Entering the new millennium, if you have not cut off the power cord, you may have a very specific reason.
Today, we will look at some of the main reasons why people still insist on using cable packaging. For those who insist on using cable TV, live sporting events and other live programs rank first. We will show you alternatives to live TV streaming and evaluate whether cutting the power cord is really “worth it” in these situations.
You can stream live TV
The biggest reason people insist on using cable companies is that they want to watch live TV. Today, many streaming media platforms offer the opportunity to watch live programs from a considerable number of cable channels as well as many local news and other radio stations.
Currently, almost all of these services start at $64.99/month. This includes Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV and FuboTV.
If you don’t need local programming, you can switch to SlingTV, which offers two different national channel packages, which you will usually find cable companies provide. These packages cost only US$35 per month.
The streaming service also offers a wide range of Spanish programs, which will be discussed further in this article.
Many streaming services now offer DVR
Services that provide live TV streaming also provide DVR. Therefore, you will not lose the DVR function by giving up the cable.
The number of DVR hours you get varies by streaming service:
- Hulu Live TV: 50 hours
- YouTube TV: Unlimited DVR functions
- Fubo TV: 250 hours
- SlingTV: 50 hours
If you pay for the upgrade package, you can get additional DVR hours.
Lose bundled deals while giving up excessive fees
To be honest, there are many people who may end up paying more when switching to streaming services, especially if they want to keep the habit of live TV. If you want a wide range of channels, these live streaming services can cost you more than $64.99 per month.
But your cable bill may be bundled with your internet bill. When you cancel the wired service, your Internet will become more expensive. Suppose you want to pay $70 for the cable part of the package. But you can get a $10 discount on your Internet bill because you bought both products at the same time.
When you cancel the cable, your bill will only be reduced by $60 instead of the entire $70 you might expect. That’s because the $10 discount is gone.
At first glance, this might make you think that keeping the cable is $5 cheaper. But unlike major cable companies, most streaming services do not add mysterious taxes to every bill. You know that you pay the same amount every month.
If the profit margins are so close, you might want to bet on streaming services that are cheaper and more stable.
Please reject the streaming media device provided by your cable company.Get a more affordable way Roku or Amazon fire stick.
Streaming options for sports programs
Another important reason why people do not cut off the power cord is the inability to access live sports programs. In today’s market, although solutions are sometimes equally expensive, there are ways to solve expensive cable packages.
NFL games
You can use Yahoo! to watch every NFL game for free. Sports application. The only other streaming platform that allows you to access the game every day of the week throughout the season is AT&T TV, which costs $84.99 per month.
In order to be able to watch every off-field NFL game throughout the season, you need to purchase a separate NFL Sunday ticket. NFL Sunday tickets cost approximately US$300-400 per season.
NBA games
One of the most cost-effective ways to stream off-field NBA games is to obtain an NBA League Pass, which costs $28.99 per month. However, there are some caveats.you can if only Watch live off-site matches, one of them. The blackout game in your local market can only be used after 3 days of playing.
Like NFL games, local NBA games will only be fully available on AT&T TV starting in 2021-as long as you choose the $84.99 monthly package.
There are also many NBA reports on fuboTV, which is cheaper than AT&T TV.However, whether you have local coverage depends on the agreement between FuboTV and you Regional market.
Major League Baseball Games
The best way to watch MLB games off the court is through ESPN+. This service is very affordable, at $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year. It also gives you access to all NHL games outside the market.
To watch local matches, you can again rely on AT&T TV options.
FuboTV also provides access to local and many out-of-market MLB games at a price of $64.99 per month. However, in some markets, sports radio stations in your area may not be available.It all depends on where you live.
NHL games
NHL matches were also affected by local power outages. However, if you already own an AT&T TV for another sport, you should be able to access your hometown team’s games through local NBC, Bally, or Fox regional sports radio stations in most markets.
fuboTV provides similar access, although there is More regional markets Where local radio stations are not available. fuboTV is cheaper than AT&T TV, only $64.99 per month.
Starting from the 2021-2022 season, you can stream all off-site NHL games through ESPN+ for $5.99/month or $59.99/year. ESPN+ also gives you access to MLB games and other sports content outside the market.
Is it worth it to cut the rope for a sports program?
In most cases, when it comes to sports programs, you need to toss a coin between cutting the power cord and keeping the cable. This is because the most expensive option, AT&T TV, is $84.99 per month, which may be equivalent to the cable TV portion of your current bill. Unlike most streaming services, AT&T TV pays an additional tax of $84.99 per month.
You also need to be careful not to sign the contract. Contract transactions with AT&T TV tend to be cheaper in the first year, but prices will increase in the second year. In the long run, it would be better to pay a higher monthly price and be able to cancel the service at will.
AT&T TV is expensive, but it also provides the most access to local and out-of-market content. Those who only care about basketball, baseball, and/or hockey can save $20 a month by using fuboTV, provided that the local sports station in your area is convenient.
If you have good local coverage in your market through FuboTV, it may end up being cheaper than your cable TV package-especially because FuboTV has no hidden fees other than monthly subscription fees.
With either platform, you may find that you have enough coverage without having to pay for additional streaming services for games outside the network.
Even if ESPN+ is a transaction.
Spanish programming
Many Spanish programming is not available in mainstream streaming applications. Although these platforms may have a dedicated Spanish section, they don’t always have the exact show you are addicted to via cable.
However, some platforms do better than others, and some platforms even allow you to cut off the power cord according to your programming needs.
Spanish content on Hulu
Among the largest streaming services, Hulu has one of the most extensive Spanish content libraries. If you are a live TV subscriber (currently $64.99 to $70.99 per month), you can also purchase the Español add-on for an additional $4.99 per month to access the following channels:
- Cnn Spanish
- Discovery of Spanish
- Discovery family
- Spanish History Channel
- NBC Universe
- ESPN Sports
- Fox Sports
Univision NOW
If you only worry about Univision and Univision, Univision does provide its own streaming service called Univision NOW. Univsion NOW charges $10.99 per month or $118.99 per year, allowing you to watch live broadcasts 24/7. You can also watch the on-demand content of the past 3 days on the massive library of past content. Local Univision content is also available in the following cities:
- New York
- Chicago
- Miami
- Atlanta
- Dallas
- Houston
- San Francisco
- Angel
FuboTV Latino Quarterly
If you need UTV and Other popular Spanish channels, FuboTV Latino Quarterly may be more suitable for you. It’s a bit more expensive at 99 USD/quarter, and it actually pays 33 USD per month.
But it can access Telemundo, Galavision, Unimás, beIN SPORTS, ESPNHD Deportes, Fox Deportes, Discovery en Español, Nat Geo mundo and moreThis may be a package suitable for the whole family, but it is especially suitable for those who don’t want to miss out on sports.
SlingTV Spanish option
SlingTV is one of the cheapest live TV streaming options. Each package is only $10/month. If you receive multiple packages, you can save $5 per month on your package.
However, here is the thing: SlingTV’s Spanish packages are very specific, and not all packages have the same amount of content. This can be a good thing, especially if you immigrate to the United States and miss the situation of getting news from your hometown.
For example, in the Sudamérica, Centroamérica, México, Caribe, and España packages, there are separate packages that feature news, sports, and other programs. Most other streaming platforms don’t always have access to these stations.
But the size of these $10 packages varies. The Centroamérica package has only 3 channels, while the Sudamérica channel has 15 channels. The largest package is the “Best Spanish TV” package, with 20 channels in total. However, some big channels like Telemundo and Univision are still lacking.
Is it worth cutting the rope for Spanish programming?
Ultimately, whether it is worth cutting the ropes of Spanish programming depends on your “must have” programming. If you mainly want football season programs, FuboTV may offer you services at a lower price than a cable TV package.
All the costs involved in the live content from Hulu may make the cutting fee insignificant, or even slightly more expensive than your cable TV package, depending on your current bill.
But it will be close.
In most cases, streaming can save you money. You will need to perform mathematical calculations for your specific situation. It boils down to the specific shows you want to access in real time and which streaming services you have already paid for. Everyone’s numbers will look slightly different.
Pittsburgh writer Brynne Conroy is the founder of the Women’s Thrift blog and the author of “The Handbook of Feminist Finance.” She is a regular contributor to The Penny Hoarder.
