for as long as seven days.

Don’t ignore the signs that you’re ready to cut ties with cable TV. While traditional TV services have their perks, you might find that you enjoy the flexibility and savings of streaming TV services or digital antennas instead.

Give cord-cutting a chance, and your wallet will thank you.

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