Cord-cutting budget for 2027: calculate your own saving
Use the household's actual numbers to decide whether a change saves money, rather than borrowing an industry average.
The cord-cutting shiftA different way to watch.Your next step.
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Calculate a cord-cutting budget for 2027 from your current bill and the replacement services you will actually use. Include broadband after any bundle change, retained apps, player charges, hardware and switching costs. Keep first-year spending separate from the recurring annual total so the comparison answers your household's decision.
Start with two real quotes
Collect the latest itemised TV/internet bill and ask the current provider for the internet-only price you would pay after removing television. Record the date, promotional end date and any written equipment or contract conditions. Use an actual quote rather than subtracting the TV line from a bundled total.
The cable-bill checklist helps identify which questions to ask. Your final comparison should use the costs that change, not charges that would remain in either arrangement.
Build a monthly and first-year worksheet
| Cost | Current setup | Proposed setup |
|---|---|---|
| Broadband after discounts | Actual bill | Written replacement quote |
| TV and retained apps | Current combined charges | Only services you intend to keep |
| Player and equipment | Rental or subscription charges | App charges and required purchases |
| Switching | Any applicable contract cost | Overlap, delivery or setup costs |
For each recurring item, multiply the charge by the number of billing periods in the year. Add one-time purchases separately. If a promotion expires during the year, calculate both price periods rather than multiplying the introductory amount by twelve.
Put the guide to use.
Compare the full budget before switching; test any proposed setup before removing an existing service.
Budget for how people really watch
Include any service kept for a specific series or sport. Count concurrent viewers when pricing a connection-based offer. One 8K TV connection supports one simultaneous screen; compare the appropriate option on Pricing and confirm the final checkout currency.
The FTC's subscription guidance recommends understanding renewal and cancellation terms. Keep a note of each retained app's next charge and cancellation route so a forgotten subscription does not disappear from the worksheet.
Use three totals rather than one: what you pay now, what the first replacement year would cost, and what an ordinary later year would cost at the confirmed rates. Label any unresolved quote clearly. A difference caused by a one-time hardware purchase is different from a recurring saving. Keep the calculation in the same billing currency and include only the months or billing periods that the dated offer actually covers.
Verify the replacement and close the old account carefully
Use the 24-hour trial to check the intended playback setup before changing the old package. Ask the existing provider which rented devices must be returned and retain receipts. Xfinity's equipment-return guide illustrates why matching the device serial number and keeping return evidence matter; follow your own provider's process. Then compare the first new bill with your worksheet and keep the 2027 plan updated with actual amounts.
