My wife and I cut the cord several years ago. When we have time plop on the couch and watch TV, we stream. We rarely watch network television unless it's a sporting event.With the variety of online streaming services available, you can watch everything from live news, sports, classic movies, and your TV favorites on your own schedule and on any device. Which one should you and your family choose? Here's my favorite streaming services that are currently available.
1. Hulu ($8-12 a month): Within Hulu, there are two tiers: a limited commercial plan and one without commercials. Whichever path you choose, you'll get to see your current TV shows the next day. You can also pay an additional $9 a month to add Showtime to your Hulu account, letting you watch shows like Homeland.
2. Sling TV ($20 a month): With Sling TV, you can watch channels like CNN, HGTV, the Disney Channel, and ESPN at the set price of twenty dollars. For just an extra five dollars a month, you can add on extra packages like "Sports," which brings you ESPNU. Or, try the "Hollywood" extra plan and get TCM, Epix and others.
3. Netflix ($8-$12 a month): You can't chill without Netflix and you can't Netflix without chill. While the service doesn't show you the latest episodes of your favorite cable shows, it does offer plenty of original series that will satisfy your TV itch.
4. HBO Now ($15 a month): Watch your premium cable network without paying the premium with HBO Now. You get to watch both TV shows and movies from the channel, which is really a win-win situation.
5. Amazon Prime ($99 a year): Similar to Netflix, you won't get to see current episodes of TV shows but you will get to see award-winning original series like Transparent. You'll also get free two-day shipping, unlimited music streaming, and photo storage.
Now go buy yourself an, SmartTV, Apple TV or Chromecast device and get started on your new life free of cable!