3 Unexpected Benefits of Stopping Cable TV

When it comes to cable TV, people often spend more time flipping through channels than actually watching it. Many people have been off cable for years and have never looked back.

1. Viewing habits will change dramatically

After you disconnect your cable TV service, you'll quickly realize that your TV isn't getting much use anymore. Turns out, most of the time the TV is running just to fill up space.

The TV will likely cease to exist entirely, except for family movie nights or video games. Many people subscribe to some streaming service, but have also stopped watching TV shows and movies. If they had kept cable, they probably wouldn't have been as successful in that regard.

2. Find yourself having more free time

Without TV to fill the void, your free time will multiply. When you sit down to do the math, it's surprising how much more free time you have. Just by cutting out two episodes of cable TV, which average 30 minutes each, you'll have an extra hour of free time.

Try it yourself if you're thinking about cutting your cable TV. Every time you sit down to watch a show, write down the time, then add it up at the end of the week. Imagine what else you could be doing with that time.

3. There are tons of free channels without cable

Even if you want to stick with cable, there are plenty of services out there that offer cable channels for free. Plus, some streaming services offer live TV. If you want to go free, there are live TV channels on Android smart TVs, for example. Plex also has free movies and TV channels, albeit ad-supported, even if you have a Plex Pass.

There are many positive incentives for cutting cable TV, from saving money to gaining more free time. Many people don't even mind missing out on a few shows, since they can watch them online later when they have free time.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 07 February 2025