← Back to all tech guides
✂️ Cord-Cutting Guide

Cord-Cutting Master Plan — A Plain-English Guide

Last verified: August 2026

Cable vs. StreamingTwo ways to watch — and what each really costs you.Cable TV bundleOne big monthly billChannels you never watchContract and box rentalPrice creeps up over timeStreaming setupPick only what you watchCancel any app anytimeApps on the TV you ownOne-time streaming devicePay for what you actually watch.Illustration — prices and channel line-ups change often.
Cable bundle versus a build-your-own streaming setup.
Your Cord-Cutting PlanBuild it around the shows you can't lose.1List your showsThe ones you can'tlive without.2Match to an appFind where eachone streams.3Add an antennaFree local andnetwork channels.4Do the mathTotal apps vs yourcable bill.Most homes spend far less than the cable bundle.Illustration — which shows live on which app changes.
A four-step plan for cutting the cord without losing your shows.

Quit cable, save $100+ a month, and watch what you actually want. Here’s how to think about the math before you start canceling.

What's inside the 25-page PDF

  • The cable bill math: $200 vs $100/mo streaming
  • What you need: internet, streaming devices, services
  • The "what do I actually watch?" inventory
  • Service map: live TV, premium, free, sports
  • Decision tree: do I need live TV?
  • Three starter stacks (sports, family, minimal)
  • Antenna primer + Cleveland/Akron local channels
  • Streaming device comparison: Roku vs Fire TV vs Apple TV
  • Cancellation tactics that actually work

The full guide is a 25-page printable PDF with screenshots, real prices, and Bill's recommendations for Portage County customers. Download it above — it's free, no email required, no signup.

Why I made this guide

I leave a printed copy of this guide with every customer after I install or troubleshoot cord-cutting master plan. It lives on a kitchen shelf next to the appliance manuals so they can reach for it the next time something acts up — or the next time a neighbor asks "is it worth it?"

No ads. No affiliate links. No fluff. Just what I'd want my own mother to know.

— Bill Davis

Need help with this?

Reading is one thing. Doing it is another. If you'd rather have me come do it for you, the first in-home visit is $99 flat — most jobs done in one trip.

📞 Call (330) 200-8042 📅 Book a $99 Visit

Would you rather I just do this for you?

No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.

Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).