Cable TV and satellite TV are quite expensive, and many people spend over $90 per month for them. This is primarily because they like the convenience of having multiple channels on their TV without needing to subscribe to individual providers. They also offer a wide range of sports and news channels.
You don’t necessarily have to pay so much, or even anything, for quality TV. We explore a few simple ways to get cable TV for free.
Your TV Setup
The free cable sounds great, but you must invest in a suitable TV setup. For example, if your TV has a tuner and antenna, it will catch signals and give you free over-the-air HD channels in your locale. You can get local news and some major networks for free.
This is not nearly as good as cable TV. For that it’s recommended to improve your TV setup some more. You need an internet connection to your TV to stream shows. For this, you either need to invest in a smart TV or you need an external streaming device like an Xbox, PlayStation, Roku, or Apple TV.
Let’s take the example of a PlayStation. Simply connect it to your TV and introduce an internet connection to the PlayStation. Now, you can use it to stream tons of free online content.
Stream Without Extra Costs
You likely already have an internet connection you pay for. With the previously mentioned setup, you can watch free online content from sources like YouTube, Twitch, etc., without paying anything extra.
There is also tons of free TV content online, including cable networks that stream full episodes of TV shows online. These shows may be scheduled and limited to a one-time stream. There may be a restricted viewing window during which you can watch these TV shows for free and only once.
Other online resources like FreeTVOnline and Sidereel can give you access to entire episodes or clips of certain TV shows. Some popular streaming platforms like Hulu also offer free versions and trials for you to experience quality content for free.
You Could Pay A Little For A Lot
Free is free, which is why it will always be great, but you can get a lot if you spend a little. You can spend a small fraction of cable or satellite TV money on excellent streaming services. For example, Amazon Prime starts at less than $90 a year, equal to the typical monthly cost of satellite TV.
They also offer excellent TV shows, HD content, and inexpensive stream rental services. Then there are other streaming platform options like Hulu Plus and Netflix, costing less than $9 per month.
Even if you get all three of these major streaming services, you still pay less than $300 per year, which is great value for the price. If you are into sports, you can opt for services like MLB TV or the latest NFL+ for affordable prices and use your TV setup to stream games.
Final Notes
Our modern, stream-heavy digital world makes it possible for anyone to give up cable or satellite TV and still be able to enjoy a high-quality, cable-like experience. While the free cable options are limited, you can get a lot of value if you are willing to spend as little as $7-$10 per month. All you really need is a decent TV setup that allows you to connect to over-the-air channels and the Internet.
