Many people may have already cut the cable cord to save money, but those TV steaming bills may also be adding up.
Between Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, YouTube TV and other services, your living room can literally become an endless stream. Many of those services have raised rates in 2023, and more hikes may be to come.
Subscribers debate dropping services
Lori Pieper is getting tired of streaming TV price hikes and wonders if it is time to drop a service or two.
She is debating what to do with Disney+, which started at $7 a month but recently jumped to $14 for the ad-free version.
"It went up $4," she said. "That really surprised me."
Other services are up too, she says.
"Netflix, which is over $16, and then I have (Amazon) Prime," she said.
She dropped her cable package five years ago to save money, but now she is paying almost the same price for her streaming services when she factors in high-speed internet.
"I remember when cable was like $80," she said. "I said I am not paying that kind of money for TV, and here I am again."
Average streaming bills are now $73 a month
Statista reports more than 182 million Americans now use streaming services.
That's more than half of the U.S. population shelling out an average of $73 a month for services like Netflix, YouTube TV, Sling TV and Hulu.
Those costs add up fast.
Marie Rossiter, who writes for Simplemost and don'twasteyourmoney.com, has been researching streaming fatigue, and recently wrote a report on ways to save money.
"All of a sudden you're looking at your bill," she said, "and you say where's all of my money going?"
Rossiter said people should take an inventory of what they watch and what streaming services they actually use most when deciding what to cancel.
Cancel what you don't use, sign up for free services
After you take an audit, she suggests you cancel the services you barely use.
Next on the savings playlist, she says, is to take advantage of free streaming services.
Ad-supported services that offer content at no charge include:
Consider ad-supported versions, free streamers
Rossiter recommends that people downgrade to ad-supported options if they want to keep a service, but need a better value.
Rossiter also suggests looking into bundling options.
"Your budget is worth investing that time," she said.
That way you don't waste your money.
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