The Federal Government considers phone services an essential utility, and it offers free service to low-income families and seniors who can’t afford to pay for a subscription. Even though families and seniors should also have access to cable TV service to keep themselves entertained and stay up to date with all the latest news, this service is not considered essential. Therefore, the government is not offering and plans that cover cable TV service.
Fortunately, companies that provide cable TV services realized that low-income families and seniors couldn’t afford to pay hundreds of dollars per month to access their favorite shows, and they are offering dedicated plans that range from $50 per month to $70. The plans are based on individual needs. This means that users can choose a cable TV plan that only contains their favorite channels and costs less than the others that offer a plethora of channels.
With that being said, today, we will help you select the cheapest cable TV plan for low-income families and seniors. Before we jump into it, we want to mention that many of these plans take into consideration the credit of the subscriber. In the case that the credit score is low, the subscriber will be required to pay a small upfront sum.
Cheap Cable TV for Low-Income Families and Seniors
#1 Xfinity
We will kick things off with the plans offered by Xfinity. The carrier is renowned for offering some of the cheapest internet and TV plans in the US, and there is a good reason for that. The carrier’s most popular plan is called “Expanded basic package,” and it comes with 140 channels. The plan costs $49.99 per month, and it only works with 12-month contracts.
Even though the X1 DVR that subscribers get is not the best one on the market, it can still hold up to 100 hours of HD recordings. Another cool functionality that the DVR features is built-in Netflix integration and a voice-controlled remote. Here are the available plans:
- Digital Starter
It offers 140 channels and costs $49.99 per month.
- Digital Preferred
It offers over 220 channels and costs $59.99 per month.
- Digital Premier
It offers over 260 channels and costs $104.99 per month.
#2 AT&T on U-Verse
If you are searching for the cheapest cable TV plans for low-income families and seniors, you can’t go wrong with the ones offered by AT&T on the U-Verse network. By choosing to subscribe to one of the AT&T plans, you will also receive an HD-ready DVR that can record up to four shows at the same time. According to the DVR’s specifications list, it can record up to 165 hours of HD footage and 460 hours of SD footage.
If the DVR’s recording features are not impressive enough, you should know that it is also bundled with a special app that works on multiple devices. Unlike other providers, AT&T is offering the DVR for free in bundles that start as low as $49.99. Check out the available plans below:
- U-Family
It offers over 180 channels and costs $49.99 per month.
- U-200
It offers over 370 channels and costs $69.99 per month.
- U-300
It offers over 485 channels and costs $74.99 per month.
- U-450
It offers over 550 channels and costs $124.99 per month.
#3 Cox
On the third spot, we have the affordable Cox cable TV plans for low-income families and seniors. This provider offers the cheapest plans that cost as low as $25 per month. Even though the plans are basic, they contain top-rated and popular channels such as NBC, PBS, CBS, Fox, and ABC. However, subscribers will need to pay more if they want to add premium channels like Disney or ESPN to their plan.
While the cheap plans might make it seem like Cox is the “go-to” option for low-income families, we need to mention that there is a downside. The DVR is not included in the basic monthly cost. The Record 6-HD DVR costs $19.99 per month. While the price may add up in the long run, the DVR is powerful and can record up to six simultaneous shows. Nonetheless, here are Cox’s cable TV plans for low-income families and seniors:
- TV Starter Package
It offers over 70 channels and costs $25 per month.
- Contour TV
It offers over 140 channels and costs $64.99 per month.
[Guide] How to Get the Cheapest Cable TV Deals
If there is one thing that all cable TV providers have in common, then it is the fact that they do not show their best packages right from the moment that you get in touch with them. People usually need to spend at least half an hour talking with a customer support representative before the best deals are revealed. Here are some tips and tricks that you can follow to get the cheapest cable TV deals possible.
- Negotiate the price: You should always try to lower the prices by asking to speak with a customer representative. The best way to do this is through online chat on the cable TV provider’s official website.
- Inform yourself: There is no better way to get customer representatives to lower the prices other than to tell them that you are getting better deals from their competition. This is why you should inform yourself of all the other available deals before committing to a provider.
- Ask for a senior discount: If you are in the senior age bracket (50 or more), you should always ask for senior discounts. For example, Comcast offers a 10% discount for all seniors.
Conclusion
Today we have listed the top three cable TV providers that offer dedicated plans for low-income families and seniors. Each provider offers great deals and has its own pros and cons. By using some of the tips and tricks mentioned in the guide above, you might be able to get a big discount that will end up saving you lots of money in the long run. Nonetheless, let us know in the comments section below the provider you picked and why.
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