After years of struggling to find the best prices on cable or satellite TV around the city I ended up doing something that is going to save me over $900 this year. Everyone loves saving money here and there but if you got an extra 100 in your pocket and still got to see your favorite shows wouldn’t you do it too?
This year one of my resolutions was to save money and pay off bills but I wasn’t sure how I was going to do that. Then I started looking at how much money I was spending on my cable bill. With basic cable from Comcast I was paying $100 a month after taxes and fees. That’s insane for BASIC CABLE! After researching I found out that most of the channels I was watching were offered for FREE in the Atlanta area. The only thing I needed to do was get an HDTV Antenna to pick them up.
Now depending on how far you live from the major metropolitan area, you have lots of options on what you can pick up. First, you need to head to Antenna Point and search your specific location. This will show you where the transmitters are for the networks. Then once you know how far away you are from the transmitters it’s time to get an HDTV Antenna. You can get basic 30-mile range options at your local stores like Target but I didn’t have a lot of luck with those. I wanted something I knew was going to last and pick up the stations I needed so I sprung for the ClearStream Antennas from Antennas Direct. They have the best ratings and ranges for where I was located. Not to mention their customer support is unmatched because it’s all they do! They also can be mounted in your attic if you don’t want to install it on the roof.
After everything is in place you simply scan for channels on your TV and boom FREE HDTV is coming to your house and all you spent for the year was on an antenna. Now if you want to hook it up to an older model TV you will need to get a convertor box for it. But newer model HDTV’s are already able to get the feed.
Now say if your favorite show comes on when you are at book club and you no longer have a DVR because you cut the cord. That’s ok, I have a device to help solve that problem as well. Meet the Roku (or the Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV). This handy little box has over 600+ channels that you can stream your favorite shows and movies on. Channels like Hulu, which is my favorite because all the big shows are on it the day after they air. Netflix hooks you up with movies and full seasons shipped to your door and you can stream from any device (including your Roku). Amazon Instant Video (FREE 30 day trial) also streams movies and TV shows. You also get Kindle books and free shipping on everything from Amazon.
The Roku has become our go-to device when we want to catch up on a show or see a new movie. With the purchase of it and the antenna, we spent around $150. But it’s a one-time fee and no monthly fee at all. Now the programs I listed above are a monthly fee (prices depend on the plan selected) but it’s a MUCH smaller price to pay considering most people are paying upwards of $100 a month for cable or satellite.
I hope these tips help! I can already tell how much it’s helping us save.
I was provided the Antenna to facilitate this review. All other opinions are 100% ours. This post contains affiliate links.
Wow I never knew something like this existed. I’ll have to have my husband check this out to see if it’s right for us. Thanks!
We have the antennas sitting in the garage and keep meaning to hook them up and break up with cable.
Hey Meghan, did you email me a few months back? Your email ended up in my spam folder and I accidentally deleted it. If you still need that information, let me know.
I did but its cool I found what I was looking for!
Wow, I never knew something like this was possible. It wold save us a fortune.
i wonder if something like this would work for us. I certainly am going to check into it. We pay $185 for cable,phone and to cut the cord and save $100 a month and $1200 a yr tat’s a freeking car payment or a trip to Vegas. Thanks for the details
I was talking to my hubs about doing this.
I have been thinking about this but am worried we would end up paying for everything we want to watch anyways. Your review is helpful.
We have basic cable now with internet and phone services. Luckily it’s a pretty good deal for only $50/month. We were paying well over $150/month when we had all the good channels, but decided this would help us watch a lot less TV.
We’ve been thinking about getting a Roku, I’ll have to show my fiancee this post!
I’ve thought about dumping TV service, since 95% we stream through ROKU, but with the package I have (combines TV, phone & net) it wouldn’t save me much money at all.
You really can’t go wrong with free!
Wow, this could really help you save a ton of money.
I don’t think my husband will ever give up the NFL package on Direct TV LOL
Wow so interesting and good to know.
I’ll have to have my husband look into this.
Great savings!
I wish we could switch to an HD antenna but hubs love Top Gear and soccer. $100 is a lot to spend on cable though.
oh, great tips.
Didn’t know about this option. Thanks for sharing!
$100 for basic cable is insane!!
I am so glad to see this. I’ve been trying to figure out how to cut the cable bill without losing all our shows.
I love my Roku. I have lots of different channels on it. You can play Angry Birds too. There is even a weird Public domain movie channel and it has all kinds of weird movies they show in schools.
Great tips!!
Thanks for the tips!
I am sooooo showing this post to my husband… we have been talking about finding ways to cut our cable bills.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing them. We’ve considered cutting our cable, but as of yet we still haven’t….
That’s awesome! I have to see if there’s something similar in Canada.
Roku’s are amazing streamers! With no monthly fees and the huge amount of public and private channels available there is enough content to watch for three lifetimes.
Love your ideas and I think I’ll get the antenna. Some of the TV’s in my house are older so would need the converter box. Where do you get your converter box? Here in Utah we have to get it from the cable company and they only give it to you if you s
ign up for their cable service.
Great tips!
Great tips!
I wish my husband would consider this….
We canceled cable and are saving tons! My kids are complaining though, so I will have to look into a Roku this spring
I am in the Atlanta area, too! I am going to have to look into this. Cable prices are OUTRAGEOUS.
I am going to have to check this out. I have been looking for ways to save.
how cool! I’ll have to look into this.
This is really interesting. Thanks for the information!