How to Save Money: 28 Proven Ways

13 May.,2024

 

How to Save Money: 28 Proven Ways

You've been meaning to save more money. It's been on your mind for a while. But now — right now — feels like the time to get serious.

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To save a big chunk of cash before you really need it.

When it comes to saving money, small changes can add up quickly. Here are some of the best ways to save money right away.

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Interest rates are on the rise for savings accounts, thanks to the Federal Reserve’s actions this year.

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28 ways to save money

1. Automate transfers

By setting up automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account each month, the money will accumulate over time without any additional work on your part. This technique can be especially useful when your savings accounts are dedicated to specific goals, such as establishing an emergency fund, going on a vacation or building a down payment.

You can also let apps like Digit or Qapital do some of the work for you. After you sign up, they'll transfer small amounts from your checking account to a separate savings account for you. That way, you don’t have to spend time or energy thinking about making a transfer. You can learn more about apps that automate savings and decide if they’re a good fit for you.

2. Count your coins and bills

Another option is saving your change manually by setting it aside each night. After you have a sizable amount, you can deposit it directly into your savings and watch your account grow from there. In fact, when you want to watch your spending, it’s a good idea to use cash instead of credit cards because it can be harder to part with physical money. While this strategy doesn’t build savings overnight, it's a solid approach for slow-and-steady savings growth.

3. Prep for grocery shopping

A little work before you go to the grocery store can go a long way toward helping you save money on groceries. Check your pantry and make a shopping list to avoid impulse buying something you don't need. Learn how to get coupons and join loyalty programs to maximize your savings as you shop. In exchange for sharing your phone number or email address, your local store’s loyalty program might offer additional discounts.

If you use a cash-back credit card, you could earn extra cash back on grocery purchases. Some cards offer as much as 5% or 6% cash back, but you’ll want to be sure to pay off your bill each month to avoid paying interest and fees.

If you shop for groceries at a large retailer like Target, Amazon or Walmart, you can often find additional savings by downloading the store’s app. And apps like Flipp help you sort through sales flyers and coupons from local stores when you enter your ZIP code.

4. Minimize restaurant spending

One of the easiest expenses to cut when you want to save more is restaurant meals, since eating out tends to be pricier than cooking at home. If you do still want to eat at restaurants, try to reduce the frequency and take advantage of credit cards that reward restaurant spending.

You can also opt for appetizers or split an entree with your dining companion to save money when you eat out. Skipping drinks and dessert or indulging in both at home post-dinner can help stretch your budget as well.

5. Get discounts on entertainment

You can take advantage of free days at museums and national parks to save on entertainment costs. Your local community might offer free concerts and other in-person or virtual events; check your local calendar before splurging on pricey tickets to private events. You can also ask about discounts for older adults, students, military members or veterans, first responders and more.

6. Map out major purchases

You can save by timing your purchases of appliances, furniture, cars, electronics and more according to annual sale periods. It’s also worth confirming a deal is actually a deal by tracking prices over time. You can let tools do this step for you; the Camelizer browser extension tracks prices on Amazon and can alert you of price drops. The Honey browser extension pulls in coupon codes and checks for lower prices elsewhere.

When you're shopping in person, make sure you get the best deal by using the ShopSavvy app. It lets you scan bar codes and alerts you of better prices elsewhere.

7. Restrict online shopping

You can make it more difficult to shop online to stop spending money on things you may not need. Instead of saving your billing information, opt to input your shipping address and credit card number each time you order. You’ll probably make fewer impulse purchases because of the extra work involved. You may even consider deleting any shopping apps from your phone for the time being.

8. Delay purchases with the 30-day rule

One way to avoid overspending is to give yourself a cooling-off period between the time an item catches your eye and when you actually make the purchase. If you’re shopping online, consider putting the item in your shopping cart and then walking away until you’ve had more time to think it over. (In some cases, you might even get a coupon code when the retailer notices you abandoned the cart.) If 30 days seems like too long to wait, you can try shorter periods like a 24- or 48-hour delay.

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9. Get creative with gifts

You can save money with affordable gift ideas, like herb gardens and books, or go the do-it-yourself route. Baking cookies, creating art or preparing someone dinner can demonstrate that you care just as much as making an expensive purchase, and perhaps even more so. You can also shower someone with the gift of your time by offering to take them to a local (free) museum or other event.

To plan for costs, create a calendar for all the important gift-giving events for the year. Then create a savings bucket or "sinking fund" specifically for gifts, and buy the items during major sale periods like Independence Day, Labor Day or Black Friday.

10. Lower your car costs

Refinancing your auto loan and taking advantage of lower interest rates could save you considerably over the life of your loan. Shopping around for car insurance regularly can also help you cut costs compared with simply letting your current policy auto-renew. You can cut ongoing car maintenance costs by driving less, removing heavy items from your trunk and avoiding unnecessary rapid acceleration.

11. Reduce your gas usage

You can't control prices at the pump, but you can do several things to cut your gas usage and save money. Try using a gas app to pinch pennies when you do fill up.

12. Bundle cable and internet

You could lower your cable bill by as much as $40 per month by downsizing your cable package. And you could save more than $1,000 over two years by bundling your cable and internet service, depending on your carrier. Another option to consider is cutting cable or at least cutting some of your additional streaming services or premium subscriptions.

13. Switch your cell phone plan

Changing your plan is one way to save money on your cell phone bill, but it’s not the only way. Signing up for autopay and paperless statements can save you an additional $5 to $10 per month, per line. Removing insurance from your plan could save you $80 to $300 per year, depending on your plan. We compared different cell phone plans to help you find the best match.

14. Reduce your electric bill

Big and small changes in your energy usage can help you save hundreds annually on your electric bill. Consider plugging any insulation leaks in your home, using smart power strips, swapping in more energy-efficient appliances and switching to a smart thermostat. Even incremental drops in your monthly electricity usage can add up to big savings in the long term.

15. Lower your student loan payments

Enrolling in income-driven repayment could lower your monthly payments to a manageable level since the amount you pay is tied to your earnings. Other options include refinancing, enrolling in autopay to trigger a discount and making extra payments so you can unload the debt faster, which cuts the overall interest you’ll pay.

16. Cancel unnecessary subscriptions

You might be paying for subscriptions you no longer use or need. Reviewing your credit card or bank statement carefully can help you flag any recurring expenses you can eliminate. And avoid signing up for free trials that require payment information, or at least make a note or set a calendar reminder to cancel before the free period ends.

17. Refinance your mortgage

If you’re able to snag a lower interest rate, refinancing your mortgage can save you several hundred dollars each month. Use our mortgage refinance calculator to find out how much you could save. While refinancing comes with some initial costs upfront, they can be recouped over time, once you start paying less each month.

18. Set savings goals

Set a specific but realistic goal. It may be “save $5,000 in an individual retirement account this year” or “pay off my credit card debt faster.”

Use a savings goal calculator to see how much you’d have to save each month or year to reach your goal.

19. Track spending

Keep track of your monthly cash flow — your income minus your expenditures. This step will also make it easier to mark progress toward your savings goal. Try a budget app that tracks your spending. (NerdWallet has a free app that does just that.) Or you can follow these five steps to help track your monthly expenses.

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20. Pay off high-interest debt

Debt payments can be a huge burden on your overall budget. If you can pay off high-interest debt more quickly through extra payments using the snowball or avalanche methods, you’ll save on total interest paid and free yourself from that burden sooner. Then, start putting the money into savings instead. If you don’t have disposable income to make extra payments, consider picking up a side hustle to make money to put toward your debt.

21. Keep savings in a high-yield savings account

As you work toward your financial goals, make sure to put your accumulating funds in a high-yield online savings account to maximize your money. Some of the best online accounts pay interest rates that are higher than the ones at large traditional banks.

22. Create a 50/30/20 budget

One smart way to manage your money — and hopefully hold on to more of it — is to follow a budget, which means setting priorities for your spending.

At NerdWallet, we recommend the 50/30/20 budget for money management. This approach means devoting 50% of your after-tax income to necessities, 30% to wants and 20% to savings and any debt payments. If one of your allocations exceeds these percentages, you can make some adjustments elsewhere.

23. Shop consignment and thrift stores

Shopping at thrift or consignment stores is a way to save money. Consignment stores sell items for you, giving you a cut of the money, whereas at thrift stores you shop used items. Platforms like ThredUp, an online consignment and thrift store, do both. You can buy used clothes as well as donate old clothes you don’t want and earn money or shopping credits.

Whether buying at a consignment or thrift store, compare prices to ensure you’re getting a reasonable discount.

Consider buying hobby supplies at a thrift store. That way, if you decide you want to drop the hobby, you haven’t spent tons on equipment.

24. Join initiatives to get free items

Initiatives like The Freecycle Network and Buy Nothing groups make it possible to get items you need for free. You can exchange items locally for free with the goal of reducing waste and helping the environment. If you're looking for free clothing, check out community swap events.

25. Use car sharing services

If you need to rent a car, consider nontraditional car-sharing services like Turo or Getaround. Look at these services as the Airbnbs of cars. Do your homework to see if car-sharing services work out cheaper than large, well-known rental services. If you don’t drive much because you work remotely or just choose not to have a car, you may also find using car-sharing services works out cheaper than owning a car or using taxis.

26. Stock up on household supplies when they’re cheap

It can feel like you’re constantly buying items like dishwashing soap, paper towels or toiletries. Track your inventory of household supplies and consider buying these items in bulk when they’re on sale. It may work out cheaper than rushing to buy them last-minute when they’re selling at full price. Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program can also be a way to get regular shipments of household supplies at a discount.

27. Enjoy community events

Getting out and having new experiences can be expensive. Find low-cost or free events in your community by checking listings at libraries, churches and websites like Eventbrite. Or enter your city and "events" in a search engine to find some things to do.

Community events can be an inexpensive way to keep kids engaged and spend quality time together. For outdoor events, pack snacks and water to minimize the amount you spend on food.

28. Cash in on your birthday

Once a year, set aside extra money by getting freebies and discounts on your birthday. You could get free food or rewards to redeem on clothing purchases. We compiled a list of dozens of companies that offer birthday freebies.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I save each month?

Saving from 10% to 20% of your paycheck is a solid goal, but the details can get more complicated. Learn how to determine the right amount of savings for you.

How can I save money fast?

Saving money more quickly often starts with making sure your money is working for you by placing it in a high-yield savings account. Learn more about making your money work harder for you.

How can I build an emergency fund?

An emergency fund can be there for you when you face an unexpected cost or income loss. Building one starts with setting a savings goal and working toward it. Get more ideas about how to build an emergency fund of your own.

How much should I save each month?

Saving from 10% to 20% of your paycheck is a solid goal, but the details can get more complicated. Learn how to determine the

right amount of savings for you

.

How can I save money fast?

Saving money more quickly often starts with making sure your money is working for you by placing it in a high-yield savings account. Learn more about

making your money work harder for you

.

How can I build an emergency fund?

An emergency fund can be there for you when you face an unexpected cost or income loss. Building one starts with setting a savings goal and working toward it. Get more ideas about

how to build an emergency fund

of your own.

» Learn more: How to save money in Canada

How To Cut the Cord and Never Pay for Cable TV Again

Are you tired of paying a costly cable or satellite TV bill each month? You may be able to cut the cord and start saving money in 2024!

If you’re paying $100 or more per month for your cable television service, there’s a good chance that streaming TV can help you save hundreds of dollars each year without losing access to the content that matters most to you.

And in the process, you may find that you don’t miss the cable channels you’ve been paying to hold onto for so long!

In this article, I’ll outline strategies for saving money on your television budget by switching to streaming. I’ll also give you tips for the most cost-effective way to switch from cable to streaming TV.

This article was updated in April 2024 and I review it every three months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here.

How To Cut the Cable TV Cord and Save Money

Thanks to advances in the streaming TV world over the last few years, your options for saving money by ditching cable TV are plentiful. And it’s never been easier.

Even a move as simple as switching your monthly $100 cable bill to a $70 streaming bill will save you $360 per year!

In this article, I’ll answer all the questions you might have about making the switch by walking you through this process step-by-step.

If you already know the answer to some of these questions for your household, feel free to skip ahead.

1. Make Sure You Have Adequate High-Speed Internet

The first thing to consider when dipping your toes into the streaming world is whether or not your internet service can support cutting the cord.

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You need a high-speed network in your home that’s capable of streaming your live and on-demand content in addition to your regular internet use. Unlike with cable and satellite TV, streaming is going to cause a strain on your connection.

Each streaming service has its own minimum internet speed for optimal high-definition viewing, but Team Clark has landed on 10 Mbps as the minimum speed you need to feel comfortable that you’ll get a quality stream.

You can read more about the internet speed requirements for streaming services here.

In the early days of streaming TV, a good internet connection was a big hurdle for people on limited budgets and those who live in rural areas.

But as internet speeds increase across the country, the access to service fast enough to stream television has become much better. And many potential cord-cutters are already paying for some sort of high-speed internet.

If you’re willing to watch content on your wireless phone, you may also find that the expanding 5G connections available on many networks provide internet speeds adequate for high-definition viewing.

2. Smart TV vs. Streaming Device: Make Your Choice

Once you’re sure that your internet service is sufficient, your next big decision is how you’ll consume the streaming content once you cut the cord.

If you’re looking to replicate the cable experience on your living room television, then you’ll need a way to connect that TV to your streaming subscriptions. Think of it as needing access to a cable box without paying that pesky monthly fee to get one.

There generally are two options for this: You can either use a smart TV that has streaming apps built into the menu, or you can make a one-time purchase of a streaming device to connect to your TV.

Though many of you may be perfectly happy with the way your smart TV performs, we generally suggest that streamers pick a streaming device (such as Roku or Amazon Fire TV).

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There are a few reasons why having a streaming device could be advantageous:

  • User-friendly interfaces: Our experience with smart TVs is that the user experience can vary greatly by model. Some can be clunky and slow. When you have a Roku or Amazon Fire device, you’re typically getting a top-of-the-line experience in custom-built and well-maintained ecosystems.
  • Most apps live here: With a few notable exceptions, Roku and Amazon Fire typically have access to the major streaming apps for live, on-demand consumption — for free. Smart TVs sometimes are limited in their content selections and can be slower to adapt when new services come along.
  • They’re portable: Streaming devices plug into your TV’s HDMI port, which means you can simply unplug it to move from room to room as needed. You also can take this to a friend’s house or on vacation. Your smart TV can be moved as well, obviously, but who wants to lug a 60-inch TV around?
  • You can connect your content between devices: If you have three or four different brands of smart TVs in your home, the experience may vary. But purchasing a Roku stick for each and connecting the same Roku account to all of them lets you keep all of your apps, favorites, etc., at your fingertips no matter which television you’re using.

3. Figure Out How You’ll Watch Local Channels

If you need access to your local channels without cable, such as ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX or PBS, you’ll likely have to sign up for a streaming service that provides them or try to get those channels for free with an antenna.

Live TV streaming services like YouTube TV provide access to local channels, but less expensive live TV services, such as Philo, do not.

Antennas are relatively cost-effective and provide free access to local channels broadcasting in your area.

The quality of access to these channels is directly correlated to the power of your antenna and your distance from the towers of your local TV stations. If you live relatively near those towers, you may need an antenna that reaches only 20-50 miles.

Mohu, which is one of the top-rated antenna brands for cord-cutters, offers a “metro” antenna for under $25. It has a 30-mile range. However, you may require a more powerful and costly antenna if you live in a rural setting.

4. Check Out the Free Streaming Content Available

Before you go wild signing up for new subscription streaming services, I recommend that you take a little time to research some of the free options available to you.

The free streaming market has thousands of hours of TV shows and movies available, and you can jump in and out of these services without signing up for accounts or handing over your credit card.

After watching these services for a few weeks, you might be surprised at just how little you miss the hundreds of channels you were paying for — but not actually watching — with your cable subscription.

Team Clark has done extensive research on the free streaming market, so be sure to check out our guide to the best free streaming services.

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But if you’re in a hurry to get started, here are a few free services that I recommend you try first:

Also, don’t be afraid to check out non-traditional free streaming TV options such as YouTube and Twitch. They have growing libraries of original content that may catch your eye.

5. Find the Cheapest Way To Watch the Cable Channels You Love

Many cord-cutters stress over the potential of losing access to the channels they love watching on cable.

The good news is that almost every channel, sporting event, movie or TV show available on cable is also streamed nowadays.

Team Clark has developed a tool to help you find the right live TV streaming services based on the channels that you watch the most.

All you have to do is type in the names of the channels you like (add as many as you want!), and our tool will help you figure out which service carries them and how much the packages with that service cost.

Show all channels

5 Star Max

911 Network

A&E

ABC

ABC Localish

ABC News Live

ACC Network

ACC Network Extra

AccuWeather

Adult Swim

AfricaNews

AMC

American Heroes Channel

American Heroes Channel

Animal Planet

aspireTV

At Home with Family Handyman

AWE

AWE Plus

Axe TV Now

AXS TV

AXS TV Now

BabyFirst

BabyTV

Bandamax

BBC America

BBC World News

beIN Sports

beIn Sports 4

beIn Sports 5

beIn Sports 6

beIn Sports 7

beIn Sports 8

beIn Sports ñ

BET

BET Gospel

BET Her

BET Jams

BET Soul

Big Ten Network

Billiard TV

Black News Channel

Bleav Football

Bleav Sports

Bloomberg Originals

Bloomberg Quicktake

Bloomberg TV

Bloomberg TV+

Boomerang

Bounce TV

Boxing TV

Bravo

BYUtv

C-SPAN

C-SPAN2

Carol Burnett Show

Cartoon Network

Catchy Comedy

CBS

CBS Sports Network

CBSN

CGTN

Charge!

Cheddar

Cheddar News

Chicken Soup for the Soul

Chive (Atmosphere)

Choppertown

CineLife

Cinemax

Cinemax ActionMax

Cinémoi

Cinevault

Cinevault 80’s

Cinevault Classics

Cinevault Murder & Mayhem

Circle

Circle Country

Classic Reruns TV

Classic Reruns TV

CLEO TV

CMT

CMT Music

CNBC

CNBC World

CNN

CNÑ

CNN HD

CNN International

Comedy Central

Comedy Dynamics

Comedy Dynamics

Comedy.TV

Comet TV

Cooking Channel

Cornhole TV

Court TV

Court TV Legendary Trials

Cowboy Channel

Cowboy Way

Cozi TV

Crackle

Crime & Investigation

Crime + Investigation

CuriosityStream

Dabl

Dark Matter TV

Dark Star TV

Day Star HD

De Pelicula Classico

De Pelicula Plus

Deck The Hallmark

Design Network

Destination America

Direct 4K

Direct 4K Live

Direct 4K Live 2

Discovery Channel

Discovery en Español

Discovery Familia

Discovery Family

Discovery Life

Disney Channel

Disney Junior

Disney XD

DIY Network

Docurama

Dove Channel

Dove Family Movies

Dove Kids

DragRace Universe

ducktv

Dust

E!

EarthxTV

Goto SUNUA to know more.

Electric Now

EPIX Drive-In

ESPN

ESPN College Extra

ESPN Deportes

ESPN HD

ESPN2

ESPN3

ESPNews

ESPNU

Esports

Estrella Games

Estrella News

Estrella TV

ESTV

Euronews

Fail Army

Family Movies Classics

Family Time

FanDuel TV

FETV

Fight Network

FM

FMC – Family Movies Classic

Food Network

ForoTV

FOX

FOX Business Network

FOX College Sports

FOX Deportes

FOX East (WNYW)

Fox Live Now

FOX News Channel

FOX Soccer Plus

Fox Soul

FOX Sports 1

FOX Sports 2

FOX Weather

France24

Freeform

frndlyTV

fubo Movie Network

fubo Sports Network

Fuel TV

Fuse

Fuse Music

FX

FX HD

FXM

FXX

FYI

G4

Galavision

Game Show Network

Game+

Gameshow Central

GetTV

Ginx Esports TV

Glory

GOL TV

GOL TV Spanish

Golf Channel

Great American Adventure

Great American Country

Great American Family

Great American Living

Great Courses Signature Collection

Great Entertainment Television

Grit

GustoTV

Hallmark Channel

Hallmark Drama

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

HBO

HBO Comedy

HBO Family

HBO Latino

HBO Signature

HBO Zone

HBO2

HDNet Movies

Heartland TV

Heroes & Icons

HGTV

History

History en Español

HLN

HSN

i24 News English

IFC

Impact Network

Impact Wrestling

Infast

Insight TV

INSP

Introuble

Investigation Discovery

Inwonder

Ion

Ion Mystery

Ion Plus

Jewelry Television

Jewish Life TV

Johnny Carson TV

Justice TV

JusticeCentral.TV

Kids Street

KIN

LAFC

Laff

Law & Crime

Lifetime

Lifetime Movie Network

Live Tennis

Local Now

Localish

LOGO

Longhorn Network

LSN

Magnolia Network

Marquee Sports Network

MAVTV

Maximum Effort Channel

MeTV

MeTV+

MGM+

MGM+ Drive-In

Military History

MLB Game of the Week

MLB Network

MLB Network Strikezone

MotoAmerica TV

MotorTrend

Movie Max HD

Movies!

MSG

MSG+

MSG+2

MSG2

MSGSN

MSGSN2

MSNBC

MTV

MTV Classic

MTV Live

MTV2

MTVU

My 9

MyNetworkTV

Mystery Science Theater 3000

NASA TV

Nat Geo Wild

National Geographic

NBA TV

NBC

NBC News Now

NBC Sports

NBC Universo

NBCLX

NBCSN

NDTV 24×7

NECN

News 12 NY

News18

Newsmax

NewsNation

NewsNet

Newsy

Next Level Sports

NFL Network

NFL Redzone

NHL Network

Nick Jr.

Nickelodeon

NickMusic

Nicktoons

Nosey

Nosey Judge

OAN Plus

Olympic Channel

One America News Network

Origin Sports

Orlando City

Outdoor Channel

Outside TV

Ovation TV

OWN – Oprah Winfrey Network

Oxygen

Oxygen True Crime

Pac-12 Arizona

Pac-12 Bay Area

Pac-12 Los Angeles

Pac-12 Mountain

Pac-12 Network

Pac-12 Oregon

Pac-12 Washington

Paramount Network

PBS

PBS Kids

PCMag.com

People Are Awesome

People TV

Pet Collective

PFL

PixL

Players TV

Pocket.Watch

Poker Go

Poker Night in America

POP

PopcornFlix

Professional Fighters League

Pursuit

QVC

QVC2

QVC3

Real Nosey

Realmadrid.tv

Recipe.TV

Recipe.TV

Reelz

RetroCrush

Revolt

Revry

Revry News

RFD-TV

RIDE TV

ROI

RT America

Ryan and Friends

Science Channel

Scientology Network

Scream Box

Scripps News

SEC Network

SEC Network+

Sensical

Sensical Gaming

Sensical JR

Sensical Jr.

Sensical Makers

Shop LC

ShortsTV

Shout! Factory TV

SHOWTIME

SHOWTIME 2

SHOWTIME Extreme

Showtime Family

Showtime FamilyZone

Showtime Next

Showtime Showcase

Showtime Women

SHOxBET

Smithsonian Channel

SNY

Sony Movie Channel

Speed Vision

Sports Grid Live

Sports News

SportsGrid

Sportsman Channel

SportStak

Stadium

Stadium 1

Stadium 2

Stadium 3

Start TV

STARZ

Starz Cinema

Starz Comedy

STARZ Encore

STARZ Encore Action

STARZ Encore Black

STARZ Encore Classic

STARZ Encore Family

STARZ Encore Suspense

STARZ Encore West

STARZ Encore Westerns

Starz In Black

STARZ Kids & Family

Story Television

SundanceTV

Swerve Sports

Syfy

T2

Tastemade

Tastemade Home

Tastemade Travel

TBD

TBS

TCM

TCT Network

TeenNick

Telehit

Telehit Musica

Telemundo

Telenovelas

Tennis Channel

The Big Dish

The Bob Ross Channel

The Cowboy Channel

The CW

The Design Network

The Elvis Presley Channel

The First

The Longhorn Network

The Pet Collective

The Weather Channel

TheGrio

ThrillerMax

Ticker News

TLC

TNT

Toon Giggles

Toon Giggles Junior

TR35 SD

Travel Channel

True Crime

True Crime Now

truTV

TUDN

TUDNxtra

TUDNXtra

TV Land

TV One

TVG

TVG2

TyC Sports

TYT Network

UniMás

Universal Kids

Universo HD

Univision

UPtv

USA Network

USA Today

Vevo ’80s

Vevo ’90s

Vevo Country

Vevo Hip-Hop

Vevo Holiday

Vevo Pop

VH1

Vice

Viceland

VSiN

Waypoint TV

WE tv

Weather Spy

WeatherNation

WGN America

Whoa That Was Wild

WLNY 1055

Womensports Network

World Fishing Network

World Poker Tour

YES Network

YouTube Originals

Z Living

Zona Futbol TUDN

If this tool doesn’t answer all your comparison shopping questions, you may also find our side-by-side channel comparison chart useful.

6. Assess the Streaming Market To Make Smart Decisions for Your Wallet

There are three basic types of streaming services that you can use to replace your cable TV experience:

Depending on the type of content you like to watch and your monthly budget, your best choice may range from sticking to one of those exclusively to using some combination of all three.

Don’t lose sight of the fact that you’re cutting the cord in an effort to save money.

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You can gain an understanding of what each type of streaming service offers by clicking on the links above. But here’s a quick rundown of what each offers and what you can expect to pay for access.

When it comes to paying for services, make sure you evaluate the savings potential by recognizing seasonal changes in your consumption.

For example, if you’re a football fan who pays for cable primarily to watch games in the fall, perhaps you’re a good candidate to pay for a live TV streaming service for 4-5 months out of the year and then cancel it. That move alone could save you hundreds of dollars per year.

Or maybe you subscribe to Netflix just to binge-watch one or two shows. Do you really need to hand Netflix up to $20 per month for the 9-10 months per year that your favorite shows aren’t releasing new episodes? That’s upwards of $200 that could stay in your pocket each year.

Do you like to travel in the warm weather months? You could consider shutting off your streaming subscriptions while you’re out and about during the summer.

Thanks to the ability to cancel streaming services without penalties, these are money-saving options most cable subscribers have never enjoyed!

Final Thoughts on Cutting the Cord

Are you ready to ditch that cable bill forever?

Great! I hope you are inspired to save money and excited to try all the great streaming services available to you.

Here are a few things to remember as you go forward on your quest to cut the cord:

  • Good internet service is key for streaming. Most people are already paying for high-speed home internet whether they’re cable subscribers or not, but it’s important to remember that you’ll need at least 10 Mbps to stream most services without buffering interruptions.
  • Take advantage of free trials. I talked a lot about video streaming services and live TV streaming services that charge monthly fees, but here’s some additional good news: Many of them offer 7 or 14-day free trials. Use those as a streaming “test drive” before you say goodbye to cable TV.
  • You can quit at any time. The beauty of streaming TV is that the majority of these services bill you on a month-by-month basis. If you can’t afford a certain service any longer or it stops carrying the content you like, all you have to do is cancel, and you’ll owe nothing beyond your current month’s bill.
  • Even a little bit of savings is a win. We talked about some pretty extreme content changes that could save you thousands of dollars over the next few years. But even the small savings you get by switching from cable to YouTube TV, for example, is still a big move in the right direction. That money adds up!

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Article Updates
  • May 2023: Updated pricing on Mohu Leaf antenna.