👩🍼 Bundles of joy: Bundles can save you money by combining services at a lower total cost. Try Apple One, which bundles cloud storage, music, games and movies — or streaming services Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+. Share it with family and it’s even cheaper.
Fire up the TV: Here’s what to stream in April
Don’t want to waste precious time looking for something to watch? Let me point you straight to the good stuff! Here’s everything new this month that’s worth a stream.
Netflix
Hello, black leather, bullets and Keanu: All three “Matrix” movies are on Netflix this month. If that’s not your bag, “Happy Gilmore” with Adam Sandler is always a hole-in-one. Or treat the kids to “Hotel Transylvania” (and then “Hotel Transylvania 2”).
Watch for new seasons of “The Circle,” “Heartbreak High,” “Spirit Rangers” and “As the Crow Flies.” Oh, and don’t forget all four seasons of the adventure series “Black Sails.” No need to pirate it!
Hulu
Lots of cool movies hitting Hulu this month, including the star-packed thriller “Don’t Worry Darling,” the Coen brothers’ classic “The Big Lebowski” and DC Comics blockbuster “Wonder Woman.”
As for series, check out new seasons of “We’re Here” and “Ugliest House in America” — you know, for when you wanna feel better about your fixer‑upper.
Amazon Prime Video
You’ve got the ‘80s classic “Top Gun,” the ‘90s hit “Titanic” and the 2015 Bond flick “Spectre.” Or pay homage to the ‘70s with the latest movie in the “Exorcist” franchise, “The Exorcist: Believer.” Thanks, I’ll pass.
As far as shows go, your best bets are all seasons of “House” and the latest video-game-to-TV adaptation, “Fallout.” I swear there’s a new adaptation of something every day.
Max
If you have an extra 20 hours on your hands, binge all eight “Harry Potter” movies on Max this month. There’s a ton of other great stuff, like this year’s Oscar-winning “The Zone of Interest” and 2003 classic “Lost in Translation.” Ooh, maybe I’ll watch that when I’m missing Japan.
7 ways to stop paying so much on streaming every dang month
Five years ago, Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu with Live TV would cost you around $56 a month. Not bad! Today, the exact services will run you over $106. How’s that for outrageous?
New research shows we’re more cutthroat than ever about what we pay to stream. Let’s look at some clever ways people save so you can, too!
The FTC bans fake online reviews
Using bots to boost social media followers and influence is off the table, too. Disney+ adds Hulu shows, sparking parental outrage. Plus, Waymo horror stories, Facebook rental scams, and tips for your next mechanic visit. And Earl from Chicago needs wedding help for his daughter.
How many minutes of ads are shown per hour of traditional TV? Is it … A.) 8 minutes, B.) 10 minutes, C.) 12 minutes or D.) 14 minutes?
$0.99 a month
Hulu’s Black Friday deal … maybe. They offered that promo last year and have slashed prices to between $1 and $3 a month every Black Friday since 2018. They said last year it won’t happen again, but we all know how that goes. I’ll drop a link if they do.
Tech true stories: Movies about the rise (and fall) of startups and tech companies
Let me tell you, I’m so over losing all my time getting sucked into watching long TV series. I’m on a movie kick right now, and of course, I really like watching the back story about tech products and the company’s founders. Here are some I thought you might want to watch, too.
Shortcut to find where a show or movie is streaming
A friend is raving about a new show you just have to watch. You’re in, you’re excited and then you realize, “Oh, it’s on a streaming service I don’t subscribe to.”
The problem used to be there wasn’t anything to watch. Now, there are too many places to watch shows and movies. Here’s a fast, easy way to find out what’s available where.
I couldn’t think of Ariel-y good pun: Grocery chain Kroger is offering a free subscription to Disney+, Hulu or ESPN+ for members of their Boost loyalty program, which is $59 a year. Heads-up: Spectrum and DirecTV customers get Disney+ free, too.
Ditch Hulu’s algorithm and browse by channel: Click Browse > Networks, then filter from A-Z. What’ll it be? Renovations on HGTV? Recipes on Food Network? Rom-coms on Lifetime? Feels like old-school channel surfing!
Parents, know this about Disney
Disney+ adding Hulu content might seem like a win for variety, but parents aren’t thrilled. R-rated flicks and reality drama are creeping into what used to be a family-safe zone.
Web safety alert: Over 100,000 websites, including Hulu, are victims of a security breach. They all use a compromised JavaScript library that could redirect users to scam sites, install malware, and even swipe usernames, passwords and credit card info. Watch out for rogue pop‑ups.
No, getting low-cost streaming content isn’t legit: Five guys behind Jetflicks, one of the largest illegal streaming services in the U.S., got busted. They charged $9.99 a month for more content than Netflix, Hulu, Vudu and Amazon Prime Video combined. They could face years in prison for the millions they raked in from subscriptions. If you subscribed to it, you might be fined for copyright violations, too.
$11.99 per month
Spotify’s new price after another $1 increase. The Premium Family plan went from $16.99 to $19.99. If you have a student in the fam, you can score a $5.99 monthly rate that includes Hulu with ads. You’re welcome.
Which platform is winning the streaming wars, with the largest share of viewers? Is it … A.) Prime Video, B.) Netflix, C.) Hulu or D.) YouTube?
Too much power: Advertisers can now use Walmart’s shopping data for targeted ads on Disney+ and Hulu. Disney Advertising and Walmart Connect’s partnership gives marketers access to 145 million customers. They say they’ll match users’ data “without violating their privacy,” but they always say that.
Weekend streams: If you’re not into March Madness, I just finished “Masters of the Air” on Apple TV+ — 10/10. “The Daily Look” is fantastic, too, especially if you’re into fashion. On Hulu, “Shogun” is amazing. Finally, “Dexter” is actually pretty good. It’s streaming on Prime, Paramount+ and Showtime.
Expand your streaming horizons: Ditch Hulu’s algorithm and browse by channel. Click Browse > Networks, then filter by A-Z. What’ll it be? Renovations on HGTV? Recipes on Food Network? Rom-coms on Lifetime? Feels like old-school channel surfing!
Streaming costs are higher than ever - Take steps to save now
I think we’re all wondering the same thing. Am I really saving any money since I ditched cable for streaming? And about those commercials … they’ve come to streaming, too.
Just this week, Disney+ and Hulu said that come October, prices will increase. Ad-free Disney+ is going from $11 to $14 — ad-free Hulu from $14 to $18. You could pay less to watch some ads, but … they’re annoying.