--- title: "Should you cut the cord on cable TV? Work out what you'd save" description: "A guide to cutting the cord on cable or pay TV: compare what you pay with streaming and free options, check your internet, and keep what you watch." author: "Wealtie Team" published: 2026-11-12 updated: 2026-11-12 category: "Budgeting" canonical: https://wealtie.com/blog/cut-the-cord-cable-tv --- # Should you cut the cord on cable TV? Work out what you'd save To cut the cord means replacing a cable or pay-TV package with streaming and free TV. In a worked example, a 75 monthly TV package is replaced by two streaming services and free channels for about 25, saving 600 a year. ## Key takeaways - Compare what you pay for cable or pay TV with the streaming services you'd use instead. - In a worked example, a 75 monthly package is replaced by about 25 of streaming, saving 600 a year. - Rotating streaming services, rather than keeping them all, keeps the cost down. - Check your contract for exit fees and your internet speed before you switch. ## Should you cut the cord? If you pay for a TV package and mostly watch a few channels or streaming services, probably yes. Cable and pay-TV packages often bundle many channels you never watch, and the price tends to rise over time. Replacing it with a couple of streaming services and free TV can cost far less. But it depends on what you watch, so the first step is working out your own numbers. ## How much could you save? Here's a worked example in round numbers that work in any currency: | | Monthly | | --- | --- | | Pay-TV package | 75 | | Two streaming services plus free TV | 25 | | **Saved** | **50** | ![Monthly TV costs. Pay-TV package: 75, Two streaming services and free TV: 25.](https://us-1-s3.polodev.net/wealtie-blog-media/posts/2026/11/monthly-tv-costs-pay-tv-package-75-two-streaming-services-3bc6d27158.webp "Source: Worked example in round numbers") That's 600 a year. Your figures depend on your current package and which services you'd want. Check your last few bills too, since TV packages often rise after an introductory period ends, and the price you're paying now might be well above what you signed up for. ## What do you watch? List the channels and shows you watch in a typical month. Many people find it's a short list. Then check where those shows are available: free-to-air channels, free streaming apps, or paid streaming services. If most of what you watch is available for free or on one or two services, cutting the cord makes sense. Live sport is often the sticking point, since rights can be spread across several services. Price out the sport you'd watch before you cancel. For some fans, a season pass for one service, or watching key matches with friends, costs much less than a full sports package. ## How do you keep streaming costs down? Don't keep every service at once. Rotate: subscribe to one or two for a month or two, watch what you want, cancel and switch. Many services let you cancel any time. Check for price rises, and review subscriptions every few months. [How to save money on entertainment](https://wealtie.com/blog/save-money-on-entertainment) has more on rotating services. Shared family plans can be cheaper per person, if everyone uses them and the terms allow it. Some services offer cheaper plans with adverts, which can be a good trade if you don't mind them. Setting a reminder before a free trial ends avoids paying for a service you didn't mean to keep. ## What about free TV? Free-to-air channels and free streaming apps cover a lot. Depending on where you live, a TV aerial or a free streaming device can give you many channels without a subscription. Check whether your country requires a TV licence or similar fee for watching live TV, since that's a separate cost to include. ## What should you check before cancelling? A few things: - **Contract terms**: some packages have a minimum term and exit fees - **Bundles**: if TV is bundled with internet or phone, cancelling TV can change the price of the rest - **Internet speed**: streaming needs a reliable connection, especially for several people watching at once - **Equipment**: return any boxes the provider requires, to avoid charges If your internet is bundled, compare internet alone with the bundle, since removing TV can sometimes make the internet price rise. [How to save money on internet bill](https://wealtie.com/blog/save-money-on-internet-bill) helps with that side. ### What about watching on a TV without cable? Most modern TVs can stream directly, and older ones work with an inexpensive streaming stick or box. A TV aerial gives free channels in many places. Check that your internet is fast enough for the number of people who'll watch at once, and that the apps you need are available on your device. Once it's set up, many families find they don't miss the old package at all. ## What if you don't want to cancel completely? Ask for a cheaper package. Calling your provider and saying you're thinking of cancelling often brings a better offer. Removing channels you don't watch, or dropping premium add-ons, can cut the bill without giving up everything. Ask for the offer in writing, with the price and how long it lasts, and set a reminder for when it ends, since prices often rise again after a promotional period. [How to negotiate bills](https://wealtie.com/blog/how-to-negotiate-bills) has a script. ## How do you track TV and streaming costs in Wealtie? Set each streaming service up as a monthly recurring transaction with the [bill tracker](https://wealtie.com/features/recurring), so they log themselves and you can see what's due next. When you cancel or switch a service, pause or edit the rule. Logging them in a Subscriptions category in your [expense categories](https://wealtie.com/features/categories) shows the total each month. ## Questions people ask ### Is streaming cheaper than cable? Often, if you keep only one or two services at a time. A worked example saves 50 a month, or 600 a year. ### How do I cut the cord? List what you watch, check where it's available, cancel the package after checking exit fees, and use free TV plus a rotating streaming service or two. ### What about live sport if I cancel cable? Price out the sport you watch first, since rights can be spread across several services. ### Can I get a cheaper TV package instead of cancelling? Often. Calling your provider and mentioning cancellation can bring a better offer or a smaller package. *This article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Your situation is your own; check the numbers that apply to you before you act on them.*