The cheapest NFL streaming options to stay locked in all season

It's that time of year again. Football season kicks off on September 9, and I watch my beloved New York Giants probably crash and burn yet again. According to ESPN , the odds of us winning the Super Bowl this year are 70-1. But, masochist that I am, I plan to watch all the games and hope for at least an 8-9 season. But it gets a little trickier as I recently cut the cord in an attempt to save a few dollars.

Now it's a war of attrition, trying to squeeze as much gridiron time out of my streaming services without totally draining my wallet. But I've done some research and found some ways to watch every single NFL game this season. I'll use the money I save to wipe my tears while waxing nostalgic about happier times with Manning and Coughlin, consoling myself with the thought that it could be worse. I could be a Jets fan.

If you've got a cable subscription, watching your local teams is your cheapest option, as they're built into your local coverage. For me, that's the unfettered access to the Giants and Jets via local TV affiliates. NBC and ESPN would take care of Sunday and Monday Night football, respectively.

But, as I previously mentioned, I've cut the cord. That means I've got to grab some gear. An OTA (Over-the-Air) digital antenna will have you cheering, booing and backseat QBing your local market games in no time. Best of all, outside of the initial hardware cost, there's no subscription fee. It's totally plug-and-play. Just pray you're somewhere that gets great reception. A digital antenna can range between $15 and $150 and can have different features, including indoor and outdoor use.

If you want to go the streaming route, you have several options. The most inexpensive option is an NFL+ subscription at $6.99 per month. However, that only lets you watch on a phone or tablet. To enjoy the gridiron action on the big screen, it'll be $14.99/month.

If your team is in the AFC, an $8.99 monthly Essential Plan subscription to Paramount+ will stream all regional Sunday afternoon games, while Peacock's $12.99 Premium subscription covers Sunday Night Football. NFC fans will have to rely on FOX One's $19.99/month package.

Look, we listen, and we don't judge. Sometimes you want to switch things up. Maybe you want to see what a winning season looks like, you're keeping tabs on players from your fantasy team or maybe you want to delight in another team's misery. For those instances, you're going to need a more robust streaming package. And that unfortunately means more money. Or does it?

You've got a few options for access to the 285 regular and postseason games this year. But make no mistake, they're costly. You can go with a base YouTube TV Sports Plan ($54.99/month), Hulu + Live TV ($89.99/month with ads), Fubo ($64.99/month, $54.99 first month) or Sling, which splits its NFL offerings across two separate plans. You'll need Sling Blue and Orange for $45.99 each or $60.99 bundled. And none of those have an out-of-market option except YouTube TV with its NFL Sunday Ticket add-on, which is $240 per season for new users and $378 for returning customers. And that is for the birds — the very expensive birds. And I don't know about you, but I have peacock tastes with a pigeon budget.