Cut the Cord Update: Save Money and Stream Your TV Programming

The ongoing inflation surge is causing everyone to re-evaluate their finances and become more cautious about spending. As a result, it may be the right time to consider cutting the cable TV cord and exploring streaming services that fit your budget, ensuring you get the content you actually watch. Too often, we’re paying hundreds of dollars for services we’re only half-using, and with the ever-increasing costs, there has never been a better time to ‘cut the cord’ and do away with traditional TV services. 

Before you start, you need to ensure you’re on an internet plan that will support household streaming. In addition, your service should be a plan that permits high data usage and speeds that will adequately support multiple devices streaming simultaneously. MCSnet customers can contact our customer support to ensure they’re on the best package to serve all their streaming needs.  

Once you’ve secured the right plan, explore what streaming device will work best. Common services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Crave TV are commonly built into smart TV or gaming consoles, or you can purchase a device such as a Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, or mirror from your laptop with a direct HDMI connection. When you sign up for MCSnet, you can receive a free Chromecast with Google TV on an Ultra Package or higher. Click here for more info.

Once you have the right internet plan and streaming device, you need to explore the various streaming services that suit your household’s tastes and preferences. A perk with most streaming services is they provide a period where you can ‘try before you buy.’ Take a test run with a four-week trial and explore the content they offer or binge-watch that one series you can’t find anywhere else. You’ll enjoy significant savings and the freedom to disconnect without lengthy contracts like premium cable and satellite providers typically require. Even if the service doesn’t have a trial period, you can still cancel the service at any time. Remember that the credit card you use to sign up will automatically be charged monthly until you cancel. 

Here are some of our favourite streaming services you might want to check out for your household.

Netflix

The most familiar streaming service is Netflix. The one-time movie rental service paved the way for all streaming platforms. It began as a streaming home for content from other studios, but it also produces original content like House of Cards, Stranger Things, and Dahmer-Monster: The Jeffery Dahmer Story. Beyond the original content, there’s a variety of TV series that ensures something for everyone. 

Price: $5.99 per month for the basic level (includes advertising) with viewing in HD and one simultaneous stream, and up to $20.99 per month for the premium level that allows for viewing in 4K where available and up to four simultaneous streams.

What You’ll Get:

• You can cancel your subscription at any time
• Access to a library of over 2,273 TV shows and 4,473 movies
• Options for Ultra High Definition in 4K
• The ability to download content from the platform for offline viewing (not with Basic)
• Apps available for Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and Amazon FireStick, Roku Stick, and Chromecast
• Set up multiple profiles, so every member of the household can create their watchlist and get personalized recommendations
• Kids profile with parental controls
• Watch with closed captions

Popular Content on Netflix:

• Stranger Things
• The Witcher
• The Crown
• Schitt’s Creek
• Virgin River
• This is Us
• Enola Holmes
• Modern Family
• The Good Place
• Selling Sunset

Upcoming Content on Netflix

• The Crown, Season 5 (November 9)
• FIFA Uncovered (November 9)
• Wednesday (November 23)
• Enola Holmes 2 (November 4)
• Slumberland (November 18)
• My Little Pony: Winter Wishday (November 21)
• Vikings: Season 5

Here’s a list of all releases on Netflix in November 2022.

Crave

Crave is a Canadian subscription service. The service features Bell Media’s original programming and access to other suppliers such as HBO / HBO Max, Showtime, and Starz (additional charge for add-ons).

Price: Crave offers two plans for subscribers: Crave Total and Crave Mobile. The Crave Total plan costs $149.90 for the first year ($50 discount for the first year) of service, which equates to $16.60 a month. Paying an annual subscription will save you money in the long run. Crave Mobile is geared towards single users who only want to stream on their cell phones and don’t wish to share their plans with others. When you select a Crave Mobile annual plan, you pay $99.90, equating to $8.32 a month, or you can choose the monthly plan, which totals $9.99 a month or $119.88 a year. Like the Crave Total plan, the Crave Mobile annual plan saves you money. You will save about $20 a year if you enroll in the annual mobile plan versus the monthly one.

What You’ll Get:

Crave Total

• Everything in the content library
• Some French content
• Up to five separate devices
• 4K definition where available
• Download to watch later offline
• One week free trial

Crave Mobile

• Everything in the content library
• One device at a time
• SD definition
• You can not cast programs from your phone or computer to the TV for others to watch
• One-week free trial

Popular Content on Crave

• The Handmaid’s Tale
• Big Little Lies
• Scenes from a Marriage
• Yellowjackets
• The White Lotus
• Friends
• The Big Bang Theory
• Dexter
• The Undoing
• The Staircase
• Game of Thrones
• House of the Dragon
• Raised by Wolves
• Seinfeld
• Curb Your Enthusiasm 
• Letterkenny

New or Upcoming Content on Crave

• Kings of Coke (November 7)
• The White Lotus, Season 2 (November 6)
• The Voice, Season 22
• W5, Season 57
• Dangerous Liaisons, Season 1
• The Vow, Part 2, Season 2
• Don’t Worry Darling (November 7)

Here’s a list of all releases on Crave in November 2022

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video is a mixture of well-known and original content. It is the most affordable option on this list but has an impressive array of hit movies, TV shows, and plenty of kids and nature programming. 

Price: Included if an Amazon Prime subscriber. Otherwise, $9.00 per month.

What You’ll Get:

• 30-day free trial
• Video is included if you already have a Prime membership
• The ability to add Nick+, SuperChannel, Starz, Hayu, and Acorn TV to the subscription
• Android Amazon Prime Video app supports 4K streaming for select movies and TV shows

Highly Rated Content on Amazon Prime Video

• Modern Love
• Picnic at Hanging Rock
• Good Omens
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• The Boys
• Transparent
• Homecoming
• Fearless
• Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan
• Yellowstone (Seasons 1-4)
• The Rings of Power
• Peripheral

New or Upcoming Content on Amazon Prime Video

• Get Out (November 1)
• The English (November 11)
• Where the Crawdads Sing (November 18)
• I Love my Dad (November 24)
• Catherine Called Birdy
• The Northman
• Downtown Abbey: A New Era

Here’s a list of all releases on Amazon Prime Video in November 2022.

Disney+

This app is bringing back all of your childhood Disney favourites and adding more content you’ll love now, even if you don’t have kids! You’ll get movies and TV shows produced by Disney, Marvel, and Pixar Studios movies, the Star Wars franchise, and even National Geographic.

Price: $11.99 per month for the basic level (get 12 months for 10 with an annual subscription of $119.99).

What You’ll Get:

• Access to approximately 28,000 television episodes and 1600 films
• Up to seven profiles
• Stream in 4K
• Adjust video quality by selecting either high, medium, or standard
• Host virtual movie nights with GroupWatch
• Parental Controls

Popular Content on Disney+

• Edward Scissorhands
• She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
• Logan
• Encanto
• Bambi
• The Mandalorian
• Moana
• WALL-E
• X-MEN
• The Avenger Movies
• Toy Story 3
• The Princess Bride

New or Upcoming Content on Disney+

• Loki
• Turning Red
• The Kardashians
• Star Wars: Andor
• Reasonable Doubt, Season 1 (November 7)
• Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog (November 3)
• Family Guy
• Dancing with the Stars, Season 31 (November 7)
  

Here’s a list of all releases on Disney+ in November 2022

Apple TV+

Apple TV Plus launched in November 2019. It offers a selection of original production movies and television series and is in partnership with MLB Friday Night Baseball.

You can access it through Apple’s website and the Apple TV app, which is available for download on most common streaming devices.

Price: $8.99 per month

What You’ll Get:

• Seven-day free trial or three months free when you buy an eligible Apple device
• When you set up family sharing on an Apple device, it can be shared with multiple family members
• Streams in 4K where available
• Ad free
• Customize multiple users
• Allows up to six simultaneous streams at once
  

Find out what’s coming to Apple TV+ in November here.

There’s an opportunity to add channels with many streaming platforms. Try exploring these options: Paramount+, StackTV, AMC+, BBC Earth, Britbox, Starz, and many more. Most of these add-on channels are available for a free trial of 7-30 days, and prices range from $4.99 to $12.99 per month. You may only need seven days to binge-watch the latest and greatest TV series, such as Yellowstone 1883! Remember to go back into your user profile settings and cancel your credit card before the trial period expires. 

Are you ready to cut the cord and get the most out of streaming services? MCSnet can help you with a residential internet package that suits your household’s streaming habits. Cutting the cord is one way to stretch those household dollars further and exercise flexibility with your entertainment choices.