Here’s the post we promised about cutting the cable cord—and the money we’re saving as a result. As self-proclaimed TV enthusiasts, we used to collapse on the couch after a long day of painting, organizing, or spackling and binge a few shows. Because so many of Sherry’s favorites lived on Bravo, we never thought we’d be great candidates for cord-cutting. But after mounting frustration with our cable provider and a bill that crept from $99 to $169 over four years, we finally committed to making a change.
It took a few detours, but we landed on a setup that only slightly changed our viewing habits and delivered big returns for our wallet—roughly $950 saved per year. Below is a clear breakdown of how we did it.
The Starting Point
We’d been on a bundled Verizon Fios plan for about seven years: cable, internet, and a landline. At first we paid enticingly low introductory rates, but eventually our monthly bill ballooned to nearly $170. That included extras like DVR service and an extra DVR box for an upstairs bonus room, though not premium channels like HBO.
Our actual viewing habits were more modest than we admitted. On any given day our DVR typically held:
- Shows on Bravo (Sherry’s go-to)
- Competition and reality series like The Bachelor, Survivor, and Shark Tank
- Primetime dramas such as The Walking Dead and This Is Us
- Kids’ movies recorded from channels like Freeform, FX, or Disney
We rarely watched daytime TV, sports, or nightly news—we were primarily a streaming and select-cable household. That made cord-cutting seem doable, but we still ran into a few hurdles.
Hurdle #1: We Needed a Home Phone
Despite being in the smartphone era, our cell coverage at home was spotty and our alarm system needed a reliable connection. That meant ditching the landline wasn’t straightforward. We explored cheaper landline options but didn’t see significant savings at first.
Hurdle #2: Unbundling Isn’t Always Much Cheaper
We asked Verizon for an internet-and-phone-only quote, expecting substantial savings from removing cable. Instead, unbundling only reduced the cost by about $20–$30 per month. Even after adding a streaming cable replacement (which could cost another $10–$30), the savings were underwhelming.
Hurdle #3: Bravo
Bravo was non-negotiable for us. Many popular streaming services don’t include Bravo in their base subscriptions, and buying individual seasons or episodes was likely to be more expensive. For us, keeping Bravo access was essential to making cord-cutting work.
Our Solution: Roku + a Streaming Live TV Service
We replaced our two Verizon cable boxes with two Roku devices. A Roku is a one-time purchase that streams content from the internet to your TV. We picked Roku because the interface is smooth, it’s device-neutral (not pushing one content store), and it’s simple to use.
To replace live cable, we signed up for a live TV streaming package that included Bravo and on-demand access to its content. For our household that meant getting live TV at a fraction of the former cable cost while still allowing us to log in to network streaming apps using the streaming service credentials.
Phone Solution: Ooma
We switched the landline to a Voice-over-IP service that routes calls over our internet connection. The service we chose offers free nationwide calling and charges only modest taxes and fees each month. It works with our existing cordless phone and required a small one-time device purchase that plugs into the modem and the phone base.
We also upgraded our alarm system to one that could communicate reliably via cellular service, removing the last technical reason to keep a traditional landline.
Internet: Negotiation Is Key
With phone and TV solved, the final piece was getting a competitive internet rate. After calling our provider armed with a specific competitor quote for the same speed, we renegotiated a lower rate. Having that direct comparison was the key to securing a better deal.
The Math
Here’s how our new monthly expenses break down (Netflix remained unchanged):
- Streaming live TV: $29.99
- Phone service: $5.06
- Internet: $54.99
- New monthly total: $90.04
- Monthly savings: about $78.96
- Annual savings: about $947.52
We did incur upfront equipment costs—two streaming devices, a VoIP adapter, and a Wi‑Fi extender—to get everything running smoothly. The equipment total was under $300, meaning the setup paid for itself in a few months and then continued to save money year after year.
Other Benefits
Beyond the monetary savings, cord-cutting changed our viewing habits in a positive way. Without a DVR overflowing with recorded shows, we no longer felt compelled to “catch up” out of obligation. We’re more selective about what we watch, and removing that endless queue reduced a subtle kind of TV stress.
The Downsides
There was a short adjustment period as we learned the new interfaces. Some streaming channels include commercials that can’t be skipped unless you use the DVR-like recording feature on the streaming platform. A few networks have their own standalone apps with separate fees, which can be inconvenient if you watch shows exclusive to those services. And small hardware differences—like device placement and remote compatibility—required some minor changes to our living room setup.
The Verdict
Overall, the switch has been worth it. The financial savings are meaningful, the viewing experience is still excellent, and we no longer feel tied to a cable bundle. Most of the services we use are cancellable at any time, so we can experiment with alternatives if better options become available. For now, we’re happy with fewer cords, a slimmer bill, and more thoughtful TV time.
*This post originally contained product references and notes about our setup.