By: The BitMar Team.
Image Source: Gemini.
The proliferation of streaming services has offered viewers an unprecedented level of choice in entertainment. However, this abundance of options presents a new challenge: the potential for significant overspending, beyond the easily-calculated monthly fees. It is not simply the sum of the subscription prices, but the associated costs that can inflate your entertainment budget.
One significant, often-overlooked factor is the increased demand upon your home internet service. Streaming high-definition video, especially in 4K, requires a robust and reliable internet connection with sufficient bandwidth. A report from the Federal Communications Commission highlights the continuing evolution of broadband speed needs, driven largely by video consumption. If your current internet plan is insufficient, you may be forced to upgrade to a more expensive tier, to avoid buffering and maintain a satisfactory viewing experience. This upgraded service represents an indirect, yet very real, cost attributable to your streaming habits.
Another contributor to overspending is the phenomenon of "subscription fatigue" and underutilized accounts. It is remarkably easy to subscribe to a new service for a specific show or movie, and subsequently forget to cancel the subscription when your interest wanes. A survey conducted by Nielsen, revealed the changing landscape, of Americas television viewing behavior. The accumulation of these unused, or lightly-used, subscriptions represents a substantial, continuous drain on resources.
Furthermore, consider the hardware requirements. While many televisions now come equipped with "smart" capabilities, older models may require the purchase of external streaming devices, such as: Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, or Apple TV. These devices, while not excessively expensive individually, add to the overall financial burden, especially if multiple televisions, within a household, require them. The Consumer Reports Buying Guide for Streaming Media Players offers various comparisons, of various devices and their capabilities, highlighting the differences, between various models. The need to periodically upgrade these devices, to maintain compatibility with the latest streaming technologies, or to access new features, should also be taken into consideration.
Carefully consider the services that you use regularly, and which you can realistically manage, within your budget. Review your subscriptions, on a recurring basis; to eliminate those that no longer provide value.
Finally, explore options for bundling services. Several providers offer discounted rates when you combine multiple services, such as: internet, cable television, and streaming platforms. While the total cost may still be substantial, bundling can offer savings, compared to subscribing to each service individually.
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. 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/.