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So we cut the cord and got rid of cable. (Find out why here.)

Before we got rid of cable, the research began and after we got rid of cable, it continued. There are a plethora of options out there now and you name it- we googled it. Streaming devices like Roku and Amazon Fire and/or streaming services like Netflix, HULU, etc… have deemed cable unnecessary and have changed the way we watch TV forever.

Eventually, we came to the decision that the Amazon Fire was the best option for us. Amazon Fire is a streaming device that allows you access to streaming services on your TV. They have two products you can choose from: the Fire Stick or the Fire TV, and along with them, you have the option to purchase thousands of apps or channels. (Check out this Amazon Channels FREE trial!). Overall, it was a no-brainer for us and I bet if you gave it a try, you’ll feel the same.

Hello Fire!

Here are a few of the reasons we chose to go with Amazon Fire streaming:

• No crowding around a hot laptop or computer needed and/or no wires laying around.
• If you have an Amazon Prime membership, you get access to thousands of free movies, tv shows, games, apps and books. (Get a FREE 30-day trial here.)
• There are Parental Controls. (a definite for households with curious kiddos!)
• The cost (in comparison to cable) is cheap. We got the Fire TV and a Fire Stick for the combined, ONE-TIME price of $150- which is around what we were paying for cable on a MONTHLY basis.
• With the Amazon Fire TV, we can also download apps like Hulu, Netflix, and Pandora so that we can watch TV or listen to music right from it.
• No more running to Red Box for movies and risk paying late fees. We can rent movies directly from our Fire TV.

Goodbye Cable!

It’s been months since we made the switch and I couldn’t be happier. We don’t watch nearly as much TV as we used to (which has become a great thing for our family) and we can still access the shows we love either for free or for a small fee (more recent episodes cost around $2-$5 per episode). OR we can be completely cheap frugal and watch our patience grow as we wait until the season is free (stay away from spoilers if you go this route!).

On the weekends, we binge watch our favorite shows with a glass of wine (check out our favorite binge-worthy shows!) and quite honestly, I’ve gotten so used to binge watching, that I couldn’t imagine having to wait a week to find out what happens!

In addition to the Fire TV, we also purchased a digital antenna to watch regular TV when we please. We paid a ONE-TIME fee of $69 and it works just lovely. I still get to tune into my Today Show every day and the kids get to watch Qubo- a kid’s channel with kids programming.

Keeping Down Costs

At this point, I’m sure you’re thinking that the list of non-cable TV expenses seems to grow when you’re paying for antennas and per new episode, but I can assure you it doesn’t. As with all things, you can control what you spend, and you’ll be amazed how patient you can be when waiting for the season to become available and just how impatient you can be when you start binge-watching it.

But for the purpose of putting numbers together, the antenna was a one-time purchase and if you spread the cost of it and Fire Stick and TV purchases over the span of 12 months, we come to $81 a month for the first year and FREE after that.

We certainly do not spend the difference in a month in miscellaneous purchases while using the Fire TV or Fire Stick. I would actually say that we go for months without spending a dime and then there’s times when we’ll “splurge” and rent a movie or make a purchase- but we have NEVER spent over $10 a month on rentals/purchases- again a BIG difference from $150 per month.

As I play with it a little more, I am finding all these cool things that I can do with the Fire TV and am glad that we cut the cord. Are you thinking of dropping your cable provider? What’s stopped you from doing so? If you already dropped your provider, what works for you? Let me know in the comments below.

Pam

Pamela is a Freelance Writer, Blogger, WAHM of 3, and Veteran Military Wife living in Southwest Texas. Raised in the Northeast and having lived a few years in the Pacific Northwest, she likes to write about mom life, parenting, frugal living, experiences, and WINE. (Lots of wine!) When she’s not busy chasing toddlers around, you can find her on the blog or on social media. Check her out on Instagram: instagram.com/wineandlavender