We are all looking for ways to cut costs, and over the last few days on The Morning Show, we’ve talked about several ways to save money:
But there may be another way to save money that you haven’t yet considered: slashing your streaming bills while still seeing your favorite shows. Consumer Reports says, yes, you can do it with a few simple tricks.
TELL US: How many streaming services do you have and how much do you pay per month once you add them all up?
TRICK: 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,” said Jim Willcox, Senior Electronics Editor with Consumer Reports.
TRICK: Consider a cheaper tier. Not long ago, streaming services offered only one price option. Now, many companies have added cheaper plans. Willcox says while shows may come with commercials, 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.
TRICK: To keep track of all your streaming subscriptions, Willcox says to consider moving them to one credit card.
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.
TRICK: 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.
Get free, over-the-air channels
You can also buy an inexpensive digital antenna and keep watching us on Channel 4 all day long with a crystal-clear picture. Consumer Reports tested TV antennas to see which ones work best to give you free, over-the-air channels -- and found some worked great for just about $20! See the full list of antennas here.