SAN ANTONIO – If you cut cable to save money, you may now find you’re paying as much or more to stream all of your must-see shows.
Consumer Reports offers five ways to cut those streaming costs:
1. You can become a service hopper, subscribing to a service, binging on all the shows you want to watch, and then canceling. There are apps and websites like JustWatch and Reelgood that keep track of the shows and movies you want to see and let you know when they become available on the streaming services you use.
2. Consider a cheaper tier. Not long ago, streaming services offered only one price option. Now, many companies have added cheaper plans. Shows may come with commercials, but you’ll pay less. For example, Disney+ Premium is $13.99 a month. The basic plan is nearly half that at $7.99 a month.
3. To keep track of all your streaming subscriptions, consider moving them to one credit card.
4. Each month, review every service you’re paying for and determine whether you’re still using it enough to justify the cost. This can also help you catch any price hikes.
5. You can save the most by using a free streaming service, like Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, or Tubi. These services have classic shows and movies, plus some original content too. In exchange for watching, though, you’ll have to put up with ads.
Bonus tip: Share log-ins while you still can. Most services control account sharing to some degree by limiting the number of people who can access the service at any one time.