Rumson resident Jenifer Zeller figured the $125 she was paying each month for cable channels and HBO just "wasn't worth the cost of it."

She didn't watch much broadcast TV and only turned on HBO for one show. "I was getting a lot of my entertainment online through Netflix and Amazon Prime and all that stuff," she said.

So she decided to cut the cable cord, turning to Verizon FioS just for her internet service and cutting her bill in half.

"I just said why am I paying a cable bill? I will just pay an internet bill," Zeller said.

Zeller is far from alone. The number of people ditching their cable TV service to stream shows over the internet to their television, smartphone or tablet is skyrocketing.

The number of consumers who have cut the cord was expected to grow to 33 million in 2018, up 32.9 percent from 2017, according to eMarketer, a digital research site. Cord cutting is expected to jump to 39.3 million, up 18.9 percent, this year. Consumers who have left direct cable content will account for 15.2 percent of the U.S. population, the study states.

"Every quarter we are seeing more and more people drop cable," said Chris Brantner, founder and editor in chief at StreamingObserver.com, which bills itself as an independent source covering streaming services. "The landscape is definitely changing. It has accelerated considerably over the last two years."

And consumers are getting more options beyond cable. There's Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, which offer a broad range of original content, movies and series as well as past seasons of traditional broadcast and variety shows — and all for various subscription prices a fraction of the cost of cable.

New offerings are popping up. DC Universe started a streaming service to carry DC content, including the original series "Teen Titans" and "Doom Patrol" as well as the 1970s' "Wonder Woman" series and "Batman" and "Superman" movies.

Last year, Disney announced a new streaming service called Disney+ to feature Marvel and Star Wars content, which will launch late this year.

So how can you cut the cable cord? Press on Your Side asked Brantner for some guidance. The bottom line: it's easy, but beware of the costs before you cut. Here are tips for going off cable channels:

What programs and channels do you want?

Take an inventory of your viewing habits. There are plenty of options. Don't care about sports? Streaming service Philo offers 43 channels, including Food Network, A&E and Nickelodeon, for $16 a month, sans sports.

If sports is your game, you'll need a streaming service that offers live sports or channels like ESPN. Hulu with Live TV, which costs $40 a month, has regional sports networks and college sports networks, including Big Ten Network. In some cases, the top Hulu package may cost as much as your cable package, without the premium channels, so compare offerings before you make a switch.

Other streaming services that offer a package of local and cable channels include DirecTV Now, Sling TV, and Playstation Vue. Brantner said many services offer free trial periods so you can pick the one you like best.

Some of the services also include a cloud-based digital video recorder for watching your favorite programs on your schedule.

Check out the video at the top of this story to see USA TODAY's Jefferson Graham rate the major streaming services.

You still need the cable company

You will have to have a high-speed internet connection to stream content, especially HD. But you don't need a premium-level, super high-speed internet service, Brantner said. Instead, figure a connection of about 5 megabits per second per stream. You'll need more if you have multiple devices going at once or if you're playing video games online. Internet cable costs usually get cheaper when you opt for slower speeds.

If you are streaming in high definition or 4K you'll need a larger connection. Netflix and Amazon prime recommend a connection of up to 25 megabits per second, especially if you have a 4K TV.

Still, Brantner said, you can avoid expensive internet tiers. "It doesn't take as much as you think, especially if you don't have a lot of people streaming at once," he said.

Goodbye cable box, hello more hardware

The cable box is your connection to the cable company's content, and cable companies usually directly or indirectly charge you a monthly fee for the box and remote units. If you get rid of the box, you may still need a device to connect to your new TV content provider, depending on the age of your TV. The top streaming devices — which easily plug into a TV — are Google's Chromecast, Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. Smart televisions may have technology built-in to run streamed content, saving you about $25 to $50 for a streaming device.

And there are more developments on the way. Earlier this week, Apple announced a partnership with top TV makers, such as Samsung and Vizio, to include AirPlay 2 streaming in its sets. it will allow customers to stream content from their iPhone or other Apple device to the bigger screens.

Think about an antenna

You can buy an indoor antenna to pull free over-the-air channels in high definition, including NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox channels. An antenna can cost $20 to $75, Brantner said. You can use an online tool at antennaweb.org to figure out what antenna you'll need based on where you live.

REVIEWED.com:The best HD antennas of 2019

Should you buy a modem?

If you do, you could cut your costs even more. Cable companies usually charge a monthly fee of about $10. But ditching the modem is a tricky proposition, Brantner said.

Cable companies allow you to buy your own modem, but there are some drawbacks. First, you will have to make sure the device is compatible with the cable company's network, Brantner said. Second, the cable company won't help you set it up or maintain it.

And at $100 to $200, a modem will take about a year to break even from the rental cost.

Do you have a consumer problem that needs solving? Contact David P. Willis at 732-643-4042, pressonyourside@gannettnj.com or facebook.com/dpwillis732.