I’m finally cutting the cord — and here’s how I’m doing it

I'g finally cutting the cord — and here's how I'm doing information technology

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After years of shelling out thousands of dollars for cable telly, I'm finally ready to cease the madness.

I'm cut the string.

I made the decision subsequently receiving my most recent argument from Spectrum (formerly Time Warner). My monthly bill had rocketed up to nearly $200! Considering how my cablevision usage has macerated over the terminal few years — in favor of streaming Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, etc. — information technology was ridiculous. I knew I had to cutting the cord. But what would be the best way to go most it?

I've read other cord-cutting guides and get-go-person accounts, including one by my colleague Henry T. Casey. But everyone has their ain individualized needs and preferences when it comes to idiot box consumption. So, I decided to recount my own cord-cutting journey and promise some readers find it helpful.

String cut is a multi-step process involving quite a lot of research. The first footstep is a thorough account, not just of the financials only of your actual viewing habits.

Hulu Live vs YouTube Idiot box vs Sling vs AT&T Boob tube
The all-time streaming services

What am I actually paying for cablevision?

I downloaded my latest Spectrum bills, just to brand sure there weren't any ane-time fees to muddy the waters of consideration. Here is a existent-numbers breakdown of what I've been paying.

The total for the month of May was $199.03. That included a vox service I had never used, which I canceled immediately. I'd too been paying for the argent Tv package, which added a bunch of channels I never watched, plus HBO/HBO Max and Showtime. I decided to downgrade immediately to the bones bundle but go on HBO.

My new total for June was $185.08. It broke down as follows:

TV: $88.97
Cyberspace: $73.99
Broadcast Television receiver surcharge: $17.99
Fractional month comp: -$3.66
Taxes: $7.79

Then, I'm still paying $107 for cable, DVR and broadcast. That's really $92, taking out the HBO cost. I'thousand removing it from my tallies because HBO Max tin be added separately at the same price.

Am I actually getting my money's worth? Could I find a style to mimic my cable feel for less than $92? I needed to effigy out what I actually spotter on cable.

What am I watching on cablevision?

After looking at my DVR, and removing the shows that have been canceled and calculation upcoming titles, I figured that I lookout virtually ii dozen series on circulate and cable on about a dozen channels, everything from This Is Us and Grey'due south Anatomy to 90 Day Fiancé and Top Chef.

Cutting the cord without losing Top Chef Portland on Bravo — (Epitome credit: Bravo)

That doesn't include i-offs, specials and sports events on a handful of other networks. I don't watch a ton of sports, which is a much bigger consideration for other people — maybe even the biggest. I enjoy catching college basketball, tennis and global events similar the Olympics or the World Cup, but access to sports isn't my top priority.

Armed with this list, I categorized everything into must-have and nice-to-have channels:

Must-have: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, The CW, AMC, BBC America, Bravo, Lifetime, TLC

Nice-to-have: CNN, ESPN, Freeform, FX, MSNBC, MTV, TBS, TNT, USA, VH1

With this in listen, I looked at all the best cable TV alternatives that function equally live TV streaming services. Virtually, but not all, of them offer these channels in their base of operations-level packages. Could I get all of my must-have and nice-to-take channels for a lower monthly price than $92?

What do I desire from a cablevision TV alternative?

Besides all of the channels listed above, I came upward with a couple of important characteristics I want from a cable replacement. First, I demand a deject DVR service to record shows and picket them. Second, I'd like a seamless feel — all of my channels and DVR recordings in i place.

Those last ii considerations preclude cobbling together a cheap live Tv set service similar Philo for cable networks with a Idiot box antenna or Locast for the broadcast channels. Locast is a free service that streams circulate Tv over the internet in select cities. Luckily, I alive in one of those cities, but the Locast app doesn't have a DVR and I'm certainly non almost to park in front of a television at a sure fourth dimension to catch a certain program. OK, so that knocks out the combo of Philo + an antenna or the Locast app.

Adjacent, I looked at Sling, our top choice for the best cable TV alternative. The Sling Orange + Blue package has all of the cablevision channels I want at an affordable price, $50 per month. Yet, Sling doesn't stream all the circulate channels (but NBC and Fox), which are must-haves for me. I would need to get ane of their AirTV devices, which pull in the broadcast networks and display them right in the channel guide. All of the various AirTV options are heavily discounted when you pre-pay for a few months of Sling.

Then, I checked out the three major all-in-ane cable alternatives: Fubo, Hulu with Alive TV and YouTube Boob tube. They get all of the broadcast and about of the cablevision channels I desire (though each one is missing a few). They all offer cloud DVR service. And all iii cost $65 for their lowest tiers.

With any of these alive Tv services, I will too have to pay $fifteen per month for HBO Max, and then I accept to cistron that price into my deliberations. If I get one of the latter three all-in-one's, I'd really merely be saving $12. It'south not nix, but I was hoping to save more through cutting the cord.

This is a tough balancing human action, trying to salve yet go as close to the cablevision experience I've e'er known. For too long, I've taken the lazy route of simply paying my Spectrum beak without really crunching the numbers. Now that I have, I run across that I can cut the cord and at least shave off enough for a fancy cocktail every month. Again, it'south not nothing!

Next: How I'm cutting the string, function 2 — find out which cable replacement I chose .

Next: The all-time streaming devices to sentry your favorite shows

Kelly is a senior writer covering streaming media for Tom'due south Guide, so basically, she watches TV for a living. Previously, she was a freelance entertainment writer for Yahoo, Vulture, TV Guide and other outlets. When she's non watching Telly and movies for piece of work, she'south watching them for fun, seeing live music, writing songs, knitting and gardening.