We were Directv customers for at least 15 years and had frequently thought about cancelling cable. We are big fans of Travel Channel, HGTV, Food Network and more and of course, we needed to have a DVR.

After noticing that we weren't recording as many shows and hardly ever watching cable, we decided to cut the cord. And the bill inching towards $150+ a month did not help!

We had been subscribers to Amazon Prime, Netflix and Hulu, so making the transition wasn't that hard. The more difficult part was finding the right DVR and antennae to get the local channels. I love watching Wendy Williams and Dr. Phil, so local channels were a must.

Here is how we did it!

We bought the TIVO Bolt for $160 on sale at Best Buy. Amazon also has it right now for $184, but with some price-matching the price can come down.

If recording shows and fast-forwarding through commercials is important to you, you will want to have a DVR.

Here are the features:

Record 4 shows at once and up to 75 hours of HD programming.(1) Replaces your cable box and works with your existing subscription (requires CableCARD); or plugs into any HD antenna to record over-the-air channels easily (over -the-air reception varies by location and is impacted by multiple factors).
TiVo service subscription is required. Options include a monthly service plan at $14.99/mo and a 1-year commitment,(4) and an annual service plan at $149.99/year.(5)
Your favorite streaming apps are fully integrated: No more switching inputs, remotes or devices. Access Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO GO, Hulu, Pandora and more from one, integrated experience.(2)
Watch eye-popping 4K/UHD content. Fully 4K/Ultra High-Definition compatible right out of the box, so you can soak up all that crisp color, clarity and detail.
SkipMode allows you to skip through entire commercial breaks of recorded shows at the press of a single button.(3) QuickMode lets you watch recorded shows 30% faster with pitch-corrected audio.

Or a little cheaper, choose the TIVO Mini for $179:

Add a TiVo Mini to additional TVs in your home for an easy, economical and entertaining multi-room setup.
Tru Multi Room functionality means you get the full TiVo experience on every additional TV you equip with a TiVo Mini
Provides full access to your streaming content from Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, VUDU, YouTube, Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more.
Connects to your TiVo DVR through your home network via Ethernet or MoCA (does not support Wifi). Compatible with TiVo BOLT, Roamio, Roamio OTA, Roamio Plus, Roamio Pro, Premiere 4 and Premiere XL4/Elite.
Video Output Modes 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p

Next we bought an antennae.

We bought this Clearstream Antannae and it's been working really well picking up about 20 local channels. This was $59. You can go a little cheaper with these options, but reception might not be good.

We decided which programming was most important to us. We got the channels free over the air but we had to think which shows we wanted to see the most. We found Hulu, Amazon Prime and Netflix were must-haves.

Try out Hulu for FREE!

For channels like Starz and Showtime, Amazon has some nice free 30 day trials with easy cancel if you change your mind before getting charged.

Be sure you are an Amazon Prime member. Click below for a FREE 30 day trial!

Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial

Then click below which channels you'd like to try out!