• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Working Mom Blog | Outside the Box Mom

making life easier for working moms

  • Home
  • Home Life
    • Cleaning
    • Decor
    • Home Improvement
    • Laundry
    • Organizing
    • Save Money at Home
  • Meals
    • Cooking Shortcuts
    • Grocery Shopping
    • Health
    • Meal Planning
    • Recipes
    • Save Money on Meals
  • Work
    • Blogging
    • Entrepreneur Mom
    • New Working Mom
    • Unemployment
    • Work at Home
    • Work / Life Balance
  • Mom
    • Beauty, Style, and Fashion
    • Faith
    • Health
    • Me Time
    • Productivity
  • Family
    • Childcare
    • Digital Life
    • Education
    • Family Time
    • Hobbies
    • Holidays
    • Marriage
      • Marriage Advice
    • Parenting
    • Travel
  • Finances
  • About
    • About Raki Wright
    • Disclosure Policy
    • My Communities:
    • Outside The Box Mom Resources
    • Parties I Link To
    • Privacy Policy | Privacy Notice
  • Contact
  • Shop

What Should You Look for in an Affordable TV Service?

This post may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure.

by RAKI WRIGHT

1 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

These days, viewers have numerous options when it comes to watching their favorite TV shows, movies, and sporting events, each more seemingly affordable and convenient than the last.

Image by Alexander Antropov from Pixabay

Sling TV, Hulu, PlayStation Vue, Prime Video, and HBO NOW, among others, all claim to offer more relevant content for less money. While several of these services do just that, you have to ask yourself, what are you sacrificing for the reduced cost? Before you choose a TV or streaming service, you should first determine what you want out of the provider with which you ultimately decide to work.

Channel Lineup

It goes without saying that the less you pay for TV service, the fewer channels you get. Many people, however, don’t mind this, as they generally prefer programming from a handful of stations. If this is the case with you, you may be able to get away with a “skinny bundle” from a streaming service such as Sling TV or Hulu With Live TV. Both these services offer streamlined bundles for between $25 and $40 a month. However, bear in mind that the more affordable bundles generally contain unpopular channels. Meanwhile, the more expensive bundles may contain popular channels, but far less of them.

If you want all the popular channels, or if you like to mix up your viewing preferences, you may want to go with more traditional TV service, such as DISH. DISH offers affordably priced bundles with between 180 and 270+ channels and in multiple languages. For instance, dishLATINO packages allow you to watch all your favorite channels in both English and Spanish, which many of the newer services don’t offer.

Features and Equipment

Different providers offer users different types of equipment and/or features. For instance, many of the newer services such as Netflix and Hulu rely strictly on an internet connection. In these cases, providers don’t offer the internet but allow streaming through it. Other providers, such as DISH, require users to install a satellite dish to their homes. In these cases, the provider does offer the equipment.

Many TV service providers these days include a DVR as part of their package offerings. Newer DVRs feature ad-skipping capabilities, which offers an experience similar to that of streaming. Some companies provide on-demand content, but typically for an increased fee.

Be sure to go with a company with features that suit your needs. For instance, if you live by yourself and are home when your favorite show starts every week, you wouldn’t get much use out of a DVR. However, if you live with multiple people and everyone’s favorite show starts at 8:30 pm, a DVR may be a worthwhile feature.

Price (and Fees)

How much you pay goes hand-in-hand with how many and what types of channels you want. That said, many traditional TV services such as DirectTV and Spectrum offer introductory rates for their most impressive packages. After the first year, if you forget to switch packages, you’ll end up paying the actual rate, which is significantly more expensive than the introductory rate.

You should also be wary of hidden fees, such as regional sports fees, installation fees, equipment fees and other monthly costs that aren’t included in the base price. Each of these fees can raise your monthly TV costs by a considerable amount.

Another fee U.S. News warns consumers about is the early cancellation fee. Many TV providers lock users into two-year contracts and allow them to walk away only after paying hundreds of dollars in early-termination fees. If you don’t plan on sticking with the same provider for long, don’t sign a long-term contract.

With all the options available these days, TV doesn’t have to be expensive. That said, be smart about choosing a provider to enjoy maximum entertainment in the most cost-effective manner.

Related Posts:

  • Should You Splurge on A Smart TV?
  • How To Find Your Way In The World Of Smart TVs
  • What Should You Look for in an Affordable TV Service?
  • Do You Know Your LCD From Your LED? A Girl’s Guide to TV Lingo
  • Make your Life Easy Saying a Yes to Smart Technology for your Paradise
  • Top 7 Smart Home Devices
  • Best Ways to Save Money on Entertainment Costs
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
RAKI WRIGHT
Raki's Google Profile
Latest posts by RAKI WRIGHT (see all)
  • The Key to Successful Team Building: A Positive Work Culture -
  • What You Need to Know About Tempered Glass: Benefits and Safety -
  • What are some great crafts projects to do with your family? -

Filed Under: Save Money at Home

Previous Post: « 5 Essential Things to Ask Your New Cable Provider When You Move to a New Place
Next Post: How To Prevent Summer Learning Loss »

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. Why You Should Upgrade to a 4K TV says:
    at

    […] WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN AN AFFORDABLE TV SERVICE? […]

Primary Sidebar

Welcome! I'm Raki. I am a married working mom of 2 (20-year old son and 13-year old daughter). I share tips to balance work, family, and make time for you. More...

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Footer

What are you looking for?

Stock images by depositphotos.

Enter your email address to get the best time-saving tips and solutions for busy, working moms in your inbox.

* indicates required

Copyright © 2023 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress

1 shares