Ready to Cut the Cord?
You can't control inflation, but you can control your spending. I'm always looking for ways to make our money last longer (money multipliers). Recently my husband Stephen suggested a new one, "cutting the cord", meaning cancelling cable TV and getting the shows we watch from streaming services.
I was a little reluctant — wasn't everything working just fine? But I agreed. Sometimes a spouse must pick her battles...
Stephen understood that the transition had to be seamless. To reduce the pressure, he made the switch when I was away on a “girls” trip. He would not have me watching over his shoulder during the transition and could fix any problem before my return.
The moment of truth arrived. I clicked on my Apple TV remote and... all my channels and shows were just a click away!
I don't miss cable. Using streaming services is easy and has several advantages:
- Lower cost – most people save at least $100 per month.
- I can use it on all my devices – such as my phone and tablet.
- I can still watch "live TV".
- All my apps show up on one screen that's easy to navigate.
- My kids think we are “hip”.
If you are thinking of cutting the cord, here are a few things to consider:
- See what (if any) penalties you will have when you cancel cable.
- Make sure you have high-speed internet.
- If you don't have a smart TV, buy a media streaming device such as an Amazon Fire TV Stick or a Roku Streaming Stick.
- Decide what you want to watch. Oversubscribing to streaming services (easy to do) will eat into your savings.
I hope you will think about “cutting the cord”. Not only did we save money, but I got a few spousal brownie points as well!
Shari Greco Reiches
Shari co-founded Rappaport Reiches Capital Management with one goal - to maximize the return on life for her clients. Please connect with Shari below. She loves to talk about investing, financial planning, and Barry Manilow.