You’ve decided to cut the cord. Now what? This guide gives you the exact shopping list, step-by-step setup instructions, and real cost comparison so you can cancel cable today and be watching TV tonight.
The Shopping List
Here’s exactly what you need. We’ve built three setups at different price points.
Setup 1: The Free Setup ($35-55 one-time, $0/month)
This is the true cord cutter’s dream — one-time purchase, then free TV forever.
| Item | Price | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Fire TV Stick HD | ~$25-30 | Runs all your streaming apps |
| Mohu Leaf Antenna | ~$15-25 | Free local channels in HD |
| Total | $40-55 | $0/month |
What you’ll watch: 30+ local channels via antenna (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS) plus unlimited free streaming from Tubi, Pluto TV, Freevee, Plex, The Roku Channel, and Crackle. See our free streaming apps guide for the full list.
Best for: People who mainly watch news, network TV, and movies — and don’t need live sports beyond what’s on the networks.
Setup 2: The Sweet Spot ($75-85 one-time, $0-15/month)
Better picture quality and one paid streaming service for premium content.
| Item | Price | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Fire TV Stick 4K Max | ~$55-60 | Best streaming device, 4K + Dolby Vision |
| Mohu Leaf Antenna | ~$15-25 | Free local channels in HD |
| Netflix or Disney+ | $7-16/mo | ONE paid service for premium content |
| Total | $70-85 one-time + $0-16/mo |
What you’ll watch: Everything from Setup 1, but in 4K quality on a faster device, plus whatever paid service you choose. Rotate subscriptions monthly to keep costs low — Netflix one month, HBO Max the next, Disney+ when something new drops.
Best for: Most households. Covers 90% of what cable gave you at a fraction of the cost.
Setup 3: The Sports Fan ($75-85 one-time, $40-73/month)
If you need live sports — NFL, NBA, MLB, NASCAR, college football — you need a live TV streaming service.
| Item | Price | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Fire TV Stick 4K Max | ~$55-60 | Best streaming device |
| Mohu Leaf Antenna | ~$15-25 | Local channels (many NFL games) |
| YouTube TV or Sling TV | $40-73/mo | Live cable channels including ESPN, FS1, etc. |
| Total | $70-85 one-time + $40-73/mo |
What you’ll watch: All live sports, all cable news, all cable entertainment — basically everything cable had, but streaming. YouTube TV at $73/month is still cheaper than most cable bills, and Sling TV at $40/month is dramatically cheaper.
Best for: Sports fans, news junkies, anyone who wants the full cable channel lineup but delivered through the internet.
The Real Cost Comparison
Let’s do the math over one year:
| Option | Year 1 Cost | Year 2 Cost | Year 3 Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cable TV ($150/mo) | $1,800 | $1,800 | $1,800 |
| Setup 1 (Free) | $55 | $0 | $0 |
| Setup 2 (Sweet Spot, ~$10/mo avg) | $195 | $120 | $120 |
| Setup 3 (Sports, YouTube TV) | $951 | $876 | $876 |
Setup 1 saves you $5,345 over three years compared to cable. Even the most expensive cord cutting setup (Setup 3) saves over $2,600 over three years. And that’s using YouTube TV every single month — if you cancel during months when your sport is out of season, the savings are even bigger.
Step-by-Step Setup
Step 1: Unbox Your Streaming Device (5 minutes)
Your Fire TV Stick or Roku plugs directly into an HDMI port on your TV. Plug in the included USB power cable, switch your TV to that HDMI input, and follow the on-screen setup wizard.
You’ll need your Wi-Fi password during setup. Have it ready.
The setup wizard walks you through language, Wi-Fi, and signing into your Amazon or Roku account. If you don’t have one, you can create it during setup — it’s free.
Step 2: Install Free Streaming Apps (10 minutes)
Once your device is set up, go to the app store and install:
- Tubi — Largest free movie and TV library
- Pluto TV — 250+ live channels, feels like cable surfing
- Freevee — Amazon’s free streaming (built into Fire TV already)
- Plex — Free movies, TV, and live channels
- Peacock — NBC content, free tier available
- Crackle — Sony-owned, solid movie selection
All free, no credit card required. See our complete free streaming guide for more options.
Step 3: Set Up Your OTA Antenna (10 minutes)
Unbox your Mohu Leaf or whatever antenna you bought.
- Connect the coax cable from the antenna to the ANT/Cable input on your TV (the threaded round connector)
- Stick the antenna on a wall or window — south-facing and high is best in the Daytona Beach area (towers are south-southwest toward Orlando)
- Switch your TV input to “TV” or “Antenna” (not the HDMI input your streaming stick is on)
- Go to Settings → Channel Setup → Auto Scan
- Wait 2-5 minutes for the scan to complete
- Browse your channels — you should see 25-35+ in the Volusia County area
For detailed antenna placement tips specific to our area, see our OTA antenna guide.
Step 4: Add Paid Streaming (Optional, 5 minutes)
If you want a paid service, install it from the app store on your streaming device:
- Netflix — Best for binge-watching original series
- Disney+ — Best for families, Marvel, and Star Wars
- HBO Max — Best for premium movies and HBO shows
- YouTube TV — Best cable replacement (live channels + DVR)
- Sling TV — Best budget live TV option
Pro tip: Start with one. You can always add more later. And remember — cancel anytime, no contracts. Rotate monthly to keep costs down.
Step 5: Cancel Cable (15 minutes)
This is the satisfying part. Call your cable provider and cancel your TV service. A few tips:
- Keep your internet service. You need internet for streaming. Just cancel the TV portion.
- Return your cable boxes. Stop paying those $10-15/month rental fees per box.
- They will try to retain you. The retention department will offer discounts. If the discount is good enough, fine — but know that it’s temporary and the price will go back up in 6-12 months.
- Get a confirmation number. Write it down. Check your next bill to make sure the TV charges are actually gone.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
“My antenna only picks up a few channels.” Move it. Antenna placement is everything. Try different windows, different walls, different heights. Each time you move it, run a fresh channel scan. South-facing windows work best in the Daytona Beach area.
“Streaming is buffering.” Check your internet speed. You need at least 5 Mbps for HD streaming, 25 Mbps for 4K. Most modern internet plans are 100+ Mbps, which is plenty. If you’re buffering, it’s usually a Wi-Fi issue — try moving your router closer to the streaming device, or connect via ethernet if possible. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max supports Wi-Fi 6E which helps with congestion.
“I can’t find a specific show.” Use the voice search on your Fire TV or Roku remote. Say the name of the show and it’ll search across all your installed apps at once. If it’s not on any free app, it might require a specific paid service — the search results will tell you where it’s available.
“My family wants to watch different things on different TVs.” Buy additional streaming sticks for each TV. A Fire TV Stick HD at $25-30 per TV is still cheaper than renting cable boxes. Your streaming app subscriptions work on all of them simultaneously (most services allow 2-5 simultaneous streams).
What About the Daytona 500 and NASCAR?
Living in the Daytona Beach area, this comes up a lot. NASCAR races are broadcast on FOX, NBC, and USA Network. Here’s how you catch them without cable:
- FOX races: Free on your OTA antenna. The Daytona 500 airs on FOX — you’ll get it in HD for free.
- NBC races: Free on your OTA antenna.
- USA Network races: This is the one you need a streaming service for. YouTube TV, Hulu Live, Sling TV, and Fubo all carry USA Network.
So the biggest race of the year — the Daytona 500 — is free with an antenna. For the rest of the season, you might need a live TV service during race months, which you can cancel during the offseason.
Bottom Line
Cutting the cord takes about 30 minutes of setup time and saves hundreds to thousands of dollars per year. Start with a Fire TV Stick 4K Max and a Mohu Leaf antenna, install the free streaming apps, and cancel cable. If you miss something, add one paid service. You’ll spend less, watch more, and wonder why you didn’t do this sooner.
Want the full overview? Start with our complete cord cutting guide for the big picture.