Cord cutters calculator

The recent announcement of HBO Now as a stand-alone streaming service may cause even more people to think about cutting their cable bill and going strictly to streaming television content.

Initially, you’ll need some type of Apple device to make use of the $14.99 a month HBO subscription, but that’ll change very soon as more options roll out.

If you’re paying for a cable or satellite service just because of HBO, it may seem like your ship’s come in, but you should do the math to make sure.

Once you add the cost of a stand-alone Internet service with online streaming accounts like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Sling TV and HBO Now, you may find the total creeping higher than you thought.

Cable and satellite providers aren’t going to go quietly in the night, so you can also count on them getting creative in order to keep their customers.

For now, take a few minutes and use the Cord Cutters Calculator at Slate.com to see if dropping cable TV and paying for streaming services really is going to save you money.