Are you looking for creative ways to cut down on some of the spending you and your family do every month?

One recent study revealed that the average household spends more than $100 per month on cable alone. It’s why more than 20 million people decided to “cut the cord” in 2017 and do away with cable.

Many of these people have started using antennas to pick up TV stations in their areas. When you know how to get more channels with an antenna, you can keep yourself and your entire family entertained without having to worry about paying outrageous cable bills.

Getting access to tons of channels by using an antenna isn’t always easy. But it’ll be well worth the extra effort on your part when you’re saving money each month.

Here is how to pick up more channels with an antenna after you cancel your cable TV.

Choose the Right Antenna

The first thing you’re going to need to do before you can start using an antenna to pick up TV channels is to find the right antenna for your home. Since so many people have started cutting the cord, there are more and more antenna companies popping up.

Initially, you might be tempted to pick out the cheapest antenna you can find. But more often than not, a cheap antenna won’t provide you with many TV channels.

That doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune on an antenna for it to work. But it does mean you should do your research on different antennas and find one that has worked well for other homeowners in your area.

When you arm yourself with the right antenna, you’ll increase your chances of picking up as many channels as possible. Even if it means paying a little extra, it’ll prevent you from having to spend money on more antennas as you move forward.

Hook It Up With the Right Cable

Most antennas will come with a cable that you can use to hook it up to your TV. It’s always a good idea to start by testing that cable out to see how it works.

In a perfect world, the cable that comes with your antenna will work just fine and provide you with more than enough TV channels. But if you find that your antenna doesn’t seem to be working well in your home, the cable is one thing that could be to blame.

Many antenna users have found success with RG6 coax cables when it comes to using antennas. These cables are slightly different than the RG59 cables that are packaged with most antennas.

Give both of these types of cables a try to see which delivers better results for you. Doing something as simple as replacing your cable could make all the difference in the world.

Place It Near a Window or Skylight

There are many homeowners that make the mistake of placing their antennas right next to their TVs. Then, they wonder how to get more channels with an antenna when it’s put into this position.

In order for an antenna to pick up TV channels, it should always be placed in the general vicinity of a window. Ideally, you should even consider rigging it so that it’s located near a skylight.

Whether you put it near a window or skylight, it’ll have a much better chance of picking up TV channels and allowing you to watch them.

Experiment with Its Location

While placing an antenna right next to any window will usually make it easy for you to pick up TV channels, there are times when you’re going to need to play around with which window in your home will work best for your antenna.

Experiment with putting your antenna next to lots of different windows in your home to see which location allows it to pick up the most channels. This part of the process could end up taking you several hours, but you should eventually be able to find the right window for your antenna.

Use It on a Second Floor

Depending on where you live, you might be just fine leaving your antenna on the first floor of your home. As long as it’s sitting next to a window, it could potentially pick up all the TV channels in your area.

But if you live in an area where it’s tough to pick up TV channels using an antenna, it’s almost always best to move your antenna up to the second floor of your home. The higher you can get your antenna, the better your chances of picking up additional TV channels.

Try Laying It Flat

This doesn’t work for everyone. But there are some antenna users who have reported that laying an antenna down flat helps it pick up more channels than when you hang it on the wall vertically.

This might not make much of a difference for you. But if you’re struggling to get your antenna to pick up TV channels, it couldn’t hurt to try making it horizontal. There are even many people who have reported having success when leaving their antennas on the floor.

Make the Necessary Repairs to It

The average TV antenna isn’t as sophisticated as, say, the average cable box or DVR unit. But antennas are still pretty intricate pieces of equipment that may need to be repaired from time to time.

If your antenna suddenly stops working and won’t pick up TV channels anymore, consider having antenna repair done. It can bring your antenna back to life and let you start picking up TV channels again.

Learn How to Get More Channels With an Antenna

Once you learn how to get more channels with an antenna, you can change the way you use both your antenna and the TVs in your home. You’ll be able to pick up more TV channels than you could have ever imagined.

This will keep you and everyone else in your home entertained. It’ll also make you forget all about ever wanting to get your cable service back.

Read our blog to find out some other simple ways homeowners can save money around the house.