Cord cutting is still the cheapest way to watch TV, if you do it correctly: David Bruce

David Bruce, Erie Times-News
3 min read
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Inflation has increased the cost of almost everything we buy, and that includes television — unless you get all of your programming through an antenna.

The monthly prices of cable/satellite TV and streaming services have risen in 2022, so is cutting the cord still a good way to save money?

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The short answer is yes. But you need to be a savvy consumer, or be willing to watch fewer channels and streaming services.

It's difficult to determine the average monthly cable/satellite TV price because so many people bundle it with their phone and internet services, and satellite providers offer a lower introductory price that ends after 12 or 24 months.

A good estimate, based on industry articles and subscribers I have talked with, is that the typical cable/satellite TV customer spends between $75 and $130 a month. That amount doesn't include any streaming services, like Netflix, they also purchase.

So let's look at the latest monthly costs for some popular streaming services:

  • Netflix: Plans range from $9.99-$19.99, with a new ad-supported plan starting in November that will cost $6.99.

  • Disney+: $7.99.

  • HBO Max: $9.99, or $14.99 without ads.

  • Apple TV: $4.99.

  • Paramount+: $4.99 or $9.99 without ads.

  • Hulu: $7.99, or $14.99 without ads.

  • Peacock: $4.99, or a limited free version.

  • Amazon Prime Video: $8.99, or $14.99 as part of an Amazon Prime membership.

  • Discovery+: $4.99, or $6.99 without ads.

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Now the monthly costs of various live-streaming services, which carry channels such as ESPN, Fox News, CNN and Food Network:

Sling TV and Philo offer lower prices because they include fewer channels than the other providers.

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So, if you combine one of the more expensive live streamers with three or four other streaming services, like Netflix or Disney+, you end up paying about as much as you would with cable or satellite TV.

But the biggest advantage of streaming is its flexibility. In most cases, you are not locked into a particular service for more than a month.

At my house, we buy Disney+ for a month or two (usually when there is a deal), then "let it go" for a few months until there is enough new programming to make it worth subscribing again.

Speaking of deals, Peacock currently offers a year of its premium service for $19.99, a significant discount from its usual $4.99 monthly or $49.99 annual price. The offer is good through Nov. 19.

My family currently has access to Paramount+ at no extra cost because of our daughter's cell phone plan. Once that deal expires, we will likely drop the streamer.

Our current monthly TV bill is about $63 a month for Sling, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Paramount+. Frankly, we have more options than we use.

Streaming benefits people who aggressively manage their subscriptions, while cable/satellite might be a better option for those who don't want to regularly scour the internet for deals or switch streamers every few months.

But that luxury comes with a cost.

HERE to HELP: Have a consumer question you'd like us to help you with? Leave a message with David Bruce at 870-1736, send an email to david.bruce@timesnews.com or send mail to 205 W. 12th St., Erie, PA 16534.

David Bruce
David Bruce

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Cord cutting cheaper than cable, satellite TV

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