Hulu. Netflix. ESPN+. Vudu. According to a CNBC All-American Economic Survey, 60% of Americans use a streaming service.
Depending on what you like to watch, there's a streaming service for you. What's crazier is 36% report having both having streaming services and cable TV. Don't they know they could be saving money.
If you have both and are looking to cut one, we're here to help. Consumer Reports helps us figure out if you should stick with your cable company or focus solely on streaming.
1. Competitive Pricing
Cable companies are coming up with plans to compete with streaming prices. In Consumer Reports' survey, if you sign-up with Disney+, Hulu, HBO Now, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix 4k, and YouTube TV, you're paying just over $100. This compares to the national average cost of cable TV.
2. Incentives
To lure you back, cable companies are offering 4K video, on-demand services and assistants like Amazon Alexa. Don't quickly take the bait though! These offers come from promotional packages and discounted prices. Read the fine print first. If the offer doesn't come with a price adjustment after a certain amount of time, then get yourself a new Alexa.
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3. More Fees
Remember those incentives we just talked about, well Consumer Reports warns you can see as much as a 75% price hike for fees for add-on features or when the promotion ends. regional sports and broadcast TV channels.
But wait, there are other options.
Before you commit to the cable company again, you might consider a digital antenna with a one-time cost of $20 to $80. You’ll get up to a dozen channels and maybe even better picture quality.
So, if you're looking to save money, take the time to compare prices between services. Streaming services offer a lot of what the cable companies do, so there's a chance you can save yourself and your family a few bucks on TV services.
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