The last few months have given video streaming subscribers one of their least favorite reruns: yet another round of rate hikes.
Since October we have seen ad-free Disney+ jump from $7.99 per month to $10.99, Sling TV Base Rate Scales $35 to $40 per month, and Apple TV+ goes up from $4.99 at $6.99 per month.
The underlying situation has not changed since past inflationary episodes: content costs more and many viewers ignore the higher costs.
“Rate increases to some extent reflect rising programming costs, and it’s also true that as rates increase across the industry, it gives individual streaming service providers more freedom to follow suit,” wrote Tammy Parker, principal analyst at research firm GlobalData.
The cheapest way to bundle streaming services
But you have alternatives to watch your entertainment budget grow. The first is to take advantage of streaming’s lack of long-term contracts (annual discounts aside) and explore ways to “upgrade” your current plan to something cheaper.
To try search your picks on MyBundle.TVwhere you choose your favorite channels and see which services cover them all – and which stream most of them for less.
“We’re seeing more fragmentation across all streaming services,” CEO Jason Cohen wrote in an email, adding that this opens up savings opportunities for people willing to split their viewing between different services.
How to stop Apple and Google from listening:Apple, Google, Amazon and Facebook are always listening unless you change these settings
Is Elon Musk stepping down as CEO of Twitter? :He says he will quit as Tesla’s value plunges
For example, you can waive the cost of local stations, which charge for pay TV services “transmission fee” that subscribers eat next – if their Live broadcasts reach your home good enough for you tune with indoor antenna.
Some regional sports networks, another main driver of pay TV inflation, now offer a stand-alone service. For example, Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Bally Sports Networks now available separately at $19.99/month; Fans may find this allows them to lower their overall budget by upgrading to a cheaper, smaller package for their other viewing channels.
Save money on Netflix, Disney and Apple streaming services
Churning, however, isn’t an option for services built around exclusive content – think Netflix, Disney+ and Apple TV+. New, ad-supported levels at Netflix and disney represent a means of reducing these costs, but your credit card and wireless service provider may offer other.
For example, some Chase cards offer cashback promotions on Disney+, and those from American Express include Paramount+, Peacock, and Showtime; the The Doctor Of Credit Blog Covers Deals Like These. Meanwhile, T-Mobile includes Netflix and at least six months of Apple TV+ and Paramount+ on select unlimited plans; Verizon has comparable launches of the Hulu/Disney+/ESPN+, Apple TV+, and Discovery+ bundle on a few of its own unlimited offerings.
Even the prepaid services that allow you to use the network of a major operator at a lower cost have started offering streaming freebies, noted analyst Jeffrey Moore, director of Wave7 Research. Citing offers such as Cricket, including HBO Max with an unlimited plan, he said these incentives help keep customers and move them to more expensive plans.
It’s all a lot of math to cut your video budget, but it doesn’t look like streaming TV services will stop treating other people’s money as given.
Parker wrote, “Many streaming services are experiencing heavy turnover, and that could stifle the rate-raising model if they try to hold the line in order to retain customers, but given the overall inflationary pressures, I don’t m don’t expect to see the model. . change drastically in the near future. »
Rob Pegoraro is a technical writer based in Washington, D.C. To submit a technical question, email Rob at rob@robpegoraro.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/robpegoraro.
0 Comments