You've been searching for ways on how to save money.
But if you're still subscribed to a cable TV in this era of digital and information technology, then you're doing the exact opposite.
Today's post talks about one of the many great money saving ideas. And that means an excellent way to save money.
Cut your cable & use the money for future earnings
Case in point — Why cut cable TV?
The minimum amount of 300 pesos monthly subscription fee you spend on your cable TV can get a long way if you allocate that amount into any of the following:
- monthly contribution of a social insurance
- monthly premium for a saving-pension vehicle
That way, instead of spending Php 3,600 annually, you're actually investing your money for future financial needs, such as:
- loans
- pensions
- emergency funds
- retirement plans, etc.
Even if you have existing social insurance, i.e., SSS, nothing can stop you from getting another coverage from other institutions. The more coverage you have, a better future will be for both of you and your family. Now, this is LINK financial literacy for you.
How cable TV permanent disconnection help save money?
First off, let's talk about why you should cut the cord of your cable TV connection.
In the 1990s, when the internet is not commonplace, cable TV was the most sought-after entertainment at home.
In a world where watching a movie at home meant renting a VHS tape from your friendly neighborhood video rental store, you had to spend so much for a number of movies your family then would watch.
And so having a cable TV was a relief for the head of the family so that every member, especially each child, had a better medium of entertainment in between school assignments and house chores.
Cable TV is the thing of the past
Back then, the monthly subscription rate for cable TV connection was not a burden as value for money was so high when you look into what cable TV channels did that time.
It entertained with countless movies to watch. It informed with educational programs. Aside from the movie channel, you also had:
- travel channel
- music channel
- cooking channel
- lifestyle channel
- sports channel
- news channel
- religious channel, etc.
As there were no smartphones, tablets, and social media, your life at home was not complete, and it was so maddeningly boring without the cable channels on your TV.
What you paid was commensurable with the usage you got those days. That's because, back then, there are:
- no YouTube on which you could watch vlogs
- no Facebook where you could see educational videos
- no Twitter where video streaming is more engaging
- no Instagram where watching shared-videos is riveting
- and above all no movie & music streaming sites and apps
Digital age trumps cable TV today
Today, there's a slew of media that compete for your attention with watching shows on cable TV (or satellite TV for that matter). Thanks to the internet.
First of all, it's not only video streaming that makes us busy online. There are offshoots of this (information) technology that come nice and easy for us. And they all consume large chunks of our waking hours.
Suddenly, our interest in cable television viewing had evolved, and digital technology has transported us to these fascinating different media platforms.
And now, we spend long hours in:
- media sharing
- social networks
- discussion forums
- content curation
- online shopping
- online games
- online chats
Even to the increasing number of the populace:
- creating videos
- writing blog posts
The list is endless actually. But the paradox here is that while we spend long hours doing what we do online, we become passionate about them and find it enjoyable.
They all become a kind of — habit-forming pastimes that our interest in watching programs on our cable TVs has dwindled until we notice that we hardly watch TV shows in a day that decades ago was the number one thing the entire family did.
In this area alone, one should wonder, “Does the monthly fee I pay in this cable still worth it?”
Source of fund for savings shows up
When you permanently disconnect and totally cancel your cable TV subscription, for good, you get the financial flexibility to make these happen:
- You easily give yourself extra fund at your disposal.
- You put them instantly in any savings.
- In due time it will accrue to match any investment plan.
- Choose the best investment that gives you a higher yield.
Watching movies & television shows on television without cable & satellite
The internet-based media platforms are all icings on the cake, as far as movies and TV shows are concerned.
Today, you can watch an unlimited number of movies and TV programs for FREE, legally. That's the keyword there — legally.
There are decent free movie streaming apps available both for android and iOS. So, you just need to download one either through the Play Store or App Store to put the movies onto your phone or any capable device.
Once movies are on your phone, they're ready to be streamed to your TV. Horror, action, comedy, and drama. Name your genre and, it's there. You can also watch TV shows of different genres.
What makes watching an unlimited number of movies and television shows for free legal?
When you watch a movie or any video therein, adverts are aired in intervals throughout the entire showing. However, the ads are not voluminous, about 3 to 4 sets of brief ads for a full movie.
It's a far cry from the heavy TV commercials in movie programs of cable TV networks. They run these commercials on top of their own "plugs" for their shows.
Adverts on free movie streaming apps won't get you irritated. The fact is those little ads make us confident we don't violate any law. It feels good seeing those ads.
I particularly assume that providers that operate the apps pay the film studios and outfits, mostly Hollywood based, so that the providers be given rights and legal authority to stream the movies, through their apps. Same goes for TV shows.
Internet connection requirement
A broadband speed of 5mpbs is decent enough to stream, cast or mirror videos and movies from smartphone to the TV. This means you only need one service to ensure both the internet and home entertainments are up and running in your home — and that's broadband.
With the wireless capability of your broadband service, your TV movie experience is up and running 24/7.
How to stream movies from smartphone to television?
Now that you know how to get movies and TV shows for free using a phone app, next question is “How do you watch them on your TV just the way you watch on the cable channels?” Right? And how do you watch our local channels as clear as in cable connection?
3-simple methods to watch movies & television shows on your television for free
- Plug a screen-mirroring device into the HDMI port of your TV and turn on screen mirroring on your smartphone's setting.
- Connect a Chromecast to your TV's HDMI port and plug the other end to a power socket and use Google Home app on your phone.
- With either Chromecast and mirroring dongle, get a digital TV box and, along with great movies, watch local channels by switching sources on the remote.
How to watch movies & television shows without cable connection on television for free?
First — Through screen-mirroring dongle
Screen mirroring dongles are inexpensive devices available in any retail outlet of computer parts and electronic appliances.
- Plug into the TV HDMI port your screen mirroring dongle.
- Turn on screen mirroring on your smartphone's settings.
- In your TV remote control, press the Source button and select HDMI.
- If you have more than one HDMI port, choose the one into which the dongle is plugged.
- Open the streaming app on your phone, pick a movie or video you like.
- By this time, the movie/video is mirrored on your TV. Enjoy watching.
To watch a Philippine national newscast, e.g., 24 Oras, open YouTube on your phone, search for the news, select full screen and landscape view for your device and voilĂ , you have the news on your TV.
Note: 24-Oras is available on YouTube through live streaming so you can watch it at the same time it broadcast on TV.
Second — Use a chromecast as if a cable box
Chromecast costs a bit higher and available online and in authorized retail outlets. It's much simple and straight forward to use.
- Connect a Chromecast to your TV's HDMI port and plug the other end to a power socket.
- Download Google Home app on your smartphone through the Play Store or App Store.
- In your TV remote, select the HDMI into which you plugged the Chromecast.
- In the initial operation, and again only one time, you have to set up your Chromecast.
- Just open Google Home app, tap the menu, select Devices, follow instructions on your screen.
- Check the code on app against the one on your TV if matched with one another.
- Next would be just as easy as hitting 'Yes' and few 'Continue' buttons on the app.
When finished, casting is quick. Just tap the casting icon embedded in the movie or video on your phone every time you want to stream a video or movie to your TV.
YouTube videos have casting icons. Free movie streaming apps have casting icon as well.
Third - Get a digital box to go with dongle or Chromecast
The arrival of the digital box to our life has ascertained the conviction that we don't need the cable TV even more. With the device, you can watch all local channels in digital signals for free. That's because as per National Telecommunication Commission regulation, all television networks in the Philippines must have shifted to digital TV broadcast by now.
- Choose between the Chromecast and mirroring dongle to go with the digital box.
- Get an inexpensive digital TV box available in any electronic store.
- With the manual book, follow the simple instruction and install the box to your TV.
- Use the digital box remote and go to the menu and select settings.
- Depends on your model, use the manual for initial set-up of the box from factory default.
- Use the arrow buttons in the remote control and go to Autosearch or Autoscan.
- Select Autosearch or Autoscan and press OK in the remote.
- Wait until the search is complete, which you can see on your TV screen.
- That's it. You can now go to any channel available on the digital box.
You can now easily connect to digital broadcasts. That means you get the HD signal on your TV that for years was only available on cable TV.
All kinds of shows on your television — FREE
Now for FREE, with only broadband service monthly fee, you have:
- digital local channels
- tons of HD Hollywood movies
- television series
- soap operas
- reality shows
- tutorials on anything
- life hacks
- motivational shows
- entertainment shows
- educational shows
- news programs
- religious shows
- travel shows
- social media stars' shows
- and many many more
These are all courtesy of the screen mirroring dongle or Chromecast and, — the TV digital box.
Why would you still need cable TV? Cut the cord now and start saving money on watching television.
Utilize digital era fully & save money
Notwithstanding the presence or lack of cable, today's TV viewing has grown dynamically.
Anyone of any age, interest, and demographics can easily see the influx of various new components. These components are pretty useful in everyday life.
- A Hollywood-movie nut who complaints about not fully understanding the language can turn on English subtitles.
- A person serious in learning English grammar and fluent speaking can watch IELTS videos on TV and save on tutorials.
- A young man can watch his favorite "Caught on CCTV" street crimes in a row by turning on an AutoPlay button.
- A millennial girl can be hooked up to make-up/fashion/hair tutorials on TV without making her parents cringed.
- And, you can watch daily hacks and — howtos — for practically anything on your TV.
We have reached the new heights of — watching television, without having to connect to cable or satellite. Absolutely. And that way we save money, considerably.
Enjoy watching television while saving money
What you can watch on TV today, without the cable connection, will transform your TV viewing experience for good.
Not only does it transport everyone to a wide spectrum of highly entertaining shows, but it also particularly spawns new viewing habits which are cognitively beneficial as it is a great boon.
Movies are already given as, with your phone at your side, thousands of great movies are at your fingertips.
Tons of TV series and reality shows are ready at your disposal as well.
But when you add videos from YouTube, Facebook, Dailymotion, and international news channels to the equation, what you achieve is amazing.
Once these videos are streamed on your TV, the experiences you get will definitely bring your TV viewing to a whole new level.
Why is that? For starters, in watching free movies, you will have 2-features of great value that even cable TV basic plans don't have.
- One, the pictures are in HD.
- Two, the English subtitles that you can turn on and off anytime.
It's more riveting to watch HD thriller movies when you fully understand the story, right?
It gives way to a new habit that contributes to learning English further.
This is crucial in this area as you get to know what letters and syllables get dropped and silenced in enunciating the words and phrases.
Remember that you can stop, rewind, fast forward, pause, and play anytime. Now that's getting the most out of your time watching movies at home.
Now for the complete answer to that last question, read our final sub-topic.
TV & smartphone and internet at work
When you open your TV's connectivity to streaming sites and apps, you tap a power. It is the endless array of engaging videos, HD movies, sports, etc., that transcend all channels of cable TV.
You decide what to watch in the coming days
- As you watch a YouTube video in passing through screen mirroring, a recommended video catches your attention.
- After watching it, you subscribed to that channel.
- Next thing you know, you regularly watch videos from that channel on the side of movies from your phone app.
You decide what to watch in one sitting
- As you discover that you can queue YouTube videos, you add videos that interest you.
- It easily becomes your habit to watch informative, educational, and entertaining videos.
- You choose videos that stand out and considered creams of the crap which are so many.
As a side note, YouTube has video channels for TOP 10 of everything. Go on, search for your own Top 10. That's to give you an idea on how you can watch informative vids.
You push the boundaries of watching television
- In spite of YouTube greatness, you are not stuck on its channels.
- When you open DailyMotion, it happens that what they're showing is news and videos of your favorite sports.
- The videos are shown continuously, so you become a regular viewer of DailyMotion on your TV for sports news.
World news at no cost on your television
- World news is vital today as in yesterday. With the perpetuation of fake news in social media, news from the most credible news channels is of utmost importance.
- You found a live news stream which like YouTube has an autoplay option which makes the experience of 'streaming it on your TV' exactly similar to watching it on cable TV. Likewise, you became an avid viewer.
Facebook videos — fascinating shows for television
They are so irresistible because they are sensational, catchy and with tons of unbelievable uploads such as a large friendly crocodile receiving a hand-to-mouth feeding from a smiling man along a river in a remote island. Videos like these are great in the larger screen.
These sites alone can provide you with a thousand good reasons to be happy without the cable TV. If you explore each of them, most especially YouTube a bit further, you get to see the big contrast in watching experience. It really makes a huge difference when the control is in us on what to watch.
Movie streaming apps — still the main attraction
Don't forget the main attraction, which is the free movie streaming app.
It's the primary reason that cable TV is being dropped widely in other countries with more nations jumping on the bandwagon of those who are cutting the cord.
The experience is really amazing right from the very start of opening an app and seeing the interface both on the phone and on your TV.
The solution fits for needs of soap opera lovers
Now the one that will cap it all for some even though it is not that necessary is the access to local channels.
For persons like me, who don't watch local programs, YouTube is enough for my national news program needs.
After all, that's all that matters to me as I don't have the luxury of time.
But for a person who has a lot of time to kill in spite of the myriad shows they get to watch on their TV and still want to watch some Tagalog soap operas, I'd say get the inexpensive TV digital box I mentioned earlier.
There is no monthly fee anyways so it wouldn't dent your savings that much.
YouTube — maximizing it on your television
By utilizing the YouTube Library, you get to stack up videos that you can watch at your convenient time — on your TV.
- Tap the icons on YouTube app on your phone, which represent Trending, Subscriptions, My videos, History, and Watch later.
- Something to look forward to is watching your own videos on your TV. If you've uploaded your own videos, they're all in - My videos.
- You'll see all videos that you added to the Watch later by tapping its tab.
- Trending — has no prior actions required from you as in it are automatically added videos.
- Then, you've got videos from your — Subscriptions.
- Finally, you can return to videos you've already watched under — History.
I hope I've covered as much as you need on saving money by permanently disconnecting your cable TV connection for good.
Conclusion
Cable TV — programs our minds on what to watch. With few options for the amount we pay, we follow their programmings that stuck us inside their boundaries.
By getting out of those boundaries, not only will we save a substantial amount of money, but we'll also open ourselves to ultimately satisfying TV viewing.
The pervasive nature of the internet wrecks the limitations cable TV companies had built, which makes us smarter as we enjoy TV viewing while saving more money.
Are you still subscribed to both broadband and cable TV? Do you still spend monthly for cable TV? Or are you smarter and utilize the internet to enjoy watching movies and TV shows? Let us know in the comments' below.
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