11 alternatives to cable that could save you hundreds of dollars
Sync your computer's feed to your TV.
Subscribe to a third-party service.
Cable subscriptions are falling off a cliff, thanks to the highly popular third-party services: Hulu Plus, Netflix, and Amazon Prime, which offer an attractive selection of movies and television shows.
To help you decide between streaming services, check out our breakdown of the three options.
Cost:
Hulu Plus: $7.99 per month
Netflix: $7.99 per month
Amazon Prime: $99 per year ($8.25 per month), also includes unlimited, free two-day shipping on many items.
Buy packages of channels.
If you like your TV time, but find yourself sticking to the same channels, try purchasing a bundle of channels.
Sling TV will give you about 20 channels, including AMC, CNN, ESPN, ESPN2, and HGTV, for $20 a month; there are also add-on packages tailored towards sports buffs, movie addicts, and kids.
Another option is HBO Now, which gives the entertainment junkies unlimited access to all of HBO.
Cost:
Sling TV: $20 per month
HBO Now: $14.99 per month
Implement the 'à la carte' method.
If even the packages are too many channels for your liking, Ramit Sethi, author of "I Will Teach You To Be Rich," may have the solution for you.
He recommends substituting cable with what he calls the "À la carte' method" — buying only individual episodes that you want to watch (on iTunes or Amazon), rather than paying for a bunch of channels you hardly use.
Of course, if you watch a lot of TV, this may not be the most cost-effective method.
Cost:
TV episode: From $1.99
Rental movie: From $2.99
Watch Apple TV.
What makes Apple TV different from the other streaming devices is it allows complete access to the iTunes cache of films and videos, and lets you stream content from all Apple devices.
As a bonus, you can also stream NBA and MLB games, along with the usual video streaming suspects (Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, Hulu Plus). With the Airplay feature, this content isn't exclusive to your TV — you can stream it right on your iPhone, iPod, or iPad.
Cost: $69
Get hundreds of channels with Roku.
Roku offers hundreds of free channels — from YouTube to PBS — allows you to stream services like Netflix and Hulu, and lets you rent or buy individual shows and movies.
The box also streams internet radio like Pandora, in addition to games and apps.
Cost: $49.99 and up
Use EyeTV.
If you're dedicated to your Mac and love to record shows, you'll be a fan of EyeTV — essentially, tailor-made DVR for Macs.
The system allows users to create recording schedules for their favorite shows, edit recordings, and even cut clips.
In addition to being able to watch live TV on your laptop, if you download the EyeTV app for the iPhone, you can watch live television wherever you have an internet connection.
Cost: $78
Use your video game consoles.
The beauty of modern video game consoles is they also function like computers — you can stream just about anything from your console to your TV with the proper setup.
The Wii, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360 all have TV streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Youtube, and Hulu Plus. With the PS3, you also get a Blu-Ray player, and Xbox has sports channels like ESPN.
Cost:
Watch online network channels.
Most major networks — think CBS, ABC, and NBC — post recently aired episodes online that you can watch for free. Of course, you won't be able to binge watch your favorite series, but if you time things correctly, you can enjoy a variety of episodes for free.
CBS now offers an all access subscription that allows users to watch over 6,500 episodes on demand for $6 a month.
Cost: Free, with the option of adding on extras.
Hit up your local library.
If you still have your library card, put it to use. You can find pretty much anything at your local library if you're willing to make the trip and sift through shelves.
Cost: Free
Go old school with an antenna.
You can't go wrong with good old antennas if you're looking for basic channels without all the fuss of gadgets.
Depending on where you live, you can get standard stations like ABC, NBC, CBS, CW, Fox, public access channels, and PBS. People in well-populated cities will probably find this option more viable.
Cost: Antennas typically range from $4 to $55. There are many to choose from, however, so check out Antenna Web to help you decide.
Popular Right Now
Popular Keywords
Advertisement