Cord cutting is probably one of the best decisions you could make this year; however, there can be a bit of a learning curve to becoming a cord cutter.

So I wanted to take a minute and pass along my top 5 cord cutting pro tips.

#1 This Is Not Your Grandpas Antenna TV

You may remember your grandparents had an antenna back in the day and may have had 3 or 4 stations. We have come a long way when it comes to over-the-air TV.

Now, on average, cord cutters get 30 channels including the big ones—ABC, CW, CBS, FOX, and NBC—along with a ton of other great channels 100% free! Wondering what you could get for free over the air? Check AntennaRecommendations.com to find out what you should pick up with an indoor or an outdoor antenna.

#2 There Are No Contracts

Often new cord cutters get stuck with the idea that once they sign up for a service they have to keep paying for it. The good news for cord cutters is there are no contracts.

So feel free to jump around and try out different services. Many of them, such as Sling TV, Hulu, DIRECTV NOW, Amazon Prime Video, etc all offer free trials.

#3 Take Your Time

The number one mistake people make when they cut the cord is rushing into it. Taking a bit of time before you cancel your pay-TV subscription can help you avoid overpaying. Make sure to set up everything first—from your antenna to streaming players. Test different streaming services before canceling pay-TV.

This way when you cancel your pay-TV provider you are not rushing out to buy any antenna you can find in hopes of watching your favorite show tonight. A little preparation will ensure that when you cancel cable TV you are set for your life as a cord cutter.

#4 Don’t Get Tricked Into Overpaying For Internet

Often when you downgrade to Internet only one of two things will happen. They will do their best to convince you to upgrade your Internet speed to a crazy high level. Or they will try to get you to bundle.

The truth is you really only need 20 Mbps down to get a good streaming experience. (But faster is nice.) So don’t be tricked into the idea that you need a faster speed to stream your content.

They will also try to get you to bundle your service with a phone or TV option. Remember: Don’t get tricked into promotional pricing. They will say anything over the phone but remember when you add services they add fees and often only tell you the promotional rate.

#5 Shop Around For Internet

Sadly your cable company could care less that you have been with them for 10 years. They won’t give you the best deal out there. If you want a good deal you often need to shop around different service providers. I know many think of DSL as slow but for many the speeds of DSL will be the same or close to that of cable TV. Every few years I switch back and forth to make sure I get the best deal. They are always willing to welcome you back and will give you a deal you could never get if you stayed with them.

Do you have a cord cutting tip? Post it in the comments so everyone can learn about it.

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