What’s the best TV option if Sky is too expensive?

[SomewhereNow]

I really need to cut my outgoings a bit and the Sky package is one of the obvious ones. We don’t watch loads of tv but do like a few channels and the ability to record things. What would be our best option?

What channels do you like? Our problem was we like Fox and Sky Atlantic. Ended up keeping sky but pushed the costs down with them. Still expensive imho though.

Freesat recording box

Now TVs it is Sky anyway just cheaper, we pay £8.99 a month now for the entertainment package but have paid as low as £3 a month for it. You can cancel whenever you want, you can have movies extra same with sport. All of the programmes are there to watch whenever you want.

Another vote for now tv. Currently paying £5 a month for the entertainment package which includes, sky one, Atlantic, fox and loads of others. No contract and can cancel at anytime. We also got a sky sports season ticket this year which works out at about £10 a month for all the sports channels for 12 months.

Can't record on now tv though.

If you really need to cut your outgoings, cancel your TV licence and use catch up TV and maybe Netflix or prime.

You can watch TV from all channels other than BBC ones, and you save £14 per month ish.

You can't record on Now TV but you can go in and watch the programme at any time after it's aired taking away the need to record. I did away with my Sky package - I have Now TV and Netflix.

If you really need to cut your outgoings, cancel your TV licence and use catch up TV and maybe Netflix or prime. You can watch TV from all channels other than BBC ones, and you save £14 per month ish..

No, you can’t. You need a TV licence if you watch any TV on normal channels - ITV, C4, C5 etc.

No, you can’t. You need a TV licence if you watch any TV on normal channels - ITV, C4, C5 etc.

Sorry can't bold but correct. I scrapped my tv licence, I have now tv and Netflix. You can only watch catch up. Licence for live telly

I think Jeezy meant you can watch catch up tv from any channels other than bbc.

OP, would you try just cancelling sky and using free view for a month, see how you get on? You can buy freeview boxes that allow you to record, but tbh with all the catch up tv services available it's probably not worth it.

You need a TV licence if you watch any TV on normal channels - ITV, C4, C5 etc

I acknowledge my pay may have been misleading, but when I said 'all tv' I meant all TV using catch up services.

We get a lot out of our Netflix sub. Not necessarily the films but the box sets. I’m currently reliving my teens/early 20s by watching all of Friends. We’ve never had Sky.

Oh, I see. That’s right.

We have a free sat recorder and also NowTV.

We have a YouView box. Freeview for live tv and then we also use amazon prime and Netflix. It has an app for nowTV but we don’t use it. Can record, series link etc.

Call Sky and renegotiate. Threaten to leave.
If they don't give you a good deal then leave.
A month or two later they will send you a new deal in the post.

Another vote for no tv licence. We use the catch up services (except bbc) and have a Netflix and prime account. The prime is also good for deals and free delivery from amazon.

Ok this is all really useful. We mostly watch the 4 main channels (and are Eastenders addicts 😳) plus I quite like Gold and some of the cooking/lifestyle channels and the music ones. We do have Netflix which my ex pays for as its mainly DD who watches it.

I’ve signed up for a free trial of Now TV but it looks like we’d need to buy a stick to get it on our tv rather than phones/tablets - that’s fine. And am I right to think we’d then need Freeview or similar to get access to the standard BBC etc channels?

Thanks so much, I know this info is Googleable but it’s so much easier having it explained by real people!

Nowtv, we gave up sky 4 months ago and haven’t missed it one bit. If you shop at Tesco you can use your Tesco points for nowtv credit, I’ve paid barely anything so far for my nowtv and will only pay 4 pence until June. Have the broadband with our mobile phone provider for £19 a month, we have saved £50+ a month!

We actually have a new sky contract (taken out in partners name instead of mine) and it cost now £20

I forgot if you have a look for the nowtv smart sticks they usually come with a couple of months free entertainment or movies, so it pays for itself anyway.

9 months after cancelling we are still looking for a suitable Sky replacement, we switched to Now TV and also have Netflix and Prime. Our free now tv entertainment pass has run out now though and I don't think we'll renew it as we barely watched any of the channels.

Called sky today as our contract is ending. Best deal they can do is to increase it by £7 per month and we have to sign up for 18 months
Do I have to go through the 'we want to cancel' route to get any further deals? We want to keep it as we use it a lot.

We have freesat and then added Netflix, Prime and Now TV. Even with the monthly subscriptions for those it’s still cheaper than getting Sky to get all those channels.

Earlier this year we bought one of those thin indoor aerials which picks up freeview TV. Around £15.
We also have a Now tv box. Uses hdmi port into TVs. It uses your broadband to stream programmes, also has option for using player and itv player for catch up.
You can pay for Now tv subscription using Tesco Clubcard points. secure.tesco.com/clubcard/now-tv/UK-009896.prd