How to Get TV Without Paying for Cable

How much do you spend on cable TV every month? The average is $75, or $900 per year! Over the course of your life, that’s as much as a BMW 3-Series sedan! Many people spend over a hundred dollars a month on cable! You do the math. Wouldn’t you like to save this money on something else?

Now, if cable TV had tons of good shows on, with no commercials, it might be worth it. But the problem is there are very few really good shows, and there are tons of commercials even though we are paying for it!

The Solution

Most people don’t realize that you can get hi-def TV using a cheap $40 antenna and your existing (relatively modern) TV. TV stations started transmitting their signals digitally a few years ago. If you have a flat-screen TV (the kind that you can hang on a wall), then it is probably capable of receiving digital TV signals. DisableMyCable.com has a quick test to see if your TV is capable of receiving digital TV signals.

The stations you can potentially get are the major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, WB, etc.), some PBS stations, and a few local channels. There is a Station Finder tool on DisableMyCable.com where you can enter your zip code and see which channels you can get.

If your TV is compatible, and you have digital TV stations in your area, all you need is a low-cost antenna!

Ironically, the picture quality of broadcast digital TV is significantly better than that of cable TV! That is because the cable company has to cram so many channels onto the cable that it sacrifices picture quality to do so.

To supplement broadcast channels, you can use Netflix to get DVD’s, or get a set-top box like Roku or Apple TV so that you can order video on demand, or subscribe to a low-cost video service from Netflix or Hulu Plus. I have an Apple TV and started using it to watch YouTube videos. I found that a lot of the Discovery Channel shows I used to like (like Wings and other military history shows) are on YouTube.

If you don’t mind watching TV on your computer, there are lots of sites with free video content. Check out the Internet TV Remote from DisableMyCable.com.

So, check your TV and your area for digital TV compatibility. You might save enough to buy that BMW!