Teresa Holland
About this time last year, I was contemplating cutting the cord on the TV cable. At that time, the bill had creeped up to nearly $300 a month. This was just for the middle of the road cable package, without any premium channels. Well, despite much trepidation; we went ahead and cut that cord! (We called in and changed to basic high-speed internet without the TV included). We did it… and we have survived with flying colors. We have saved nearly $150 per month, which includes the streaming services that we added on.
So, what have we learned, besides that we should have done it a long time ago? First, you have to be willing to learn a new way of navigating, getting to all your new channels. You will need to figure out your remote or remotes. One creature of habit in our house learned faster than I thought. But of course, there was some grumbling and grief over giving up some convenience. However, nothing that a reminder of the impact on the budget every month could not squelch. Most of us do not like change as we get set in our ways and it is so much easier to keep doing it the way we have always done it, right?
Another tip if you want to follow suit, is you will need to invest in a decent (not the most expensive) antenna. Streaming services do not usually carry the local news or other local information. Antennas might be déjà vu for some age groups as you sometimes have to get up and adjust the antenna. This can be especially true if it is windy or stormy. We actually ended up with two antennas to try. One is a bar type and the other has ‘rabbit ears’. Yes, though this is debatable in some circles, we insist that aluminum foil on the ends of the rabbit ears still helps, just in case you are wondering. If this is something new to you, you can probably find more on Google. Adjusting the rabbit ears is an old-time skill or so I thought.
But one of the benefits of streaming is that you can change up your channels cafeteria-style and have better viewing options for you and your family. You can do this every month or so, which is better than being locked into a specific cable TV package until the end of your contract.
So, want to save some money? All it takes is becoming a little tech savvy, one or two good TV antennas, doing a little research, and going for it. It also helps to have a techy person to help you out or answer questions. Oh, you want to unplug your TV before connecting or unplugging anything into the back of it too, just to be on the safe side. Reading the manuals for TV and antennas also helps (these are usually found online these days). But overall, it has not been all that hard switching over. The remotes have not been so bad to navigate either, even for the one who likes it all to stay easy. Movie night is even better now with much more to choose from… and some popcorn. Enjoy!
Teresa Holland is a guest columnist, writer, and retired advanced-practice registered nurse. Send comments to [email protected].
