How to Watch Everything You Want Without a Cable Bill

With the rapid rise of mobile technology and smart devices, we’ve gained all-time access to connection—and it’s changed the way we watch TV. We’re in an era where you can essentially watch everything you want without paying for a traditional cable bill. For starters, we have smart device hubs like Apple TV, Roku and Google Chromecast that stream entertainment via various applications and networks. There are a multitude of ways to side step traditional cable. It’s time to get with the present, cut the cord and try out these non-traditional viewing entertainment options that are becoming the new standard.

Use Network Apps

So long as you have a connected device or video-streaming hub you can choose the kind of entertainment you want to view without paying the full price of cable. Many networks understand that cable is changing and have created dedicated network apps to supplement and support watching shows and movies through smart devices. This means big cable giants such as ESPN, CNN and FX all allow you to watch “live TV” through their paired apps instead of having a traditional cable box. You may need to pay for a subscription, or for those who are really trying to save a penny, see if you can get the cable login information from your one friend that still pays for it and use that login to access live TV from cable networks via the apps.

There’s also standalone entertainment apps like Netflix that have entirely changed cable market. Netflix pioneered a way for people to view shows and movies, either from other production companies and networks or Netflix Originals, using a small monthly subscription model versus big cable bill. To further encourage this cable alternative, mobile carrier T-Mobile is currently running a promotion that covers a free Netflix subscription with cell phone plans. With such enticing options, it’s tough to resist moving away from traditional cable to these more cost-efficient alternatives.

Bundle Your Apps

A step up from just subscribing to individual apps is bundling your entertainment all in one with platforms like Hulu, DirectTV Now, PlayStation Vue and Sling TV. These services allow you to stream live TV from various networks at a set price that’s much lower than paying for a cable bill. With services like Sling, which is dubbed “A La Carte TV” you can pick and choose which networks you’d like to bundle—it enables consumers to have more power in choosing what they want to watch out within cable and pay for what they actually watch.

Another pay-as-you-go entertainment option is using Amazon Prime Video and iTunes. With these apps, you can buy shows or movies as you please, either for rent or to buy permanently. Instead of paying for on-demand cable through a cable provider, where you may not capitalize on the full package, you’ll pay in small amounts for the entertainment you actually watch.

Organize & Share Your Entertainment Collection

With the connected technology that has grown exponentially in the past decade, it’s all about sharing—and that applies to media entertainment. You can now organize your entertainment media collection in one place with the Plex media-streaming app. Plex works like a cloud-based server for all of your online entertainment content, including music, movies and shows you’ve downloaded. You can then use the app from different devices like your laptop, smartphone or tablet. And the best part is, others can access your entertainment collection too. Ultimately, Plex is pioneering the way to making all kinds of media entertainment available to more people for a lower cost through a sharing model.

Indoor TV Antenna

Aside from utilizing the many entertainment apps, you also have the option of getting an indoor TV antenna. It’s an old-school principle that holds relevancy in this new age of TV. Indoor television antennas come in various shapes and sizes. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can get the look you want and the cable you need. The way an indoor TV antenna works is that it catches airwaves to bring basic primetime networks to the television screen without needing a cable subscription. This alternative works for those who don’t necessarily need all those channels in the premium cable packages but do want basic access to the standard network channels. One of the best-rated TV antennas comes from Monu Leaf. It’s capable of picking up UHF and VHF signals easily because of its omnidirectional capabilities.

Thanks to modern technology, you can essentially watch everything you want without paying for a cable bill. It’s all about empowering the viewer and allowing them to pick and choose what they want to tune into—it’s the new model for entertainment. So, whether it’s subscribing to individual network apps, bundling various apps and entertainment together using video-streaming services or just getting an antenna that will pick up the standard channels, there’s an option for just about anyone who’s trying to cut the cord and jump on the bandwagon that’s driving a new trend in viewing pleasure.