off the cheap end: Watch TV for Free! Get an Antenna

Antennas have come a long way and chances are, they're nothing like you remember. They are now smooth and sleek, usually easy to hide, and most don't require frequent adjustments in order to better your signal strength.

I have two televisions in my house, each with its own antenna. The antenna on my living room TV cost roughly $45 while the antenna I use on my upstairs TV was $35. I figured being higher up, less strength and range capabilities would be needed, and I was right. Both antennas can pick up all the network television TV channels. For those of you who don't know what network channels are, it means that I can pick up all the big stations, like ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX. I also get CW as well as a few different versions of PBS, such as the Create Channel. I think in total, I get 19 channels, all completely free of charge. Picture quality is great with the bigger channels being broadcasted in HD. You'd honestly never know the difference. Between my antenna, Netflix, and the internet, I can honestly say I do not miss cable television whatsoever.

Before you purchase an antenna, I suggest you go to http://www.antennaweb.org. There you can learn everything you need to know about what kind of antenna will work best in regards to your location. That site helped me learn that all the major TV towers are within a 25 mile radius from me, with the majority of them being southwest of my house. This helped me choose an antenna with the appropriate range. If you are far away from TV towers, there is still hope! You can purchase a rooftop antenna to wire your whole house. Some people even have luck installing them in their attics if outside installation isn't possible.

If you have an older, analog TV, you are going to need to buy a digital converter box in addition to an antenna. This will convert the signals from the antenna (which are digital) to analog so that your TV can use them. Converter boxes cost approximately $30 and come with their own remote, which you'll need to use to change the channel. If you have a newer, digital TV, then a converter box is unnecessary. Just plug the antenna straight into your television and you are good to go.