Are you ready to ditch the cable and join the ever-growing cord-cutter team? In this month’s Techspert column, I will answer the essential questions you must consider before returning that cable box to your current television provider company.

Q1- Why cut the cord?

The most common reason that pushes people to cut the cord is how expensive cable bills have become. Cable TV prices now average more than $200 monthly, including all the fees for DVR, an extra cable box, and taxes. Moreover, although they offer hundreds of channels, people only watch a handful of them.

In contrast, when it comes to streaming services, you only pay for the services you use. Plus, you can easily cancel or resume a service subscription anytime.

Other reasons to cut the cord include the convenience and availability of streaming services, fewer ads, access to original content unavailable on cable, and a vast library of on-demand content.

Q2- What equipment do I need to cut the cord?

Most households already have everything necessary to cut the cord. To ditch the cable, you only need two things: 

• A reliable internet service – a mere internet speed of 25Mbps is enough to stream 4K quality content.
• A smart TV or streaming device – If your TV can connect to the internet, it is a Smart TV and can stream. For TVs that cannot connect to the internet, you can use a streaming device like Roku, Fire Stick TV, or Chromecast with Google TV, among many other options. These devices connect to the internet and are plugged into your TV via an HDMI port, allowing you to stream.

An optional piece of equipment worth listing here is an indoor HD antenna, which allows you to watch local channels for free in High Definition. You can buy one from Amazon for as little as $18.

Although it is not equipment, you’ll want to consider signing up for one or more streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, etc.

Q3- Which streaming services should I get?

Before answering this question, you must examine your viewing habits and preferences.

You must write down a list of all the channels, TV programs, or shows you cannot live without. (Be sure to include all the members of your household in the activity for a smooth transition!)

Once you have a clear idea of your must-have programs, you can compare and decide which streaming services work best for your household.

Types of Streaming Services

Streaming services can be grouped into four categories depending on the type of content they provide:

• Free – You can cut the cord and not pay for any streaming service. Free streaming services are ad-supported and often offer a mix of unpopular live channels, on-demand classic TV shows and movies, and a few original contents. The most popular services in this category are Amazon FreeVee (formerly known as IMDB TV), Tubi, Pluto TV, Hoopla, Kanopy, Peacock (free tier), Roku Channels, etc.
• On-demand – In this category, each streaming service costs $5.99 to $22.99 per month and offers a vast library of ad-free and high-quality content, including numerous blockbusters, mainstream movies, TV shows, documentaries, and original content exclusive to the service. These streaming services include Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, Peacock, etc. Some, like Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video, offer a few live sporting events, and others provide pay-per-view events like Showtime.
• Live – Services in this category are more expensive but still less than regular cable. They can range from $20-$76.99, depending on the service and the number of live channels. Sling TV is the most affordable service in this category, but the most popular are YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV.
• Sport – If you only care about live sports, the choice is between ESPN+ or FuboTV. Both offer enough live sports events to fill the needs of any sports buff.

You can find bundle options for live streaming, like the Disney Bundle Trio (which includes Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ for $14.99).

Want more details? Check  this article by CNET for a comprehensive comparison between the live TV streaming options.

Q4- Is cutting the cord worth it?

For most people, yes! However, only you can answer this question, given everybody’s unique situation. 

A common mistake most people make once they cut the cord is signing up for many streaming services for specific shows and then forgetting to cancel the service once the show is over or on a break.

I suggest having two streaming services at a time to take full advantage of the cost-saving benefit of cutting the cord. One choice is to include a Live TV option like Hulu, and another option to access favorite shows and movies like Max™️ (Former HBO Max). People who do not watch much Live TV could save even more by getting only one streaming service at a time and an Indoor HD Antenna for local channels.

What’s next?

Here are some helpful Senior Planet resources for cord-cutters:

• Internet of Things: Entertainment – Jan 30 at 6:00 PM EST.
• Save Money on Internet.
• Ask The Techspert: 3 Cool Things to Know about Smart TVs.

Also, join the Senior Planet Community group, Ask a Tech Expert, to ask any tech questions.

Your Turn

Is cutting the cord worth it? Which streaming platforms might appeal to you? Share your experience in the comments!

Techspert Jonathan is Senior Planet’s Sr. Digital Community Relations and Product Specialist and a former Senior Planet San Antonio technology trainer. He is also an iOS developer with a background in Information Systems and Cyber Security.

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Have a tech question that’s got you stumped? Send your tech questions to Techspert Jonathan using THIS FORM. He’ll be tackling one question a month from readers.