Here it is—the post we promised about cutting the cable cord and how much we’re saving as a result. We’re unabashed TV lovers who often collapse on the couch after a long day of projects and watch a few shows. For years we assumed we weren’t great candidates for cord-cutting because so many of the channels my partner loves weren’t easy to get outside of a traditional cable package.
After growing frustrations with our cable provider and a monthly bill that crept from $99 to $169 over four years, we decided to make a change. It was a winding process, but we landed on a setup that slightly altered our viewing routines and delivered major savings—around $950 a year. Here’s how we did it.
The Situation
To understand our path, here’s where we began. We’d been on a Verizon Fios bundle—cable, internet, and landline—for nearly seven years. We’d originally been attracted by a low introductory price, but by the end of our time with them the monthly bill approached $170. That didn’t include premium channels but did include DVR service and an extra DVR box for an upstairs bonus room.
Over the years our viewing narrowed. On any given day, our DVR inventory tended to include:
- Bravo programming (a big favorite in our house)
- Competition and reality shows like The Bachelor, Survivor, Shark Tank
- Primetime dramas such as The Walking Dead, This Is Us, Scandal
- Kids’ movies recorded from channels like Freeform, FX, or Disney
We weren’t big daytime viewers, sports fans, or nightly-news watchers. We also relied heavily on Netflix. That meant our actual needs were fairly simple—so cutting the cord seemed doable. But we hit a few real obstacles along the way.
Hurdle #1: We Needed A Home Phone
Cutting the landline seemed obvious, but cell service is spotty in our neighborhood and our alarm system required a reliable connection. We looked for a cheaper landline alternative, but the options weren’t significantly less expensive. Bundles are often priced to make individual services seem costly when bought a la carte.
Hurdle #2: Unbundling Isn’t That Much Cheaper
We called Verizon to ask for a phone + internet package without cable, thinking dropping cable would reduce the bill by a third. It didn’t. Quotes varied, and it looked like dropping cable saved only $20–$30 a month. Once we added a cable replacement streaming service, our savings evaporated.
Hurdle #3: Bravo
Because Bravo is a must-have for us, we needed a streaming option that included it. Many popular streaming services don’t include Bravo as part of their base subscriptions. Watching some seasons on-demand or paying per season wasn’t ideal—and would likely cost more over time. Finding a service that carried Bravo turned out to be key.
Cable Solution: Roku + PlayStation Vue
Update: We later switched to Sling for cost reasons, but the setup described here is the route we took initially.
We replaced our two Verizon cable boxes with two Roku devices. Roku is a streaming player with a one-time purchase cost; it simply delivers streaming content from the internet to your TV. We picked Roku because its interface felt straightforward and it doesn’t steer you toward a single company’s content store.
We initially used Roku for Netflix and some free channels, but many channel apps required a cable provider login. That changed when we tried PlayStation Vue, a streaming service that offers live channels. For $29.99 a month on the basic plan we could stream roughly 45 live channels, including Bravo, and access their on-demand content. It behaved more like browsing Netflix or an on-demand menu than traditional channel surfing. We sometimes use PlayStation Vue directly, and at other times we log into a channel’s own app using our PlayStation Vue credentials—whichever gets us to a show faster.
Phone Solution: Ooma
The best tip we received was to use Ooma for home phone service. Ooma routes calls over your internet connection. It offers free unlimited nationwide calling with only taxes and fees as a monthly charge, and it worked with our existing cordless phones. We bought a small Ooma device that plugs into the modem and our home phone. It required a modest up-front purchase but cut our monthly phone cost dramatically.
We also replaced our alarm system with one that reliably uses a cellular signal, eliminating the need for a landline altogether.
Internet Solution: Keep Verizon Fios (Negotiated Rate)
With TV and phone solutions in place, our final task was lowering internet costs. We shopped competitors and obtained a specific promotional quote from a rival provider for a comparable speed. Armed with that concrete quote, we negotiated with Verizon and secured a lower rate for the same service. Having an explicit competitor offer was the bargaining chip that worked.
The Savings
Here’s the breakdown comparing our previous $169 monthly cable bill (Netflix excluded) to the new plan:
- Television (PlayStation Vue): $29.99
- Phone (Ooma taxes/fees): $5.06
- Internet (negotiated Verizon rate): $54.99
- New Monthly Total: $90.04
- Monthly Savings: About $78.96
- Annual Savings: About $947.52
There were upfront equipment costs: two Roku boxes, an Ooma device, and a small Wi‑Fi extender to boost signal to our bonus room. Those purchases reduced the first-year net savings, but the monthly savings recouped the equipment cost within a few months. After that, the ongoing savings are pure gain.
- Two Roku devices: $180
- Ooma device: $80
- Wi‑Fi extender: around $30
- New Equipment Total: about $290
The Other Pro
Beyond the money saved, we noticed healthier viewing habits. Without an overflowing DVR queue, we stopped watching out of obligation. There’s a small extra step to find shows on streaming platforms compared to pressing play on a recorded episode, and that pause has made us more intentional about what we watch.
Now, The Cons
Adjustments were required. The interface is different from traditional cable and may take a minute to explain to family members. Some apps show commercials you can’t skip unless you use recording features that act like a DVR. A few channels and shows—most notably some CBS content—weren’t available through our streaming provider in our area, which meant paying per season on other platforms if we wanted everything. That’s something to consider when evaluating whether cord-cutting will meet your needs.
The Verdict
We’re thrilled with the result. The annual savings are meaningful—enough to fund a vacation or other priorities over time—and the process freed us from an expensive bundle. Apart from the negotiated internet contract, none of the services locks us into long-term commitments, so we can try other streaming providers or adjust plans if our needs change.
Ultimately, cord-cutting worked for our household because we matched our actual viewing habits to available streaming options and negotiated intelligently for internet. If your TV diet is similar and you’re willing to adjust interfaces and habits, it’s likely you can save significantly, too.
*This post originally referenced some recommended products and services. We removed external links for clarity but preserved the core recommendations and experiences.