GREENSBORO, N.C. — Whether you have cable TV or a streaming service, one thing remains the same: Many of us are spending too much money on TV each month. The average number of streaming services is now up to four. Depending on which ones you have, you could be paying what you did for cable.
Amazon announced its bumping its annual Prime subscription by $20, and Netflix raised its rate by $2 each month.
Consumer Reports has some tips on ways you can save.
Use an antenna for broadcast channels to watch your local news and sports instead of paying for a cable-replacement service.
Consider bundling deals, like the one from Disney+ that includes Hulu and ESPN+ for $13.99 a month.
"Also, look for promotions and free trials. Some consumers are trying different services for a month or two, watching all the things that they want to see, basically kicking the tires, and then unsubscribing," said Jim Wilcox, Consumer Reports Tech Editor.
Another tip is to embrace ads. "The fastest-growing part of the business right now? Ad-supported services like Tubi, Pluto TV, and Crackle, offer tons of free movies and shows," said Wilcox.
And it might sound obvious, but CR also says it’s a good idea to carefully check your credit card bill every month to make sure you’re not still paying for a streaming service you don’t use anymore.
What about finding out what shows are playing and when? Consumer Reports has an article about which apps you can use to find out the availability.