Cord Cutting 101

Cord Cutting = Cutting ties to cable companies and their exorbitant fees and packages.

We've been a cord-free family for 4 years now and have no regrets. Instead of a $90 monthly cable bill, we get our TV needs met for around $20 a month. I don't watch TV but the rest of my family does. Below is a list of products and services that helped us become cord free.

Viewing Platforms

• A smart TV that has the various streaming apps installed. Our TV is over 5 years old so all we have is the Netflix app. 
• Chromecast, Roku stick or Apple TV box. IF your TV has an HDMI port, then you can use these to get streaming services. 
• A blu-ray or DVD player that runs apps like Netflix. We have this one. 
• iPad, Android tablet, desktop or laptop with internet connection

Free Streaming Services

The apps of the various Canadian broadcasters (and some of the international ones) allow you to watch clips of the news as well as their various programs. At different times I've had the apps from

• CTV (Canadian)
• Global TV (Canadian)
• CBC (Canadian)
• International news services: CNN, Al Jazeera English, BBC
• Nigerian: Channels TV

Paid Streaming Services For Canadians

• Netflix, $9.99+ monthly: The OG service. The Canadian content is still more limited than the US content but on the plus side, there's now more Nigerian and African content available. 
• Prime Video,.Free with Amazon prime subscription, $7.99 monthly without: I have this with my Amazon Prime subscription and confess that I've never accessed it. 
• Disney Plus, $89.99 yearly: Includes not just the Disney and Pixar movie catalogue, but a lot of the programs from their kids' channels as well as National Geographic shows. 
• Crave TV: Offering from Bell Media. If you want access to HBO programming in Canada without a cable subscription, this is currently your only legal choice. Subscription starts at $9.99 monthly but the package with HBO included is currently $19.98 monthly. 
• Stack TV: $12.9 monthly subscription service. Offered by Corus Media in conjunction with Amazon Prime Video and subscription automatically includes Prime Video. StackTV is a livestream service of some of the channels under the Corus television brand. Unlike all the other services above, the StackTV channels are not ad-free. 

Granted, our options in Canada are not as cheap or plentiful as the options our neighbours down south have. Still, for anyone interested in cord cutting, there are options out there to satisfy your viewing needs. If you want to be more intentional about your TV watching costs, cord cutting is a no brainer.