How to avoid paying for channels you don't want

Do you only watch a handful of channels, but pay a fortune to get access to hundreds of them? If so, you know how annoying it can be to spend minutes surfing through channels you consider worthless.

And unfortunately, the idea of getting a completely customized line-up of cable channels is not possible right now, according to Barna Donovan, Ph.D., a professor in the department of communications and media culture at Saint Peter's University in Jersey City, New Jersey.

"An a la carte model that would put more power and more choice into the hands of consumers would also drive up the price of individual cable stations and actually put many of the smaller and very specialized niche-oriented cable channels out of business," Donovan explains. He adds that such channels as The Military Channel, BET, LOGO or Oprah Winfrey's cable channel, OWN, can exist because they are subsidized by the money cable subscribers are paying for their bundles.

If a la carte programming were to become the new norm and bundled channels disappeared, so would these small channels. "They could simply not earn enough revenue to stay alive," he says.

So, as a la carte programming remains out of reach - what can you do to avoid paying a high price for channels you don't care for? Keep reading to find out.

Go Back to the Basics

One way to cut down on the number of unwatched channels you're paying for is to downgrade to the bare-bones package that your provider offers.

According to a Consumer Reports article released in May 2014, basic cable plans can cost approximately $15 to $20 a month. They also include the major networks like ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and PBS.

"You'd be giving up dozens of cable channels - CNN, HGTV, TNT, and so on - though you could catch some of that programming from streaming services, possibly a season or two behind," notes the Consumer Reports article.

Donovan agrees. "If they're willing to wait a few months, they will be able to stream movies or shows like 'Game of Thrones' or 'True Blood' from Netflix or Hulu," he says.

If you're patient and don't have to watch your favorite shows immediately, Donovan says this is a way viewers can get exactly the programs they are interested in, without having to pay for channels they could care less about.

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Cut the TV Cord Completely

Cutting the cord completely is one way to ensure you're not paying for unwanted and unwatched channels. Donovan predicts that consumers who cut the cord completely can save around $100 a month.

And David Bakke, a financial consultant who operates the personal-finance website, MoneyCrashers.com, agrees. "You could drop cable altogether and add a subscription to Netflix of Hulu Plus for only $8 per month," he says.

In fact, Matt Becker, the founder of Mom and Dad Money, a Boston, Massachusetts-based financial planning practice for new parents, says he would challenge people to think hard about what they would really be losing if they cut cable altogether.

"What channels are you regularly watching on cable that you can't watch with a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu? What are those channels alone worth to you on a monthly basis? Are they worth the full cost of cable?"

Becker says when he asked himself those questions, he realized that there was only a single channel he would miss by cutting the cord, and in the end that single channel wasn't worth the cost of an entire lineup of channels.

Donovan notes that the practice of complete cord-cutting has been on the rise over the last several years as consumers have grown tired of the rising price of cable TV. By getting rid of cable altogether and paying only for Internet service or a digital package for mobile devices, he says that viewers can save money and create their own very specialized a la carte viewing experience online.

Both Bakke and Donovan note that the big broadcast networks are now making more and more of their TV shows available on the streaming services or on their own web pages.

For example, Donovan says that series like NCIS, Criminal Minds, Hawaii Five-O, and The Good Wife are offered on CBS' web page. Fox offers at least four episodes of shows like Sleepy Hollow, The Following, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Bones on their website. Both NBC and ABC also have from three to five full episodes of all of their series online.

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Consider a Specialty or Niche Package

If your TV viewing is on the niche side, you may be able to find a package that caters to your specific taste, without all the extra channels (or at least with all the channels you do want).

For example, DirecTV offers packages that cater to movie buffs, while others cater to sports enthusiasts. They also offer international packages for people who want to watch TV shows and get the latest news from other countries. So, if your favorite TV shows are Korean dramas, for example, you might be able to find a package to match that very niche entertainment palette.

In some cases, viewers may also be biased towards TV shows from one particular network, and if that network happens to be HBO, there is a specialty package available that could fit the bill.

Comcast's Internet Plus package isn't considered an a la carte plan, but it comes close. Consumer Reports notes that Comcast started promoting their "Internet Plus" package in October 2013. The package includes 25 Mbps of broadband service, approximately 20 basic TV channels, Comcast's on-demand channels, and most importantly - HBO and HBO GO. So, what's the price tag for this package? $40 or $50 per month, depending on the region, notes Consumer Reports.

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Find a Cheaper Package from another Provider

This may not solve your unwanted channel problem, but it could lower the monthly amount you're paying for your channel overload.

"In a best case scenario, you can find a competitor offering a better rate," Becker says. "Then you can go to your own provider and let them know that you're considering switching services, but that you'd like to know if they can offer you a better price."

If they can't offer you a better price, then it may be time to switch providers.

"You might be able to get a package that may include channels you don't watch, but at a cheaper price," says Bakke. "Most major cable companies are always offering teaser sign up deals, and it can pay to switch to the competition," says Bakke.

However, when signing up with a new provider, Bakke warns consumers to make sure they're not locked in to a long-term contract. "Even if it's a requirement, you might be able to get around it by calling in and asking to have it waived."

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