Cord cutting can be scary at first with a ton of options and decisions to make, but we hope this guide will help you find out that cord cutting is surprisingly easy. In fact, you may already have most, if not everything, you need. We are here to help you cancel cable TV and legally stream content online, so you pay less and still get all your shows.
In 2024, cord cutting is simpler than ever. Most Americans can get what they want for less than cable TV, and it is a lot easier than it was even a few years ago.
Here are our five steps to becoming a cord cutter:
Step 1. Streaming Services
There are a lot of live streaming services available. You will likely need more than one streaming service, but the good news is almost all of them offer a free trial. We suggest you take advantage of the free trials to see what fits your needs.
Picking a Live TV Streaming Service
You don’t need a live TV streaming service, and many cord cutters do without. But if you want to stream live TV from channels like ESPN and AMC, you will need one. The number of live TV streaming services is growing. You can pick from Sling TV, Hulu, YouTube TV, fuboTV, Philo,and DIRECTV NOW to name a few.
Not sure if Sling, DIRECTV NOW, PlayStation Vue, or others are right for you? Check out our head-to-head comparison of these services HERE.
Worried you will miss your DVR? Don’t! All these services offer a built-in DVR option, so you will never miss your favorite show.
Most Popular On-Demand Streaming Services
Netflix—With new content added weekly, Netflix has thousands of hours of movies and TV shows, making it the largest streaming service in the world. You will find a ton of content from major networks and movie studios, and Netflix is also the leader in original content you cannot find on cable.
Hulu—Do you want your content the day after it originally airs? Hulu is a great option for anyone who wants to watch recent shows from networks such as FOX, NBC, ABC, FX, and Spike.
Amazon Prime Video—Amazon Prime not only gives you free two-day shipping and free music, it also gives you access to thousands of movies and TV shows. Amazon’s partnership with HBO brings you a selection of HBO shows as part of your Prime membership.
Although Amazon Prime does not give you access to everything available on the Amazon Video service, it does have TV shows from many cable channels available the next day starting at $1.99, and it also offers recently released movies for rent. So not only do you get an immense amount of free content, but Amazon Prime is also a great way to rent and buy recent movies and TV shows.
These are just a few of more than 200 streaming services. We suggest you take advantage of the many free trials to see what services are right for you.
Step 2. Pick Your Device
The next thing you need is a device that will stream what you want to watch to your TV. The top-selling four devices are Roku, Chromecast, Fire TV, and Apple TV. All are great options for different reasons, so make sure you choose the one that is best for you.
You may first want to see if you already own a streaming player. Many TVs now have built-in streaming apps or you may own a DVD player or game system that lets you stream your service.
Step 3. Buy an Antenna
An antenna is a huge part of being a cord cutter, and most Americans can easily pick up 30+ channels. With many of the most popular TV shows being 100% free and in HD over the air, an antenna is a great way to watch sports and your favorite show without paying for anything else.
The number of channels you receive will vary depending on where you live. We recommend going to Antenna Web and typing your address into the channel finder to see which channels are available in your area. This will also help you figure out if an indoor or a roof-mounted antenna is needed to get the channels you want.
Wondering about a DVR? There are several solid DVR options for antennas from Tablo, Channel Master, and TiVo.
Step 4. Internet
To get the most from cord cutting you will need Internet. Remember when you downgrade from a bundle to Internet only you won’t get the best deal. Internet companies save the best deals for new customers. Don’t worry, we can help.
We suggest you shop around for your Internet service provider. Many people think cable is the only way to get fast Internet, but for most Americans that is no longer true.
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) has come a long way, and I suggest you do what I do: switch back and forth between DSL and cable Internet. Every time a provider won’t give me a deal, I switch and get the new customer pricing from the other provider. I even found that at one time my DSL company had faster Internet than my cable company.
Also, keep an eye out for 5G Home Internet options from T-Mobile, Verizon, and others. These are new services rolling out across the U.S. that are offering new options for high-speed home Internet. Although only available in a handful of markets today, they say by the end of 2024 they will be available to over half of U.S. households.
Step 5. Try It Out
You are set up and ready to go, but before you cancel cable TV, unplug your cable box and try being a cord cutter for a month. When my family canceled cable, it took us about two weeks to find all the shows we wanted. Once we found the content we liked, we never looked back; however, it was nice to know that if we couldn’t initially find a program, we could still watch it on cable until we found it on our streaming service.
Congratulations! You are a cord cutter!
That’s it! You have successfully set yourself up as a cord cutter. All you need to do now is call your cable TV provider and cancel your cable TV! Make sure they put you on their do not call list, so they don’t call you every day for years to come. You can find out how to be put on a do not call list at your old cable company by clicking HERE.
Remember to take a look at our guide on how to avoid the five most common mistakes people make when they cut the cord.
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