Change begins with dissatisfaction and, when it comes making people unhappy, cable companies are at the top of the list, right next to airlines and phone companies. So, you’re motivated and here’s how turn that into savings. Cut your cable bill, trim the cable fat and save.

1. Ask for a Better Deal — Call your cable provider and ask if there’s a better deal/package. Tell them you want to cut cable costs and are considering dropping your subscription.
— Be mindful! The “deal” your cable provider might be an introductory that goes up in price after six months or a year.
— If you demand a better deal, don’t be surprised if the cable company says no — know your options, including what satellite providers in your area offer.
— Don’t be a dick! The person you’re talking to on the phone likely gets paid jack all to work in a hell hole — honey, not too sweet, works way better than venom.

2. Trim Your Cable Bill — Purchase your own cable box and/or cable modem (get the right ones, call first!) at Radio Shack, Best Buy, Amazon, etc and eliminate the monthly rental fee you pay to your cable provider.
— Reduce your cable bill by cutting add-ons, like HBO, Starz, HD sports, etc. Figure out what you watch and cut all other channels/services that you can.

3. Get a Digital Antenna — Buy a digital antenna and see how many free, over-the-air digital channels you can get. Enough? Cut your cable bill to zero and save!
— Cord Cutting: A Great Antenna Is Key

Cable Bill: Up, Up and Away!

The average cable bill in the US has gone up by 100 percent over the last 10 years. And, even though millions of people already cut the cord, cable providers just keep raising their prices.

4. Get a Roku, Apple TV or Chromecast — With a Roku box and the Plex Media server, you can legally get hundreds of channels and thousands of movies for free.
— Add Netflix (from $6.99/mo), Hulu Plus ($7.99/mo), Amazon Prime ($79.99/yr), Redbox Instant ($7.99) and/or Target Ticket for fast, high-quality content — these links all direct you to these providers free trials.

5. Watch TV Online — You can watch most shows online, though you will often have to wait 24 hours or even a week after they are broadcast or shown on cable. Another drawback? Networks and cable channels are increasingly requiring online viewers to verify that they have a cable or satellite subscription before allowing allowing them to watch.
— Some programs, like NBC Nightly News (video), are available in podcast form for free
— See also: Mac Dashboard: Watch CNN, BBC, MTV, TWiT, More with WidgetTV 3

6. Cut Cable, Go Mobile — How much does your wireless (T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, etc) provider charge for unlimited data? If that’s less than your cable subscription + broadband bill, consider dropping cable and consolidating phone, internet and TV onto a single mobile data plan.
— Mix and match with Netflix, Hulu Plus etc

Your cable bill IS too high. Already done something about it? Then share your tips, successes and failures in the comments below!

Related Posts:
— Cord Cutting: A Great Antenna Is Key
— Amazon vs Netflix: Combatants or Complementary?
— Satellite, Cable TV Operators Raising Prices
— 10 Apple TV Tips and Their Friends
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