There are both benefits and drawbacks to forgoing a cable television and internet bundle or limiting yourself to internet only service. It’s impossible to say whether having a cable subscription or streaming your shows is better because of this. The best option for you depends on how much TV you watch and what shows you’re most interested in.
Purchasing a cable bundle typically makes the most sense for consumers with large households that consume a lot of TV. Cable TV doesn’t get overloaded as your internet can, so you won’t have pauses or buffering when multiple people are watching at the same time. Every member of your family will be able to watch different television programs with cable TV. You can amplify your savings by looking at the latest credit card offers since some programs will reward you for paying certain monthly bills using their credit card.
The biggest downside to streaming, other than the possibility of overloading your internet, is that you may need to subscribe to more than one streaming platform to get all of the channels that you want. Netflix doesn’t have access to NFL channels or HBO movies. The cost of adding on each of these extras can add up and start to equal the same as a cable bill, if not more.
A plus of streaming your TV and having internet-only service with your cable provider, is that smaller households who don’t watch as much TV can save money in the long run. If you don’t need every streaming platform available, you can save money by subscribing to one or two and still get a wide variety of shows to watch.
Have you thought about bundling?
Signing up for three or four or more streaming services doesn’t save you money over having a cable TV subscription. Streaming makes the most sense when you only want one or two services to get your favorite shows. Also, if you stream, you might need to upgrade your internet package to allow for multiple people to stream at once and to give you a more stable connection without buffering.
An alternative to switching to streaming only, but still save money, is to bundle your cable with your internet. Some internet service providers offer options to bundle your cable and internet into one package and bill for lower costs and more services.
The perks of bundling:
Some bundles come with streaming subscriptions. Of course, not every provider or package will offer you a Netflix or Hulu subscription, but you should look to see if your provider does or ask them about that option. If you’re able to get cable and streaming subscriptions in one package, you have everything you need to watch all the best shows.
You don’t have to worry about data caps. Your internet might be subject to data caps that make streaming challenging. With cable, you never have to worry about data caps and can enjoy TV all day.
You can get all the best sports channels included. Many streaming services don’t offer sports, or, if they do, the selection is very limited. If you bundle your internet and cable, you can include sports channels in the package.
Streaming and Smart TV
Recently, service providers have started bundling subscriptions to streaming platforms with their cable TV and internet packages. If you ask your provider about a TV and internet bundle, you can ask them whether that comes with a streaming subscription to services like Netflix.
Some providers also offer “Smart TV” options, which include a smart device app for mobile viewing. Smart TV apps let you view live TV, browse through on-demand libraries, fast forward, rewind and pause live shows.
Streaming bundles and smart TV apps are the perfect solution for most families, letting everyone in the family watch what they want when they want.
Saving Money Without Cable TV
While there are a lot of perks to keeping your cable subscription, you should still look over your options to cut cable and save money.
If your household doesn’t watch a lot of TV, then the chances are good you won’t automatically sign up for every streaming service available, which saves you a lot of money.
If your household is small and there won’t be a lot of people streaming at one time, you may not have to upgrade your internet to stream, which also saves you money.
Finally, if you’re not a high sports fan, then you won’t have to worry about missing games because you don’t have the right channel. You won’t feel the need to buy an extra streaming service because it is playing the game you want to watch, which saves you money.
Conclusion
Cutting cable television can save many households money, but it all comes down to how much TV you watch, whether you’re into sports, and how many people will stream TV at one time.
If you have a large household that watches a lot of TV, including sports, then you’re probably better of purchasing a bundle of cable TV and internet. You’ll get the channels that you want for a price you can afford.
If you’re on the fence, try cutting the cord for a couple of months to see how you like it. If it’s not working out or you feel like you’re not saving any money, call your provider and look into what bundling packages they’re offering.
