Am I still saving money by streaming? Yes. Yes I am.

I first cut the cord in 2011. At the time, I was saving $65/month by cutting cable. Yes, I had to buy some equipment for streaming, but that up front investment was paid for by the savings within the first two or three months. That meant that first year, I saved about $650.

That was over a decade ago. If I were to cut the cord today, would I save that much? Would I save anything at all? I feel that I would, but I haven't run the numbers. Until now.

There are a couple of ways looking at this. I'm going to look at a scenario where I've been a cable TV user for some time, and comparing the cost to switching to streaming. And, since I'm not a gamer, I'm going to consider an Internet speed that is sufficient for streaming, but may not suffice for heavy gaming.

I'm a Comcast/Xfinity customer, and I'm using their plans to check this. Currently, a plan with 50 mbps service with 125 cable channels, including local channels, is $109/month plus tax. Oh, the broadcast fees and regional sports fees add another $29.30/month to this, bringing this to $138.30/month, plus tax.

Now, during the first year, with a one-year agreement, there is a $29/month discount.

Also, the 125+ channels package has less than 125 channels if you don't count the music audio only channels, and you don't double count the channels with both an SD and and HD feed. Taking the audio-only music channels, and not double-counting the SD/HD feeds, there are 112 channels. Take out the local channels and you're left with 93 channels that you can't get with an antenna.

My current Internet only 50 mbps service is $49/month. That's it.

Okay, there is more, because we have to add TV channels. There are a couple of ways to do this. I'm close enough to some TV towers to pick up 25 over the air channels reliably. There are more channels I can occasionally pick up, but I'm ignoring those channels. I'm only looking at channels I can pick up. I get 25 local channels. That's six more local channels than Comcast/Xfinity cable offers.

So, what if I add a streaming service to get those other channels, what's the cost? Well, before I go down that road, I need to determine if I really want all those channels. And a quick look shows that I don't.

Of course, I don't care about any of the cable channels outside college football season, but others might. So, what service gets someone what they want?

There are three categories of live-streaming cable replacement services. One category has no news, sports, or local channels. Another category has news and sports but no locals. One category has news, sports, and locals.

If you feel you really need local channels because you don't or can't have an antenna, you probably feel you need the third category. As of this writing, those services, and starting prices, are:

• YouTube TV ($65/month)
• Fubo TV ($65/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month)
• DirecTV Stream ($70/month)

If you have an antenna, or otherwise don't care about local channels, then it comes down to whether or not you want news and sports.

If you do, then you have one option: Sling TV ($35/month).

If news and sports aren't important, but you still want cable channels, then your best options depend on just what you want. You have three main options, depending on the channels in your wish list:

• Frndly.TV ($7/month)
• Philo ($25/month)
• Sling TV ($35/month)

Yes, I know I included Sling TV in two categories, but the fact is, they have some popular channels that Philo and Frndly.TV don't have. Look into the channels you want, really want, and pick the cheapest one that meets your needs. For example, if Hallmark is a must-have, you may be able to get by with Frndly.TV ($7/month). Or, if HGTV is your must have, then Philo ($25/month) is your best option. And, if USA is your must-have, that means Sling TV is your cheapest option.

Of course, you don't have to subscribe to any service year-round. You can subscribe to a service for 30 days only, then cancel if other services will suffice. By other services, I'm talking bout Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, Discovery+, or others.

That's an important thing to consider. There's no year-long commitment to any streaming service, whether a live or on-demand service. You can subscribe to a single service for a month, then change to another.

For me, I'm saving a lot of money by streaming instead of having cable. I don't need a live streaming service year-round. I don't need an on-demand service year-round, and there are enough to swap around month to month.

Will you save money? Or ar you already saving money? If you plan things right, you may be able to save a lot of money in your Streaming Life, and use that money for something, or someone, else. Valentine's Day is coming, after all.

Netflix troubles

Netflix announced this week that their subscribers grew by 8.3 million in the 4th quarter.

The company on Thursday forecast an increase of 2.5 million subscribers in the current quarter, compared with four million a year earlier. It also slightly missed its subscriber estimate for the fourth quarter, adding 8.3 million subscribers instead of the projected 8.5 million.

Netflix stock fell 20% in after-hours trading, while shares of its main streaming rival, Walt Disney Co. , were down 3.4%.

It's not so much the increase in subscribers, but that the increase isn't enough to satisfy the stock gurus. Netflix revenue went up 16%, to $7.71-billion. That's a lot of money, but not enough for some people. And, their stock fell 20% because of that.

Think about if your income went up 16% in three months, and people were disappointed in you. But, that's how things work in business.

Netflix offers a lot of content that people like. A lot of people like it, and spend over $2-billion/month to do use the service. And that is disappointing investors. So, what'll happen? Probably not much. Well, maybe Netflix will have less original programming. Or more. I don't know. All I know is that it's a valuable part of the Streaming Life of a lot of people. I hope it streamers continue to have good options.

DirecTV Stream price increase

This past year, Hulu, Netflix, Frndly.TV, and other services have raised their prices. Now, DirecTV Stream, the most expensive of the live streaming services, is raising prices on most plans this week.

According to a notice on their Website, the prices for service will go up tomorrow on most plans, but not on their cheapest plan. That plan remains at $70/month. The bigger plans, though, go up $5-$10. For grandfathered plans, the increases will be $4-$10.

DIRECTV Stream packages (Current)	Monthly price increase amount
Minimum service ENTERTAINMENT	No increase
CHOICE	$5
ULTIMATE	$10
PREMIER	$10

This is not unexpected. Prices increase because that's what prices do. Or have done to them. Bottom line is it costs more.

How do you deal with this? What can you do about it? Well, there are several ways to go.

One way is to just put up with it. Prices went up, and you pay more. Simple. But that might not sit well. It wouldn't with me.

Another option is to look for a cheaper service. DirecTV Stream is the most expensive service, so just about any other service will save you money. If another service has the channels you want and is cheaper, you can save money by switching services.

And there's the old "do I really need this" option. I don't use a live streaming service year-round. Ask yourself if you need it year round. If you can skip a month or two during the year, you'll end up saving money, even with the price increase.

You can also do both the second and third option. Get a cheaper service that has the channels you want, and only subscribe part of the year. Along with that, look into the free services, such as Pluto TV or Xumo, and see if the content there can substitute for some of the channels on your expensive live streaming service. You might be surprised what you find. Even with the price increases, you may be able to save some money in your Streaming Life.

TV antennae and distance

If you're a cord cutter, or thinking of becoming one, an option you should consider is getting a TV antenna. Most people in the USA live close enough to at least one broadcast tower and could pick up TV signals over the air. That's free.

A long time ago, when I was just a wee lad, that was the only way to watch TV. We had a TV antenna pointed toward the TV towers in Savannah, and we'd watch the stations from that city. It was the closest place that had TV signals. Next closest was Jacksonville, Florida. Or maybe Charleston, South Carolina. But we usually watched Savannah stations. And we used an antenna because that's how you watched TV.

Later, a company ran cable in our area, and we eventually switched over in order to watch the newer channels that were available beyond the Big Three networks of ABC, CBS, and NBC. Fox and CW came much later.

Cable became big. Really big. It made Ted Turner millions, and Braves fans out of many people across the country. It was the part about making millions of dollars that people latched onto. Cable was big. However, the whole time, over the air TV still worked. Many people didn't use it though. Cable was expensive, but convenient.

The increase in streaming services has put a huge dent in cable, and is partly responsible for people remembering, or finding out for the first time, about over the air TV. What was an old market, an only market, was resurrected, and became a hot new market again. And what happens when a new market emerges? Somebody wants to take advantage of it.

A lot of TV antennae that you see in stores make some really outrageous claims. I've seen antennae claiming 200 mile range.

Let me tell you a secret. They're lying. Here's why I can tell you they are lying: the earth is round.

Try this experiment. If you can't do it in person, do it in you mind. Or read this article. You'll see what I mean. Go to the ocean. Stand on the beach and look out over the ocean. See the horizon? Where the sea meets the sky? That's a little over five miles away. Well, for me it is. If you're taller, maybe a little more, and if you're shorter, a little less.

Now, if you're higher, say on top of a building, you can see even farther, maybe ten miles away. Now, if there's a TV tower, those are a bit higher, and you can see them even farther away from the top of a building. But how far away? Maybe as far as 70 miles. Maybe not quite that far.

There are other factors to consider as well. Ground clutter -- the natural or man-made obstructions between you and the object (TV tower, in this instance) -- can negatively affect the signal. The antenna itself can make a difference. All antennae are not created equal. Also, all TV signals are not created equal.

TV stations that broadcast on channels 2-6 are VHF low, channels 7-13 are VHF high, and 14 up are UHF. You need a different antenna for each of those bands. The good news is that you can find an antenna with all three in one. The key thing is, every antenna has all three combined.

Another thing is that not every TV station actually broadcasts on the channel you think. The actual channel may be different than the virtual channel. Let me use my local stations as an example.

All the stations in Savannah except one operate on the same channel by which they identify. WTOC channel 11 broadcasts on channel 11. WJCL channel 22 broadcasts on channel 22. However, WSAV channel 3 actually broadcasts on channel 16.

A better example is Jacksonville. WJXT channel 4 actually broadcasts on channel 42. WJXX channel 25 is on channel 10. WTLV channel 12 is on channel 13. There are more, but I think you see the point. It's complicated.

Regardless of the fruit basket turnover involving virtual and actual channels, if you have an antenna that picks up all three bands, you still need to be close enough to a tower to pick up the station.

There is no such thing as a 200 mile antenna. If you take nothing else away from this, take that. Marketing hype is a fancy term for lying. Don't believe the hype. Do some research, or reach out to an expert. One is Tyler the Antenna Man, but there are others.

If you can, find a good antenna. Use the resources available to get the local channels, if you live close enough.

A new TV?

I wrote a few months back that if you have a smart TV, but it's not a Roku TV, Fire TV, or Android/Google TV, then you should consider getting a streaming device and using that instead. I stand by that recommendation. Let me lay out the case again.

Most TVs today are smart TVs. Not all, but most. The obvious differences of resolution, color, all the things that matter to you, those are the most important things to consider. The smarts inside the TV are not quite as important.

There are four major streaming platforms: Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android/Google TV. Any other platform, at least now, are lesser platforms. Don't even consider using a device on another platform. Of those four major streaming platforms, all but Apple TV can be found built in to some smart TVs.

When it's time to get a TV, it doesn't matter if it's a smart TV or not. All that matters is that you are happy with the picture and the price.

If the new TV is one of the Big Three platforms, then you're okay. Well, if you like the platform. Let me explain.

Suppose you are a fan of Fire TV. You've used Fire TV and you like it. Now, suppose you need a new TV, and after doing all your research, you find a TV that you like, except it is an Android/Google TV platform. That's okay. You don't have to switch to Android/Google TV. You can add a Fire TV Stick to it and use that instead.

Likewise, suppose you are a fan of Roku, but the TV you really like is a Fire TV television. All you have to have to do is add a Roku device to it.

In both of those scenarios, you ended up with a TV giving you the picture you want, and the platform you want. That's because of this one basic truth:

You are not locked in to any platform.

Of course, if you really like Roku, and you find a TV that you really like, and it is a Roku TV, then you're fine. But if the TV platform and your favorite platform aren't the same, add a device and use the device instead.

One of the good things about streaming is getting to watch TV you want, when you want. And changing the platform on a TV by simply connecting a device to it lets you watch it how you want. Your Streaming Life can be exactly how you want it to be.

The more things change...

There are two main ways to stream content: live and on-demand. You probably already knew that. If not, you just never took the time to think about it. But, it's really obvious once you ever do think about it.

In the old days, you could only watch something as it became available. A new episode of I Love Lucy or Star Trek or Cheers would be watched when the network aired it. Or you might watch the baseball game of the week as it happened. That was how you could watch TV.

Eventually, VCRs came available and you could record your soap operas for watching later. That meant there were two ways to watch TV.

Now, you're streaming. And, you can watch TV in one of those two ways. If you have a live streaming service, you can watch the latest episode of NCIS when it airs. This is like the traditional way of watching TV. If you have an on-demand service, you can watch last night's Grey's Anatomy or This Is Us, same as if you had recorded it.

Think about that for a minute. In the 1960s, you would watch live TV. In the 1980s, using a VCR, you could also watch last night's shows today.

Now, in 2022, you can subscribe to a live streaming service and watch live TV, or use the DVR feature, or the on-demand feature, and watch last night's shows today.

See the difference? The dates on the calendar changed. That's it.

Okay, that's not it. In the 1960s, you put up an antenna and watched whatever aired from your three or so local stations. In 2022, you can put up an antenna and watch whatever is airing from your 25+ local stations.

Okay, let me try something else. In 1980, you could use a VHS and record shows instead of arranging your plans around whatever was on cable. In 2022, you can use Hulu to watch last night's shows instead of arranging your plans around whatever is on live TV.

Hmmm. Still not much difference. The change is the method of watching TV, but not really the way we watch it. Instead of cable, we use an Internet connection to stream TV.

But is there really another way to watch TV? Not another method -- antenna, satellite, cable, streaming are simply methods of watching TV -- but a different way. I'm not sure there really is. Stuff is either happening right now, or it happened already. It's a TV, not a TARDIS. We really can't watch TV any other way. Or maybe we just haven't figured it out yet.

I prefer streaming to other ways, but I don't just stream. I have an antenna, and when I use the antenna, I'm doing the same thing in 2022 that I used to do in 1962. I'm watching live TV over the air from an antenna. There are a lot more channels, but it's still over the air free TV. I like free.

I also like streaming on-demand content. I can have a huge library of movies and TV shows without a bunch of VHS tapes taking up a room full. So, while my TV habits went from watching live in the 1960s, adding watching on-demand (VHS recordings) in the 1980s, to ... well, live and on-demand in 2022. I just have a lot more stuff from which to choose. And that's the real difference. That's what makes my Streaming Life enjoyable.

Saving more money when streaming

I cut the cord to save money. When I first looked into streaming, I decided I would not drop cable if I couldn't save money. I spent a year keeping a record of what I watched, and then calculated how much I would have spent if I had streamed instead of watched with cable. And after a year, the numbers showed I wouldn't have saved any money. But it was close. So, the next year, I did it again. And that time, it turns out I would have saved money, so I cut the cord.

That should show that my primary goal in cutting the cord was to save money. I'm not suggesting that's the only reason that should be considered in cutting the cord, but it was a requirement of mine. I'm all about saving money. So, if there's a way to save more money, I'm all in. The main thing I can do -- and you, too -- to save money is to not pay for anything more than I need to.

I'll subscribe to Hulu, Discovery+, Apple TV+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Sling TV, Paramount+, AMC+, and other services. But not all at the same time. And that's the key.

Most of these services offer discounts for a yearly subscription. And, if you were going to have a subscription year-round, it makes sense to subscribe that way. However, I won't watch all these services year-round. Well, with one exception, which I'll talk about briefly, and get out of the way first.

I've been an Amazon Prime member since well before there was a Prime Video service. When I first subscribed to Amazon Prime, it was for the shipping benefits. And, even today, the benefits apart from streaming are worth it to me. So I subscribe yearly, and keep the service year-round. The Prime Video service is a bonus. I'm not a big fan of the app interface and layout, or the Fire TV interface, for that matter, but it does have good content, and I can find something to watch. In fact, I could get by with just that one service, but I don't. However, I don't have a bunch of services.

The streaming service I've used the longest is Hulu. I've subscribed to Hulu ever since Hulu Plus, as it was known way back when, was launched. I don't keep Hulu year-round. I used to, before I came to realize just how much I could save by subscribing only occasionally. Right now, I'm not subscribed, but I will subscribe again soon, because shows I watch will have enough episodes queued up. I'll subscribe for a month, watch everything in queue, maybe a couple of other things, then drop the subscription for a month, two, or three. Maybe four. Then I'll subscribe again, watch the queue, then drop it again. This will go on throughout the year, and I'll end up saving money with the monthly price than I would by paying the discounted yearly price. I'll pay less money, and I'll watch the same TV. That's a bargain in my eyes.

Same thing with the other services. I'll subscribe to one of the other services after I cancel Hulu, then watch that other service for a month. Then, I'll cancel and pick another service for a month.

The idea is to only watch a single service in a month. If you have, say, six services you want to watch, but do them one at a time, one per month, over the year, you'll have saved a shipload of money and watched the same amount of TV. Again, in my eyes, that's a bargain.

What about live streaming services? Personally, I don't need one year-round. Now, I have the advantage of an antenna to watch local channels. I have a DVR attached -- Tablo at one location, Air TV at another -- and they work great. There is the initial upfront expense, but after that, it's really cheap. Air TV doesn't charge for a channel guide. Tablo is $5/month, although you could get a longer term, including lifetime, if you so choose.

Again, I don't need a live streaming service, at least not year-round. During college football season, I'll subscribe to Sling TV (any service will suffice, but Sling TV is the cheapest that carries ESPN) when the season kicks off, and watch for 30 days. By then, five weekends have been covered, and I'll cancel. The next weekend, I'll subscribe again, watch for 30 days, which is another five weekends, then cancel again. Then, the next weekend, subscribe again, watch for 30 days, then cancel. That covers the entire season. Well, until the bowls start. I'll subscribe at the first bowl I want to watch, then cancel after the last game. I'll have subscribed for four months, and watched five months of football.

The rest of the year, I don't need live TV. I can stream on-demand. Or, free streaming services, if I don't really need the current season of some show. Pluto TV, Xumo, and other services offer free live streaming.

The whole topic of whether or not a year-round live streaming service is needed is a topic for another day. Today, I want you to look at the monthly on-demand services, and consider subscribing only occasionally. You'll save a lot of money, and watch the same amount of TV. It keeps the cost of my Streaming Life under control, and could do the same for you.