Cut the cost of TV
You don’t have to sign up to an expensive subscription package. Yours shows you how to watch more, for less!
With Sky and Virgin TV packages costing between £20-£40 a month, we look at four alternatives to a subscription that could save you £££s… So give your finances a spring clean and consider a different kind of TV service! On Freeview you’ll find 70 channels with no monthly subscription.
TVs made since 2010 have Freeview already built in, so you don’t need any special equipment. If your TV is older, you’ll need a set-top box, which starts at around £30 – more for one that broadcasts in HD (High Definition, gives you a clearer picture). New TVs from the big brands should have Freeview HD built in. Freeview has all the main channels, such as BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5, but check at www.freeview.co.uk to make sure your favourite channels are available in your postcode area. Like Freeview, Freesat has no contract or subscription, but you’ll need a satellite dish to get it. If you don’t have a dish, you’ll have to buy one to use the service. You’ll also need a set-top box unless your TV has Freesat built in (some newer TVs are Freesat ready). The cheapest is around £80. There are more TV and radio channels on offer than with Freeview but it’s more expensive to get started unless you already have a satellite dish. With the Now TV service you can watch Sky TV without a satellite dish or a contract, but there is a monthly cost. You will buy passes costing from £7.99 a month – more if you want to watch Sky Cinema or Sky Sports. You’ll need to buy a set-top box unless you have a new TV that already has Now TV built in. The set-top box costs £15. Although you pay a monthly fee, you can cancel at any time. Bear in mind you’ll need an internet connection. Another option is to buy an Amazon Fire Stick. It’s a small device that you plug into your TV’s HDMI port (usually on the side or the top). You can then stream lots of programmes and films. If you’ve signed up to Amazon Prime, you can access thousands of movies and TV episodes for free. The stick costs £39.99 and you have to pay extra if you want certain channels such as Netflix (£7.99 a month). An internet connection is needed.