Since we are talking cutting the cord, I figure it might be worth throwing out some advice as well on getting your internet costs down since internet cost and speed suddenly become more important. With that said, I've totally learned that the the name of the game in internet costs is 100% competition and whether there is any. When we first moved into our new house 7 years ago, all that was offered for internet was cable internet through Mediacom at whatever speed I wanted to pay for and Quest DSL (through phone line) at only like a maximum of 2 mbps (completely worthless). This essentially meant that Mediacom had ZERO competition and they knew it. They definitely do their research on what areas have competition and what areas don't. Therefore, I was paying full prices and any time I tried to negotiate, they pretty much told me to take a hike. I was screwed
Now, fast forward a couple years and then a local service in Cedar Rapids called Imon finally came into my neighborhood and EVERYTHING changed. Imon started offering basement-level pricing to get new customers of like $25/month for like 20 mbps internet (2 yr contract), so I jumped ship to them in a heartbeat. Now, ever since then, Mediacom has essentially done everything short of begging me to come back by offering equivalently low rates pretty much every month either by mail or shoot, even having dudes knocking on my door. With that said, I really hate Mediacom, so all I've done twice now with my Imon low contract expiring is giving Imon a call and saying hey, I'm being offered this by Mediacom, what can you guys do? In response, they've either matched Mediacom or even done better. In my last most-recent go around to match Mediacom, I am now on a 2-year contract where I get 50 mbps (yes, 50!!!) for $35/month through Imon.
Anyway, moral of the story is COMPETITION!!!!! I can't emphasize that enough. Therefore, if your area does have competition, I recommend trying my strategy. If not, may good people have mercy on you..... All you can really do is hope some competition finally comes to town.