Streaming services were initially introduced as a simple, inexpensive way for customers to get basic cable TV channels without paying a bill so high that rivals a used car payment. Hulu Live TV is a great example of how quickly those streaming costs spiral once you start adding channels or bundles of channels to your service. They are perhaps the best service of the bunch that went very wrong in a hurry.
When it first started, Hulu Live TV was $39.99 per month. Just a few years later, the price of the base service is a whopping $75.99. From there, things spiral quickly if you want to add movie channels, entertainment add-on bundles, and unlimited screen packages. How much does it spiral? Someone getting Hulu Live TV with all movie channels, the Sport add-on (6 channels), and Entertainment add-on (16 channels) would pay a staggering $153.91 a month. For comparison, that’s over 5 times more than you pay for Xfinity’s base $49.99 a month for 125 channels.
The average customer will rightfully want to pay close attention to that huge price tag. If you have Netflix, Sling TV, Prime Video, Hulu streaming basic, Peacock premium, and so many other add-ons, you’ll also face a bill that easily reaches into the $100 a month or more range. If you’re like the rest of the world who nearly faints when they see how much their “Just $4.99” added up to when it was replicated 20 times over 5 different streaming services, you’ll want to follow these few basic rules to save money on streaming services.
Golden Rules of Every Streaming Service Budget
If your TV streaming service is taking away from your latte or vacation budget, maybe it’s time to consider these few helpful tips that can cut back on your streaming bills.
1. Reconsider Live TV
Online Live TV still functions differently from cable. For example, when you go to the Hulu Live TV screen, you don’t “flip through” channels. You see a menu of currently streaming content and then must pick from that menu. If you want to watch anything else that unlocks with your Live TV account, you still have to browse through menus and pick out your shows. It’s a very “online” experience, as opposed to an authentic television experience. Live TV is your most expensive bill. Just doing away with Live TV will save you plenty of money during the year.
2. A Month to Explore
Free trials are a tradition on almost every major online TV streaming service. Don’t be shy about taking advantage of them. Many streaming services like Dish Latino to name a few, only have a couple of shows that interest people. For example, you might get a Peacock premium to binge The Office. Clear off your calendar to make the most of it and finish the show. After that, it’s adios to Peacock Premium.
3. Share the Wealth
Family and friends are allies in the war to save money on streaming services. One friend or family member could keep Netflix and share the service with buds. Another friend could sign up for Hulu and man the fort for that subscription. Yet another friend or family member could grab Prime Video. Suddenly, everyone in the whole family has three great TV subscriptions but only one monthly bill.
4. Juggle Subscriptions
A chief advantage of streaming services is that you can cancel on a whim and in just a few seconds. You don’t have to talk to anyone or pack up equipment. Take “breaks” from your subscriptions every few months to save massive money throughout the year.
5. Free Subscriptions
If you’re on the hunt for a new phone, some smartphone plans or phones come with subscriptions to Prime, AppleTV, or Netflix for 6 months or even a year.
Don’t let your online streaming service bill get you down and keep you there. There are plenty of ways to save money on your annual streaming bill.
