If you’ve cut the cord in favor of streaming, you may think you’ve made a smart financial decision. But as the costs and complexities of streaming rise, you might want to recalculate how much you’re actually spending each month to watch all your favorite shows at your convenience.
“You’re probably not saving as much money as expected,” said James Wilcox, senior electronics editor for Consumer Reports. “For a lot of people trying to get what they used to get with a traditional TV package, the price [for several streaming services] has gotten much much closer to what they were complaining about a couple of years ago.”
But there are ways to save. In fact, Wilcox recently wrote a Consumer Reports article outlining how you can get a comprehensive selection of TV shows and movies for less than $25 a month.
His suggested monthly package:
- 1. Essential tier of Paramount+: $5
- 2. Trio Basic Disney+ bundle (with Hulu + and ESPN+): $13
- 3. Peacock Premium with ads: $5
All of these packages come with ads. But you’ll be able to watch a variety of programs, including original programming from each platform.