By: The BitMar Team.
Image Source: Bing Image Creator.
The allure of streaming enticed many people to abandon traditional cable television. However, with the proliferation of streaming services and rising subscription costs, many are finding that maintaining their entertainment budget poses a significant challenge. A recent study by J.D. Power found that the average American household subscribes to 4.3 streaming services, with a median monthly cost of $54.1 Is it still possible to enjoy your favorite shows and movies without breaking the bank? Absolutely. By employing some savvy strategies, you may navigate the streaming landscape and keep costs under control.
Rotate Subscriptions and Utilize Free Trials
Committing to every streaming service throughout the entire year often proves unnecessary. Many individuals experience periods where they utilize certain services more than others. For instance, you may find yourself watching Netflix primarily during the summer but prefer Hulu during the fall. Rotating your subscriptions to coincide with your viewing habits can result in significant savings. Furthermore, capitalize on free trials offered by most streaming services. These trials typically range from seven days to a full month, providing ample opportunity to explore new content and determine if a particular service warrants a monthly fee. Deloitte's 2023 Digital Media Trends survey revealed that 47% of consumers leverage free trials when subscribing to new streaming services.2
Embrace the Power of Bundling and Family Plans
Bundling multiple streaming services presents an effective method for reducing your overall entertainment expenses. Many providers offer discounted packages that combine their services with others. For example, the Disney Bundle includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ at a lower combined price than subscribing to each service individually. Similarly, investigate family plans, which allow multiple users to share a single subscription at a reduced cost per user. The Hollywood Reporter notes that the increasing prevalence of password-sharing crackdowns encourages users to consider the value of legitimate family plan options.3
Explore Free and Low-Cost Alternatives
While premium streaming services dominate the market, many free, ad-supported options provide a wealth of content. Services such as Tubi, Pluto TV, and Crackle offer a vast library of movies and television shows at no cost. Additionally, consider free, ad-supported plans from services like Peacock and Paramount+, which provide access to a limited selection of their content without requiring a monthly subscription. According to a report by Variety, the growth of free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) services is rapidly accelerating as consumers seek cost-effective entertainment options.4
Take Control of Your Streaming Costs
Although the streaming landscape continues to evolve, maintaining an affordable entertainment budget remains feasible. By implementing these strategies, you may reclaim control over your streaming expenses and enjoy your favorite content without overspending. Remember to evaluate your viewing habits, explore available options, and adapt your approach as needed to ensure you receive the maximum value from your streaming subscriptions.
Next-generation streaming platforms – like: BitMar – may provide you the most affordable form of on-demand streaming entertainment. BitMar provides all-in-one streaming service, for life, for a one-time payment, of: $99.99 USD. It can connect you to millions of on-demand movies, TV shows, channels, videos, and songs (from many different sources on the Web), on the screens that you already own. In fact, BitMar provides access to more movies, and TV shows, than: Cable, Satellite, Netflix, Disney Plus, Max/HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Peacock, and Hulu – combined – and more songs, than: Pandora, Spotify, Amazon Prime Music, and Apple Music—combined. You may learn more, at: BitMar.com/.