Best way to spend $20, $30, or $50 per month for streaming shows, sports and movies
What’s the most expensive video streaming service? College. You might think otherwise looking at your credit card statements. Streaming entertainment services are experiencing unprecedented profits as the pandemic continues to force us to sit at home on the couch.
You don’t have to pay for something interesting to help pass the time. You can watch movies for free. Here’s a list of 10 services and sites that offer good, quality movies for free.
Don’t forget; you also get terrific programs as part of your Amazon Prime membership. Its original shows are high-quality and the library is impressive. Take a look and I’m sure you’ll find something great to watch.
Consider adding an indoor or outdoor antenna. From sports to local news to prime-time shows, it’s all free in HD with an antenna. Tap or click here for what to look for in an antenna and my picks that work.
It’s easy to sign up for a myriad of streaming services. If you’re not careful, you could end up paying more than you do for cable. Here are some ways to keep your streaming budget in check.
A $20 monthly budget
The days of Netflix versus Hulu are over. There is a seemingly endless stream of competitors ranging from cable-TV platforms like Peacock to specialty networks like HBO Max.
CBS All Access, owned by Viacom, includes content from Comedy Central, MTV, BET, Nickelodeon, Paramount and more. It throws in sports as well — including NFL games on CBS’s schedule through 2022 that are broadcast in your area, plus the upcoming Super Bowl. It also offers NCAA basketball and PGA golf tournaments.
To keep to the $20 monthly budget, choose the ad-supported version of CBS All Access for $6 per month. You’ll get ads right before your content, but this gives you more money for other platforms.
Next up is Peacock Premium that includes over 20,000 shows and movies from NBC Universal. You can also watch currently-airing shows a day after they broadcast so that you won’t miss the prime-time lineup.
Peacock’s ad-supported version is $5 a month. This includes next-day access to NBC’s current lineup, along with content from Bravo, Syfy, Telemundo, USA Network and Universal Studios.
Finally, let’s wrap up our streaming package with the tremendously popular Disney+. This streaming network includes almost all of Disney’s decades-spanning catalog and several hit shows from Fox like “The Simpsons.”
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Cut the cord: Best streaming options for $20, $30 and $50 per month
Cord-cutting isn’t just a passing craze anymore. In the second quarter of 2020 alone, more than 1.3 million homes dropped cable or satellite TV. And based on streaming platform performance during the pandemic, that number will only grow.
Live TV streaming service hikes prices 30% - we compare all the options
Cord-cutting is more than just a trend these days — it’s the norm. The prevalence of streaming has led to a drastic decline in traditional cable subscriptions, and streaming services with live TV have only deepened the blow.