Like many, I've been searching for years to find a way to pull the plug on our Spectrum TV subscription. It is, in my opinion, overpriced and not worth it, considering how few TV shows we watch on cable anymore compared to all the channels we have.
On two different occasions in the last five years, I have actually put together detailed spreadsheets with the different channels Mom and I like to check out and have cross-referenced them with the streaming services that offer them.
Unfortunately, after we combine all the streaming services necessary to keep the channels we like, we're basically at or near the price we're already paying with Spectrum (including Internet services), which puts us back at Square One. So frustrating.
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The only streaming service we're paying for right now is Amazon Prime, but that's only because we signed up for Prime long ago to get the free two-day (and sometimes overnight) shipping. Beyond that, we have basic subscriptions to Disney+ and Paramount+, which Spectrum has offered for "free" (right) as they continue to jack up prices.
But a funny thing happened in the midst of all this: Our increasing reliance on YouTube for all kinds of entertainment, not the Premium subscription version but the ad-free version, which has provided us with endless hours of entertainment without the hefty price tag and annoying navigation system.
We're subscribed to a variety of channels that put out content usually once a week or twice a month. There are the DIY/home decor and repair YouTubers we like to watch, like Kristen McGowan, At Home With Willow Berry, and Kelly's Korner, as well as lawncare channels we're fans of, like SB Mowing, Midlife Stockman, and Fill's Lawn Care.
Tall Grass Gone In 22 Sec 🌿#lawncare #cleanup #mowing pic.twitter.com/ubUIrBS37j
— Fill's Lawn Care (@fillslawncare) June 12, 2025
And when nothing current is of interest, we either explore new channel options or binge-watch some of our favorite channels to see some of their older stuff.
I'm also trying to find some health and wellness channels to subscribe to that don't take 20 or 30 minutes to explain something that I feel could be wrapped up in 10 or 15 minutes.
We also occasionally put it on beach scene channels or some other type of nature channel to enjoy the sights and sounds, to provide calm when the days are hectic. Sometimes, any of these channels might be turned down here and there, maybe just to have something going on in the background, as I tend to work best when it's mostly quiet.
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While I really wish YouTube could be our sole source of entertainment, we like to have our local TV stations to be able to watch, especially in case of a weather-related or local sporting event. And though those are offered on some of the other streaming services, having to subscribe to several of them, as I noted above, is still costly.
And even if they weren't, mom isn't super comfortable using the Roku, let alone having to navigate between multiple streaming services and the wonky guides they provide, all of which admittedly can get annoying when you're used to finding pretty much everything you need in one place and with one TV guide.
In any event, I'm interested in hearing about how readers navigate the various streaming services and if they've either been able to make them work for them in a cost-beneficial way or have come to the conclusion that I have that you can't, for the most part, make them work for your needs. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
