More Americans are cutting the cord, hoping to see significant financial savings from month to month and increased control over what they watch. With so many options available, however, picking a streaming service can be complicated, and some cord cutters find themselves paying for streaming bills that are just as high as their cable bills were.
To avoid a high monthly bill, and to make the entire process easier, use these tips to find a streaming service that fits your budget.
[See: 6 Ways to Treat Yourself on a Budget.]
Don’t try to replace cable TV with a single service. Some people try to find a single streaming service to replace every element of their cable subscription, but this isn’t always the most budget-friendly approach. Currently, one single streaming service can’t replace every aspect of a premium cable subscription — at least, not while retaining significant financial savings.
For example, many services offer a digital video recorder, or DVR, but some, such as Sling TV, charge an extra monthly fee. Additionally, where cable subscriptions offer hundreds of channels in even their most basic packages (Comcast’s “Starter” package offers more than 140 channels), most streaming services have far fewer unless you’re willing to pay extra for add-ons. That said, most people don’t need all the elements of cable TV, and certainly shouldn’t be paying for them. The willingness to slash unnecessary features to save you money can help you find the most affordable streaming service for your own situation.
Write down your priorities. Everyone wants something a little different from their television-viewing experience, and that means every TV watcher is going to have a unique list of priorities. It’s important to know what belongs on yours. Are there certain channels you need? Are you willing to pay more to record? Can you go without live sports? Answering these questions will bring your needs into focus and help you avoid paying too much for channels and features you don’t need.
For example, if you know you don’t care about recording shows but you do want to watch some series on demand, DirecTV Now might be a strong choice. If you decide you want to record all your shows but don’t need to keep them more than one month, you might go with PlayStation Vue. Going into the decision knowing your preferences will help you know which trade-offs you’re willing to make and which features you’re willing to pay for.
[See: 12 Ways to Be a More Mindful Spender.]
Do your research. There are many online resources to help compare streaming services. If you go into the research process knowing what to look for, you’ll have an easier time comparing and narrowing in on which service has the elements you need. Be aware of deals (for example, some cellphone providers offer discounted streaming packages to subscribers), plus hidden costs (such as paid add-ons).
Know exactly what you’ll be paying for so there aren’t any surprises when your first bill comes. Also, many streaming services, including PlayStation Vue and DirecTV Now, offer packages with different features at different price points. Using services’ package comparison pages can help you see clearly exactly what you’re getting at the price you choose.
Utilize free trials. Most popular streaming services, including Sling TV, DirecTV Now, FuboTV and CBS All Access, offer free trials that last at least five days. When it comes to streaming services, test a few options, especially because each service has a distinct user interface and a unique set of features. While on a free trial, use the service thoroughly, so you can test all its functions, including channel search, guides and streaming quality. You can also stagger these free trials to have as much free streaming time as possible.
Try a subscription rotation. One of the best things about streaming services is that most don’t have contracts, which means you can pick up or drop a subscription whenever you want. This means you could potentially subscribe to several services over the course of a year without paying for more than one at a time.
This is great news for fans of sports that run for just a few months or for people who follow certain seasonal shows. Once your season ends, you can stop paying for the service until you need it again. If all you watch on HBO Now is “Game of Thrones,” you can unsubscribe from the service after each season’s finale and pick it up again when the new season premieres. If the only sport you watch is NFL football games, subscribe to a service such as FuboTV in time for the first kickoff and drop it once the season ends. Using a subscription rotation means you’ll always have access to fresh content without doubling up on subscription bills.
[See: 10 Fun, Frugal Ways to Spend Your Free Time.]
Check out digital antennas. Many people worry about how they’ll get their local channels when they get rid of cable. There’s an easy solution to this problem: Buy a digital antenna. After a one-time purchase (and usually not an expensive one), you’ll get free access to locally broadcast networks, including local ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC stations.
Mix and match. Don’t be afraid to combine subscriptions if a rotation doesn’t work for you. On-demand services are typically much less expensive than live services, so it won’t break the bank to add one. Combining a broad on-demand library, such as Netflix or Amazon Prime, with your live subscription will give you access to a lot of TV and movie content, no matter when you choose to watch.
The key here is that while there isn’t just one streaming solution to fit every TV watcher’s needs, with research and well-thought-out priorities, you should be able to find a setup that works for you at a price you can afford.
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How to Pick the Best Streaming Service for Your Budget originally appeared on usnews.com
