May pickRoku Streaming Stick 4K — one stick, 500+ free live channels, no monthly feeAbout $40 one-time. The Roku Channel's clean live guide beats any antenna and works on every TV.Get one on Amazon →
Just dropped cable — needs everything to feel like cable did
varies
Comparison anchor
$200/mo
Recommended total
$181/mo
Monthly impact
Save ~$19/mo
Note on the comparison: Typical cable + internet bundle for a household of this size in 61602 — what you were paying BEFORE cord-cutting. Use this as your comparison anchor, not your current internet-only bill.
We built this around your priorities: channel-guide-feel, DVR, simple-remote. Pair YouTube TV ($83/mo) with AT&T Fiber 1 Gig ($90/mo), run it through a Roku Ultra (2024), and keep Netflix Standard with Ads. Matches the spirit of your ideal outcome — YouTube TV ($83/mo) for the channel-guide feel + unlimited DVR + locals + sports + cable favorites.
Our Pick · What we'd actually install
What we install in real client homes
Bear & Rick · 66 combined years installing cable + AV
You've never cord-cut before, so we keep the picks boring on purpose. One streaming device (Roku Streaming Stick 4K), one Live TV service (YouTube TV — best in class for 100+ cable channels, unlimited cloud DVR, no contract, cancel anytime), one internet line. No app stacking, no juggling subscriptions, no learning new interfaces. YouTube TV at $82.99/mo replaces 95% of what your cable bundle did — same news channels, same sports, same local affiliates, plus your local ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX. The DVR is unlimited cloud storage — record everything, watch from your phone, never run out of space like an old cable DVR. Total monthly: ~$133 vs. $215 typical cable. Savings: $82/mo. If after 30 days you miss anything specific, we can add one app or swap providers — but most new cord-cutters never go back.
Five puzzle pieces — internet, network, device, Live TV, and apps. You only get the experience the weakest piece allows, so we recommend the whole stack, not just one product. Why this matters →
Internet
AT&T Fiber — 1 Gig
$90/mo · 940 Mbps · fiber
Symmetrical fiber for 4+ simultaneous 4K streams + WFH uploads. Sports junkies need this floor — 4K live games plus concurrent streams stress the line. No fallback to 500 Mbps for this tier.
Heads up — your house wiring. Cat6 — modern construction or recent rewire. If your house is pre-2015 and never re-wired, Cat5e is likely and caps wired speed at 1 Gbps. See /guides/multi-gig-internet-prep/ for details.
Transparent reference points only — not what we recommend. The cheapest possible setup and the no-compromise premium tier, both with full trade-offs disclosed. Most households should ignore these and stick with Rick's Pick above.
Upload speed usually caps around 35 Mbps even on gigabit plans — when Zoom + cloud backups + security cams run during prime time, streams buffer
Watch for hidden fees — broadcast TV surcharge, regional sports fee, and modem rental can add $40–$60 to the advertised price
Promo pricing typically jumps 30–60% after 12 months — set a calendar reminder to renegotiate
Gigabit speeds rarely sustain during peak hours (7–10pm) when the whole neighborhood is online
No DVR or pause-and-rewind on the free live TV guide
Local news limited to the free broadcast affiliates Roku's guide carries
Only one paid streaming app in the budget — the rest of the catalog drops
This works for: Light-streaming households where saving on the monthly bill beats sustained gigabit speeds. Not great for power users on Zoom calls and 4 TVs simultaneously — those need fiber.
Reference point only — see the Pick for our recommendation.
AppsNetflix Standard with Ads $8/mo · Max with Ads
Apps that pair with0/mo
· Apple TV+
Apps that pair with0/mo
Most households don't need this
Most households don't need this — but for high-end home theater, prosumer needs, or households that want zero compromises on picture/sound/reliability, this is the no-compromise stack. Top-tier fiber, the best streaming device picture pipeline (Apple TV 4K), every premium app on tap.
Reference point only — see the Pick for our recommendation.
Apps that pair with YouTube TV
Based on the YouTube TV Live TV pick above. This is where each app sits relative to your live channels — pairs well, partially overlaps, or fully duplicates.
Pairs well
Fills gaps the Live TV doesn't cover
Netflix Standard with Ads
$8/mo
Adds prestige originals + films YouTube TV doesn't carry. Different catalog entirely.
Editorial integrity: We recommend the right product whether or not we earn affiliate revenue on it. Apple TV and Starlink, two of our top picks, pay us nothing.
Want a recommendation built around your exact stack?
This page shows what a typical cord-cutter newcomer household at 61602 should do. The 2-minute quiz asks the 4 questions we need to make this YOUR plan — including which apps you actually have, what your current bill is, and which channels you can't live without.
Want this installed instead of doing it yourself? A vetted DMV integrator handles everything below.
🛠 DMV-only · vetted local installer
Get it installed by a pro who's done 1,000+ DMV homes.
Moving into a new house, upgrading TVs or speakers, building a home theater, adding smart-home gear, or finally fixing your Wi-Fi — a local installer handles all of it. A 15-minute consult rules out install surprises and usually saves another $50–$200/year on configuration alone.
● 28 years residential AV● 1,000+ DMV installs● Free 15-min consult● No upsells — pre-qualified only
New-home AV designWhole setup planned before you move in
TV install & mountingAbove the fireplace, in-wall power, hidden cables
Home theaterProjector, screen, surround sound, acoustic treatment
Multi-room audioSonos, Bluesound, in-ceiling, outdoor zones
Pulled from real reader emails — and answered directly so you don't have to dig.
What's the simplest cord-cutting setup for someone who's never streamed?
Roku Streaming Stick 4K + YouTube TV ($82.99/mo) + your existing internet. That's it. Three things, one remote, no learning curve. Total: ~$130/month vs. typical cable bill of $215.
Will I lose channels by cutting cable?
YouTube TV carries 100+ channels including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, HGTV, Food Network, USA, TBS, TNT, and your local affiliates. You'll lose maybe 10-20 niche cable channels you probably never watched. The trade is usually painless.
Do I keep my internet?
Yes — internet stays. If your ISP bundled it with cable TV, the standalone internet price is usually $10-25 cheaper. Call your ISP and ask: "What's your internet-only price after I drop TV?" Negotiate or switch.
How does the DVR work without a cable box?
YouTube TV includes unlimited DVR in the cloud — you don't need a physical box. Record any show, watch from any device, no storage limit. Recordings auto-delete after 9 months.
2026 Rotation Calendar
When to cancel vs keep each app — month by month
25% of streaming subs cancel after finishing the show they signed up for (Antenna 2026). Rotating prestige apps month-to-month based on what's actually airing saves households $20-40/mo without losing access to anything they actually watch. Set a calendar reminder on the 1st of each month — it takes 30 seconds in the app.
Jan – Feb
✓ keep Max✓ keep NetflixApple TV+Peacock
Awards season — HBO and Netflix prestige dominate. Apple TV+ slows after Severance airs. Peacock light on must-watch live until Olympics in Feb.
Mar – Apr
✓ keep Max✓ keep Paramount+NetflixDisney+ Bundle
March Madness drives Paramount+ + CBS streaming. Netflix typically lighter in March. Disney+ between Mandalorian / Marvel windows.
May – Jun
✓ keep Disney+ Bundle✓ keep Apple TV+MaxPeacock
Marvel/Pixar summer releases hit Disney+. Apple originals ramp. Max in lull between Last of Us seasons.
Jul – Aug
✓ keep Netflix✓ keep Apple TV+MaxParamount+
Stranger Things-style summer prestige on Netflix. Apple originals continue. Max + CBS in summer rerun mode.
Sep – Oct
✓ keep Peacock✓ keep Hulu+Live (if you have it)NetflixApple TV+
NFL kickoff — Peacock and locals matter most. Netflix awards prep lull. Apple TV+ launches Q4 originals later.
Nov – Dec
✓ keep Max✓ keep Netflix✓ keep Disney+ BundlePeacock (post-NFL until late playoff)
Holiday tentpoles + awards bait drop on all 3. Peacock loses must-watch until NFL Wild Card.
How to actually do this: All major streaming apps let you cancel from the app or web in under 60 seconds. Your account stays active until the end of the current billing cycle so you don't lose immediate access. Resubscribing is one click — your profile + watchlist survive. Bundle subs (Disney Bundle, Hulu+Live) DON'T benefit from rotation since canceling forfeits the bundle discount. Keep those steady.
