In today’s age of smart devices and constant connectivity, one of the best bright spots of our technological developments is the ability to stream virtually anything, anywhere, at any time. Streaming has become so powerful that cord-cutting is now a much more viable option for many young people and old people alike.
Before, cable and satellite use to dominate the entertainment media landscape, but with the rise of streaming platforms and instant content access, those days are quickly being left in the rearview. The important thing to know about cord-cutting is that it might not be for you, so here are some things to keep in mind before you do it if you plan on it.
How Often Do You Watch TV?
A good question to ask is how often you watch TV. If you’re paying for cable on a monthly or annual basis, yet you watch less than 2 hours a day, you’re spending a lot of money on a commodity you don’t really use. Streaming could be a more viable option if you think that you’d like to spend less and get to pick and choose how much you watch. Determining how much it would cost based on a minimum viewership is a good way to help reduce your monthly bills by cutting the cord and switching to something more flexible.
What Subscriptions Are You Willing to Sign Up For?
The problem with cutting the cord and going towards streaming is that there is a gauntlet of choices to pick from. Amazon Prime, Netflix, CBS, Hulu, HBO, Disney+, the list is growing and growing, but that just means more choices, right? Yes and no, if you check out cordcuttingreviews.com, you can see that not every service is better than cable, while some are discernably better. It’s important to look at the features and content they offer, the costs, and if you’re willing to pay those costs.
How Many Are You Willing to Pay For?
Not only are you looking at how many you may want to sign up for, but you’re also inclined to consider that you might not be willing to pay for all of them. This means making that informed decision, but also knowing that you may have to sacrifice some content in the name of saving money. Just like paying for a cable package with certain channels, you want to pick a service that you know you’ll actually watch the content. Don’t get tunnel vision on one show or program and forget to notice that nothing else on the service is really worth your time or money.
What Programs Do You Typically Watch?
Again, just like traditional television, you want to pick the services that cater to your needs. If you have kids, then Disney+ is a slam dunk choice, but a more well-rounded option would be Netflix, meanwhile, you might only want sports content so ESPN+ or DAZN could be more your speed. You want to pick the services that cater to your viewing habits so you aren’t spending money on programs you’ll never watch.
How Fast is Your Internet Speed?
The benefit of satellite and cable is that they are mostly independent of your ISP, but streaming is directly dependent on how good your internet quality is. All streaming services offer HD programming, with some starting to roll out UHD and even 4K, but that only matters if your internet can handle it. Downloading, uploading, running multiple devices, all of these factors can slow down your streaming and give you low bitrate and poor quality. Test your internet speeds, read reviews on the quality of streaming services, and determine if your bandwidth can handle it before making the leap of cutting cords.
How Many Family Members Use Your Devices?
Another big factor is profile sharing. In one household, your streaming service will provide you with options like a family plan that gives you X amount of profiles on one account and a certain number of devices that can be used at once. If you live alone, it’s ideal because you can pick and choose who can use your profile and not have to worry, but with kids or more people in a house, it becomes tougher with more devices in use. Pick the right plan so everyone can enjoy streaming after you decide to cut the cord for good.
Some people still love cable and satellite TV because of the convenience, and it’s hard not to see why, but many people are quickly becoming cord-cutters and switching to streaming services. Before you decide on which path you’ll choose, use these reminders to make the right choice that benefits you.
