It's National Cut the Cord Day: February 9!

If you were around then, you might remember this article about trying to save on our $200 monthly cable bill. I can happily report that both my husband and I are still alive and thriving despite the loss of hundreds of TV channels. Here's what we found helpful over our cable-free year:

Streaming is your friend.

You can pretty much stream everything you could ever want online. Even the news is available for on-demand consumption, and here's a secret: it's pre-scripted and recorded anyway, so does it really matter if you get it a few hours later? We purchased a basic Roku unit to enjoy a few sources for our evening TV time: Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and the broadcast networks.

Courtesy of Unsplash

Not all antennae are created equally.

If you plan on getting free channels from a portable antenna, read the reviews. Don't just get the cheapest one available, and make sure to test out the range with one television before buying multiples. In my neighborhood, CBS and Fox come in clear as a bell, but no amount of repositioning will get NBC or ABC to come in.

There is plenty of free stuff to watch.

Between free movies on YouTube, broadcast television, and free streaming channels, you can still find things to fill the empty hours of your day. The antenna picks up all sorts of fun old shows and movies. When was the last time you watched Three's Company over the air?

In the end, I'm still thrilled with my cable-less state. We've saved well over $1,200 (we kept the internet portion of our contract), and we don't really miss the hundreds of useless channels. If you're considering cutting the cord, give it a try. You can always go back if you really want to!

What are your thoughts on cutting the cable cord? Have you done it, or are you considering it for your home? Let us know in the comments!