HOUSTON – Cable can cost hundreds of dollars a month with prices rising year after year, making more people decide to cut the cord.
“We were paying at least $200 and since we kinda went behind on our payments, we owed the company $400 to restart our service,” said Brandon Mora.
Mora’s dad lost his job during the pandemic, so they decided to check out other options for TV.
“It is not difficult at all,” said Mora.
Now, they watch YouTube TV and watch nearly 90 channels, including news and live sports.
“You just pay at least $65 a month, no extra fees, no equipment, no storage fees for your DVR,” said Mora.
To start, according to Techhive.com, your internet speed should be at least 15-megabits per second for each device running at the same time.
If you don’t have a Smart TV, you’ll want a streaming device and the most popular are Amazon’s Fire Stick, Roku Express or Google’s Chromecast.
If you want to watch TV at the same time it airs on cable, pick a live TV streaming service, which includes AT&T Now, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, YouTube TV and a new one people are talking about is fuboTV.
For Houston sports fans, you can cheer on your Astros and Rockets on AT&T Now and fuboTV.
Most of those services are about $65.
But for live TV streaming, quality may lack and, on average, there’s a 30-second delay.
Also, certain services limit total DVR recording hours and the number of devices used at the same time.
If you’re willing to wait a couple of days to watch current shows, try an on-demand streaming service. The most popular are Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu, and Netflix.
They’re a lot cheaper, ranging from $6 to $18, and you’ll even get access to exclusive movies and shows.
To save the most money, you can simply go with a digital antenna at no monthly cost.
Of course, you’ll have to buy an antenna and we found one for only $21 on Amazon.
But a warning, the number of channels you get is based on your location.
Digital antennas are especially great if you want your local stations, including KPRC2.
No matter what you choose, Mora said it’s likely you’ll save.
“Trust me, you’re gonna love the service. It’s a lot cheaper than paying for the internet and cable bundle,” said Mora. “You’re not gonna regret it.”
Remember, the point is to save money so getting too many services could add up.