Everyone is trying to cut their expenses right now. Even if you havenít lost your job, you may be concerned about your future finances. The goal in most homes is to save money and create a bigger safety net if, or when, the time comes to live on an even tighter budget. Companies like Netflix and Hulu are helping millions of people cut out their cable bill while not missing out on the television completely.

Often when money is tight, cable is the first luxury we take a hard look at. The fact is, with a bit of research, your cable could probably go and wouldn’t even be missed. Even as little as a year ago, cutting cable out would have been a dramatic change in your family’s entertainment. Today, the options are surprisingly numerous and relatively painless, so let’s take a look:

1. Investigate your current bill. Before you begin changing things, find out what you have. What are you paying for? You may have stuff on there that you never use, so trim your existing bill to the bone first.

Now, see what you can get for free.

For instance, check with your neighborhood association for cable options. Some of the newer subdivisions have basic cable included in the association dues. The programming may be somewhat limited, but free is good! Find out what you have and what’s available so you know where you stand.

2. Trim your viewing favorites. Sit down and start writing a list of must-see programs for each family member. Knowing what each person really wants to watch can help in the decision-making process. This can be difficult for families who are hooked on their favorites, so start slowly and trim the list as you go.

Obviously, a request to see every single football game all year is out, but a favorite team during the season sounds pretty reasonable. Every new movie, reality show, or foodie show that comes out is going to be expensive, unless you find some new options.

3. Look for free sources for entertainment. Take out your list of favorite television shows and check to see if you can watch any of them on your computer. Watching television online is increasing in popularity. Start with a Google search for the name of the television show. For example, type in ìSesame Street episodesî and see what pops up. Many of your favorite shows can be watched just 24 hours later on the networkís website. All for free.

Services like Hulu and Crackle, just to name two, offer a large variety of TV shows and movies for free. Technology is improving all the time, so watch for digital programs that you can feed into your television, as well as on your computer or laptop.

4. Look for cheaper sources for entertainment. Netflix is a service most of us are familiar with. They have recently split their service into two options, digital streaming or DVDs by mail. Basically, streaming lets you pick from a list of movies, TV shows and specials that are then sent instantly to your TV screen through an internet connection. You can also watch on your desktop, laptop or through your gaming console. DVDs by mail are those sent to your house for viewing the traditional way, in a player. There is no due date and you just return them in a pre-paid envelope when you are done. Prices and options are changing as we speak, but it’s pretty much guaranteed that this type of service for entertainment will always be cheaper than a premium cable package.

You may want to stop by your friendly neighborhood RedBox or similar entertainment vending machine. These are easy to use, have quite a bit of variety, and are convenient. Oh, yes, and did I mention cheap? If the extent of your entertainment is watching a movie a few times a week, why pay cable’s high prices? This is such a great alternative. No lines, no advanced planning, just an eveningís entertainment for a dollar. Even if you rented a movie every single night for a month, you would spend only about $30; you can’t get cable with movie options for that price.

If your cable bill has you running and hiding each month, start by standing firm and taking a good, hard look at what you are currently paying for. Then, check out your options. The next time that cable bill comes in the mail, take control. Keep more of those hard earned dollars and still enjoy the show!