Watch ALL of your favorite streaming services for $9 per month total.

[jnw]

This idea might of already been discussed on here I am not sure.  But it something I do.

The average streaming subscription is $9 per month with Netflix and HBO Max being the most expensive.

You can watch them all for around $9 per month on average.

Just subscribe to a single service for a month.  i.e. subscribe and immediately cancel to avoid recurring charges.  Then just binge watch all your favorite shows on that streaming service, for that single month.

Then the following month, on the first day that you want to start watching something new, subscribe to a different service for a single month doing the same thing.

This gives you variety and you don't miss out on anything.   One month can be a Disney+ month for example.  Watch all the Pixar and Star Wars films and what not and whatever else in on there.  Then the next month say switch to Apple TV and watch all those shows.  Then the following month perhaps make it Showtime or Starz.   e.g. perhaps get 6 or so of your favorite streaming services and rotate through them every six months.

This should be enough content and variety so you don't get bored with it.

I don't  find I am missing out on anything doing it this way and get a large variety.   Btw, you can get Amazon Prime video alone without the prime subscription. It's $8.99 per month.  (I currently have Prime Subscription for shipping so I have Amazon Video all the time, but I don't need it all the time if I ever wanted to cancel Amazon Prime shipping service.)

List of some streaming services: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney, Hulu, Cinemax, Showtime, HBO, Starz.

Another great cord cutting thing I practice is using an over-the-air antenna.  You can use an HD antenna and get free over the air TV for local news and channels like CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox etc.. I use Plex software as DVR on my Mac Mini M1 and I can play the recorded OTA tv shows back on my Mac or stream from my mac to the bedroom Roku.  I have a lifetime subscription to Plex which if I recall I paid around $120 for.  This gives you a great TV guide for the DVR along with tagging your recorded shows with all the metadata.

[jnw]

Watching the streaming services in this manner also really simplifies things. Instead of having a half a dozen or so simultaneous streaming services, and being overwhelmed by so many viewing options, you only focus on a single service at a time, once per month. 

[jnw]

And all your viewing options are so excitingly fresh each month when you switch, since you haven't watched that service for say 6 or more months. :)

[Ron Scott]

Sharing also works and handles the one-episode-per-week issue when you want to watch a new season as it’s released.

[FIRE Artist]

I have been doing this for two years now and will never go back.  I keep my subscriptions usually for two months at a time, I feel that is a good length of time for me to exhaust all watching options.

[ixtap]

We will even skip weeks between subscriptions.

For this interested in such programming, Also look into PBS Passport. For our customary PBS donation, we now get streaming service, instead of stuff we don't use (although I DO use the Radio Lab tote bag...). Actual offerings vary by station.

[jnw]

We will even skip weeks between subscriptions.

Yeah same here.  Sometimes I just don't watch tv / movies at all for long periods of times.  There is so much to do on the internet for example.

[jnw]

For this interested in such programming, Also look into PBS Passport. For our customary PBS donation, we now get streaming service, instead of stuff we don't use (although I DO use the Radio Lab tote bag...). Actual offerings vary by station.

I do get PBS over the air, and record all the Nature and Nova documentaries.  Plex automatically does this for me with its DVR capabilities; I have a lifetime subscription to the DVR guide.  I have like 80 shows or so I haven't even watched yet sitting on my 8TB HDD :)

Does the PBS Passport give you more than what you can record over the air for free?

[I really do love Plex.  I did a simple search for "winter olympics" the other day in the client. I said record all in the series.  And now I have like 14 or so winter olympics programs to watch sitting on my HDD.  Mac Mini M1 is also a great computer for this since I you have to leave it runnign 24/7.. it uses like 5w of power when in use.. it's crazy energy savings.]

[ixtap]

For this interested in such programming, Also look into PBS Passport. For our customary PBS donation, we now get streaming service, instead of stuff we don't use (although I DO use the Radio Lab tote bag...). Actual offerings vary by station.

I do get PBS over the air, and record all the Nature and Nova documentaries.  Plex automatically does this for me with its DVR capabilities; I have a lifetime subscription to the DVR guide.  I have like 80 shows or so I haven't even watched yet sitting on my 8TB HDD :)

Does the PBS Passport give you more than what you can record over the air for free?

As I said, we were already giving to PBS, and just gravitated to this option. Our local channel does have a few locally produced specials that were originally aired many years ago, but mostly I imagine it is the same programming, except you might get every season of Nature streaming, even if they didn't start offering it until.seberal seasons in. For my in laws, their "local" PBS doesn't actually reach them, so it has been a good gift for MIL to see Antiques Road Show.

[Catbert]

You can also find various deals on many of these online channels.  Amex frequently has offers such as "Paramount+ $5 off any $8 purchase (can be used 3 times)" so you can get Paramount+ for 3 months for pretty cheap.  Or Amazon Prime had some channels for 99 cents a month although I can't remember if it was one month or several.  Verizon gave me a year of Disney channel for free when Disney channel launched.

As with the free intro month, the key is tracking when you need to cancel or change credit card.

[achvfi]

We have been doing this for a while now. We only have about two subscriptions every month and we cycle them every 2 or 3 months between hbo max, disney, netflix and amazon channels. Only constant has been amazon membership, it provides enough value overtime.

[Zikoris]

Another really good option is weaning yourself off television altogether. I've met a lot of people who used to watch television and don't anymore, and every single one of them has said quitting substantially improved their quality of life. It's been a very long time since I was a television watcher, but I remember my own experience was similar.

[jnw]

Another really good option is weaning yourself off television altogether. I've met a lot of people who used to watch television and don't anymore, and every single one of them has said quitting substantially improved their quality of life. It's been a very long time since I was a television watcher, but I remember my own experience was similar.

I'm not a "television watcher" but I do watch it from time to time.  There's been months where I didn't watch a thing. I certainly am not addicted to it that's for sure. :)

[kenner]

Mostly I like television for background noise (music is good too, but there are a few shows that I'm happy to let play), but I have access to Great Courses through my local library, and I've watched some interesting classes/documentaries from them.  The library provides something like 4 movies/month through Kanopy as well, but what's available there seems really varied.  With those and music I try to only sign up for each of the streaming services once a year (targeting when they'll give me a free month) so I can catch up on any shows I liked or that friends recommended and then let them go again when the offer is over.  I'm sure the various services will get smarter eventually and stop offering free trials, but thus far it's working.

[Frankies Girl]

We have Netflix, and also an antenna for basic channels. I can't remember the last time we watched regular tv however.

We mostly just wait for stuff to show up at the local library. We do not care about watching things that are popular in the moment and are fine with waiting until they're "old" to binge anything we might like.

I get free access to Kanopy through them and between the two household members can watch 8 things on there for free each month and there are other library portals (also free) that provide more screen viewing than we could possibly want.

We also kick it old school: we have an extensive DVD/bluray collection of favorites and occasionally do pick up for pennies movies or tv shows we find at thrift stores since we've seen favorites disappear from the streaming services enough to be annoyed and enjoy not having to depend on them heavily.

[jnw]

We have Netflix, and also an antenna for basic channels. I can't remember the last time we watched regular tv however.

We mostly just wait for stuff to show up at the local library. We do not care about watching things that are popular in the moment and are fine with waiting until they're "old" to binge anything we might like.

I get free access to Kanopy through them and between the two household members can watch 8 things on there for free each month and there are other library portals (also free) that provide more screen viewing than we could possibly want.

We also kick it old school: we have an extensive DVD/bluray collection of favorites and occasionally do pick up for pennies movies or tv shows we find at thrift stores since we've seen favorites disappear from the streaming services enough to be annoyed and enjoy not having to depend on them heavily.

Thank you for mentioning Kanopy. I just requested to them to ask my city if they will add Kanopy.  I'll also talk to someone at my city library about it.

I also don't care if I miss the latest episode of a show.. I could really care less about what's popular at the time and never feel like I am missing out on anything.

Thanks for your reply.

[American GenX]

Another really good option is weaning yourself off television altogether. I've met a lot of people who used to watch television and don't anymore, and every single one of them has said quitting substantially improved their quality of life. It's been a very long time since I was a television watcher, but I remember my own experience was similar.

I agree with this but have a hard time not watching during the cooler half of the year.  But, I'm not paying for any streaming services, so at least it's free.  I get Peacock Premium for free as part of my basic internet service and can watch free stuff on some other services that don't charge anything.  I have an antenna for basic channels, local news, and I've even cut way down on NFL.  It's great to free up that time.  I rarely watch movies, either.

[jac941]

I like this strategy. We don’t watch much TV, but it’s fun to get a month subscription and binge watch an entire season of a show on occasion. Feels like a treat that way.

We also recently got a year of Curiosity Stream for $12, so that’s been fun. Now when my kids ask to watch a show, I let them pick a documentary. Don’t know if we’ll keep it after a year, but we’ve definitely gotten our $12 worth.

I wish I could get my mom in on this, but the subscribe / unsubscribe stresses her out too much. We did finally get her off cable ($90 / month!) and onto just 2 subscription services that have all of her favorite shows for only $25/month. So a big win there.

[katsiki]

For this interested in such programming, Also look into PBS Passport. For our customary PBS donation, we now get streaming service, instead of stuff we don't use (although I DO use the Radio Lab tote bag...). Actual offerings vary by station.

I do get PBS over the air, and record all the Nature and Nova documentaries.  Plex automatically does this for me with its DVR capabilities; I have a lifetime subscription to the DVR guide.  I have like 80 shows or so I haven't even watched yet sitting on my 8TB HDD :)

Does the PBS Passport give you more than what you can record over the air for free?

As I said, we were already giving to PBS, and just gravitated to this option. Our local channel does have a few locally produced specials that were originally aired many years ago, but mostly I imagine it is the same programming, except you might get every season of Nature streaming, even if they didn't start offering it until.seberal seasons in. For my in laws, their "local" PBS doesn't actually reach them, so it has been a good gift for MIL to see Antiques Road Show.

+1 for PBS Passport!

However, it is different than over the air PBS.  You get early access to shows, extended viewing etc.  These sites might help explain it better than I can:

https://www.pbs.org/passport/videos/

https://video.wyes.org/passport/learn-more/

$5/month (or more) - well worth it!!

[DaMa]

I've been doing this for 5 or 6 years.  I am on my second year of Hulu for $2 per month (Black Friday sale).  I also like to get DVDs from the library.

[jnw]

I've been doing this for 5 or 6 years.  I am on my second year of Hulu for $2 per month (Black Friday sale).  I also like to get DVDs from the library.

Thanks for mentioning that Hulu deal which happens around Black Friday, looks like that month will be a Hulu month for me! :)

[Sibley]

I'm on the cell phone family plan. We currently get a bunch of streaming services for free. I mostly watch Disney+ (Star Wars), but have watched a few things elsewhere. Prior to the free deal, I paid for Disney+ and traded logins with my sister for what she had.

[Catbert]

Check your Amex Offers.  I have a spend 4.99+ at Peacock get $4.99 back offer.  Can be repeated 3 times.

[familyandfarming]

++1 for antenna TV!

[centurymantra]

Another really good option is weaning yourself off television altogether. I've met a lot of people who used to watch television and don't anymore, and every single one of them has said quitting substantially improved their quality of life. It's been a very long time since I was a television watcher, but I remember my own experience was similar.

This is a valid outlook when referring to idle channel surfing and consumption of typical TV (reality shows, sitcoms, game shows, etc.) but does not necessarily apply when talking about streaming - esp. if it is primarily used to watch movies.  "Television watching" is much different than film watching.  Personally, I am a very serious cinema enthusiast and consider cinema to be as rewarding, enriching and mind-expanding as literature, music, theater, etc.  I'm not above watching a good popcorn movie for mindless entertainment but the streaming services I primarily use (Mubi, Criterion, Metrograph, etc.) focus on providing a platform that offers much more than that.

[NorthernIkigai]

Another really good option is weaning yourself off television altogether. I've met a lot of people who used to watch television and don't anymore, and every single one of them has said quitting substantially improved their quality of life. It's been a very long time since I was a television watcher, but I remember my own experience was similar.

This is a valid outlook when referring to idle channel surfing and consumption of typical TV (reality shows, sitcoms, game shows, etc.) but does not necessarily apply when talking about streaming - esp. if it is primarily used to watch movies.  "Television watching" is much different than film watching.  Personally, I am a very serious cinema enthusiast and consider cinema to be as rewarding, enriching and mind-expanding as literature, music, theater, etc.  I'm not above watching a good popcorn movie for mindless entertainment but the streaming services I primarily use (Mubi, Criterion, Metrograph, etc.) focus on providing a platform that offers much more than that.

For those of us not into movies or other stuff on screens this just sounds like “no no, I get that blue crack cocaine is bad for you, but green crack cocaine is really great, and my preferred way of paying for it is X”. I mean sure, we all have our preferences and make our own decisions, but I don’t get the attitude I see here and elsewhere sometimes that TV is bad but streaming is somehow completely different.