How to get TV without paying for cable?

Maybe you first heard the term whispered in hushed corridors at work or in a back-alley near your house, but now there’s no escaping the fact that “cord cutting” has gone mainstream. And it’s no wonder why. The monthly cost of cable TV in this country now averages more than ever before: a whopping $123 per household. But thanks to à la carte streaming services and the disruptive technology that’s taken over the living room in recent years, it’s easier than ever to save serious cash. Cancel your cable subscription, and join the growing ranks of cord-cutters streaming their shows.

Four out of five Americans still pay cable companies for hundreds of channels they’ll never watch. You don’t need to be one of them. Here’s what you need to know about seeing the shows you love without paying an arm and leg.

Cord cutting 101

Although millennials are leading the charge in the cord-cutting movement, anyone with a decent Wi-Fi connection can take advantage of the many available cable TV alternatives. And the soaring number of streaming services on the market means you can watch just about any TV show and sporting event in existence without going through a cable company.

If you watch a lot of shows on your local stations—think ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX—you can tune into them for free. These channels are publicly broadcast and the signals are easy to pick up in most metropolitan areas. All you need is a good HD antenna, which you can score for under $40 on Amazon. Depending on the terrain in your area and your proximity to TV towers, one type of antenna might be better for you than another. But once you’re set up, you’ll be able to enjoy the latest episode of Modern Family with the same crisp picture you were getting through your cable company, minus the monthly bill.

Living the stream

Unless you’ve been held captive in an Indiana bunker for the past 15 years, you likely already know about the three biggest names in streaming: Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. Each of these services lets you watch hundreds of movies and television shows plus tons of original content you won’t find anywhere else. Both Hulu and Amazon offer a large selection of TV shows—with new episodes available a day after they air on cable—while Netflix has a vast library of movies and binge-worthy original series awaiting your eager eyeballs.

Aside from those streaming behemoths, an increasing number of cable channels have launched their own independent services. HBO Now is at the high-end of this category, but many stations offer the ability to stream their shows for free, albeit with a few commercial breaks. And then there’s Dish Network’s newly launched Sling TV service, which streams a variety of live cable channels, including ESPN, for $20 per month.

Plus, there are more niche streaming services, such as MUBI, which focuses on independent and foreign films, and the forthcoming FilmStruck platform, which will soon showcase an extensive library of cult-classics and art-house flicks.

With the exception of Sling TV and HBO Now, the latter of which is available for $15 per month, prices for these services start at under $10 apiece. It’s easy to mix-and-match providers as none of these companies require contracts. You can even share login info with a friend down the block or sibling on the other side of the country, without worrying about anyone getting on your case.

Think outside the (cable) box

A ton of devices are available to help you cut the cable, with more tools debuting all the time. As of now, there are basically two routes you can choose: streaming sticks or streaming boxes.

• How to get TV without cable or Dish?
• TV without paying for cable
• How to get cable without paying for it?
• Watch TV without paying for cable