Most houses in the U.S. are able to get cable through local providers. I would say from my experience most of you feel like you are overpaying for your cable but may not be aware of other options.
Most people are not using their cable to it’s fullest capabilities. By evaluating your cable usage you might be able to find a cheaper alternative to paying for full cable!
1. The most basic step is to compare your costs to all other companies that provide the same service. Check the prices on all the cable companies in town as well as satellite television. If there is a company in town that has services cheaper than your current provider, call and let them know you are thinking about switching.
2. If you need other services, be sure you are bundling. (Make sure to take the time to evaluate if you REALLY need all of these services.) Most of the time there is a benefit to having your phone, internet and cable through the same provider. Try to have all three through the same company and maximize your savings.
3. Watch for promotions on television and the paper. Are they offering free months or perks to new subscribers? Call and negotiate- you never know what they will be able to give you.
4. Keep track of what you watch! You may be able to get rid of some of your channels and move to a smaller package.
5. Don’t do pay per view or on demand. Use Red Box.
6. Consider Hulu and Netflix.
7. Do an experiment- consider taking a month and doing this experiment. For the whole month only watch shows that you would be able to see with rabbit ears on your television. For the remaining shows check out which ones are available online. You can check the websites of the station or Hulu. If you have searched every where online and can not find them, purchase them on Itunes. At the end of the month add up those purchases- they might be cheaper than your current cable bill!
I hope these seven tips can help you cut your cable bill without missing your favorite shows!