Know what's available
Watching what you want, when you want is like a dream come true. Once you try it, you'll never want to go back to scheduled programming.

Unfortunately, finding ways to watch all your favorite shows and movies is a bit of stumbling block. You might find some are available on Hulu, YouTube or other free TV and free movie sites.

Many will only be available on a paid subscription service, such as Netflix, Amazon or Hulu Plus, which generally cost you $7 to $8 a month. Not every service carries every show, so you could be forced to sign up for multiple services.

Due to licensing restrictions, some shows are only available as paid digital downloads on iTunes, Google Play and Amazon. These can cost $1 to $2 per episode, and they might not be available the same time the episodes air. Buying a full season of a show can set you back from $20 to $50, just like a regular DVD box set.

You can see how this starts to add up quickly. If you don't plan ahead, you might find yourself paying as much as cable to keep up with everything.