What changes to streaming options are you planning ?

MichaelB

MichaelB

Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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Yesterday Disney announced a price increase for its streaming options along with an ad-supported option. Netflix increased price last year and also recently announced it will offer an ad-supported option. Amazon Prime has released ad only content and Discovey+ just announced it will merge streaming with HBO.

What do forum members plan as their next move with streaming? Will some channels be dropped as prices rise and options consolidate? Will folks move from ad-free to lower priced ad-supported?

I’m considering dropping Netflix, as we seem to be watching very little. We already chose to not renew BritBox. Most of our viewing is on Hulu and Discovery+, and we’ll continue with the ad-free options for now.
 
I'm definitely willing to pay to avoid ads... which I hate.

Not sure what we will do. Our current BritBox subscription ends in November and I received an email last week that the renewal will be $80 for a year (current subscription was $40 for a year). We'll probably let it lapse, do Acorn for a while and return to BritBox later.

We also have AppleTV+($5), Amazon Prime Video ($10), Peacock($5*) PBS Passport ($60/yr) and HBOMax($8)

Previously had Disney+ and Acorn for a while.

ETA: *We get Peacock with ads complementary as part of the HOA at our winter condo, but pay and extra $5/mo to avoid ads.
 
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I made the following changes.

Dropped Disney+ ($79.99 annual plan) expires Oct 2022 -
Dropped Epix Now - Expires October 2022-

Keeping the following paid services:

Philo $20/month for 70+ cable channels
Hulu
Paramount+
Apple+
HBOMax
Peacock
Amazon Prime
 
We’re not planning on any changes, until/unless streaming becomes more expensive than the alternatives like cable or satellite. We don’t like increases, but we don’t know anyone with cable or satellite that doesn’t pay WAY more than we do (still about double the $) even after the steady increases over the last few years.

We cut the cord Feb 2018, but we never loaded up on streaming services to begin with. Paid streaming we have:
  • Hulu+Live which includes Disney+ (nice) and ESPN+ (useless)
  • Apple TV+
  • We have Netflix only because it’s “free” with T-Mobile
  • We used to have HBOMax because it was “free” with our previous AT&T 1000mbps internet (we dropped to 300 mbps, saved money there!)
  • We used to have PBS Passport but we only watch 1-2 shows on PBS anymore…
We may subscribe on a month to month basis if needed, but we haven’t done that at all yet.

I watch free YouTube more than any paid streaming platform anyway. Most of what we pay for is because of DW.

Too many in our generation hold on to cable/satellite due to plain resistance to change in our experience. Without seeking to, we’ve converted a few of our friends to cord cutting just by having them watch TV at our house. When they experience our setup in person, they kick themselves for resisting. One husband, who was paying over $200/month, yanked all 4 of his TV hardware devices and took them to his local Comcast office to cancel immediately. Got an OTR antenna, the subscribed to Hulu saves a ton!
 
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We took American Express offer to reimburse us for 6 months for the bundle of Disney+ Hulu and ESPN (which we don’t watch) thru 8/31 so am about to turn it off. We just paid the sales tax.

I saw about the HBOMax bundling with Disney+. I guess I’ll have to see what the pricing is. I’ve occasionally subscribed to HBOMax, when they offer a good deal.

Netflix (which T-mobile pays ~2/3rds of the price)
Amazon Prime
PBS Passport
AppleTV+ - we get the whole Apple One Premier bundle

That’s pretty much our regular setup. I will occasionally take advantage of a special for other content.
 
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I won’t change anything. If I do drop something it’ll be because of not using it, not an announced price increase of something.
 
We are not planning changes except continuing to try negotiate down the price of cable. We find value in Netflix and Prime.

Can't really drop cable without a serious streaming option for live sports.
 
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I'm loyal to shows, not services. I binge the shows I like and then cancel, moving on to the next service that has shows I need to catch up on. I try to catch good deals on special offers when I can.


In the next month, I'll cancel HBO Max (7.49) and Paramount (.99).
 
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We dropped Netflix the end of 2020 and got a half-price deal for HBOMax in September of 2021 that we tired of and dropped last month. We currently have:

- Prime
- PBS Masterpiece (Prime add-on)
- Discovery+

We find ads to be a minor inconvenience, not a deal killer, so we also subscribe to the ad versions of:

- Hulu (Black Friday deal)
- Peacock Premium ($24/yr deal)
- Paramount+

I plan to add Sling Orange next month so I can watch college football. We will probably drop Discovery+ and Paramount+ at that time.
 
We’ve never dropped and added streaming services month to month, though it’s clearly a way to save considerably, and from what I hear it’s very common for younger generations. DW decides what we subscribe to (I’ve learned to pick my battles). :angel:
 
I’ve got cable/high speed internet with Comcast/Xfinity that includes HBO and Showtime.
Add to that every major streaming service:
Netflix
Prime: with amc+, Brit box, paramount+ added
Apple TV
Hulu/Disney
I feel like I’m forgetting some.
If I cancel any of them it will be because of the ads they put in. I have had this problem with AMC+ and Prime. I pay for these services so I don’t have ads. I don’t want them. I get really annoyed when I have to search out the no ad watching option- sometimes it’s there and sometimes it isn’t. [emoji2370]
I also don’t care for the shows that drop weekly but I’ve learned to just wait until the last few weeks so I can catch up.
I love the British mystery shows.
 
Irishgirlyc58 said:
I’ve got cable/high speed internet with Comcast/Xfinity that includes HBO and Showtime.
Add to that every major streaming service:
Netflix
Prime: with amc+, Brit box, paramount+ added
Apple TV
Hulu/Disney
I feel like I’m forgetting some.
If I cancel any of them it will be because of the ads they put in. I have had this problem with AMC+ and Prime. I pay for these services so I don’t have ads. I don’t want them. I get really annoyed when I have to search out the no ad watching option- sometimes it’s there and sometimes it isn’t. [emoji2370]
I also don’t care for the shows that drop weekly but I’ve learned to just wait until the last few weeks so I can catch up.
I love the British mystery shows.
Click to expand...
You have cable? So do I and the team that installed our new Sony said it’s like dripping water instead of a waterfall. Strongly suggested we get ITV3 fiber. Will we really save money? We’re fine with our streaming and channels we have. The installer had no business relationship with ITV3.
 
Rianne said:
You have cable? So do I and the team that installed our new Sony said it’s like dripping water instead of a waterfall. Strongly suggested we get ITV3 fiber. Will we really save money? We’re fine with our streaming and channels we have. The installer had no business relationship with ITV3.
Click to expand...

Rianne, are you saying that your streaming is slow and you think it is your internet connection? We stream alot and our internet connections are 30mbps in Florida and 100 mbps in Vermont and streaming at both locations is fine... my point is that you don't need really fast internet to stream successfully.
 
I personally do not watch the TV, but the young wife does. She currently has Netflix, Amazon Prime and PBS for streaming. We don't have regular broadcast or cable TV. I don't foresee her making any changes.
 
pb4uski said:
I'm definitely willing to pay to avoid ads... which I hate.
Click to expand...

Same here. I will pay until it hurts to avoid ever having to watch ads.

Our current streaming lineup as follows, along with plans for changes (if any):

Netflix: $15/mo, keeping indefinitely
Prime Video: $11/mo, keeping indefinitely (mostly because included with AMZN Prime)
HBO Max: $7.50/mo, may cancel when price jumps back up to $15/mo

I'm also still clinging to a basic DirecTV package for things like live sports, news, and local channels. Pretty sure I'll be canceling that within the next 3-4 months, as we hardly ever watch it. Might replace it with something like Sling Orange or Blue.
 
Midpack said:
We’ve never dropped and added streaming services month to month, though it’s clearly a way to save considerably, and from what I hear it’s very common for younger generations. DW decides what we subscribe to (I’ve learned to pick my battles). :angel:
Click to expand...

Yep. We bounce back and forth with different services and catch up on series then move on. They all make it pretty easy to cancel/re-join...at least for now.

I haven't been too thrilled with the recent change where a new series doesn't drop ALL the shows for a season at once. I understand why they do it, but I am not a fan.

We have been using YouTube TV for about a month and have been pretty impressed with it.
 
Rianne said:
You have cable? So do I and the team that installed our new Sony said it’s like dripping water instead of a waterfall. Strongly suggested we get ITV3 fiber. Will we really save money? We’re fine with our streaming and channels we have. The installer had no business relationship with ITV3.
Click to expand...


I’m 98% sure that the cable company is fiber. We have the fastest internet that they provide to residential services.
I will check into ITV3 but I live in a smaller town and we get some technology behind the larger cities. We usually get it but maybe a year or two later.

Every time we checked into canceling cable and just using streaming services it ends up costing the same if not more and a lot more hassle.
 
We’ll probably keep all that we have, including Hulu, Disney+, HBOmax, Paramount, Amazon Prime and Netflix. What we will dump is Comcast for our Jersey Shore home for tv. We have no better choice for Internet, but we’ll be happy with the streaming services for there.
 
Comcast here for my sports watching (golf and baseball) as that's all I care to watch. DW's TV is on all kinds of stuff and she also uses Prime and Netflix.

As I type this, Takus High Speed is drilling under our front yard installing fiber. Up to one gig will be at my doorstep soon! The drilling rig is actually IN my front yard today.

I'll have to see what their plans cost and maybe dump Comcast. However, that's going to be a fight with DW to get accomplished.
 
I have Netflix, Amazon prime, Disney+ and Discovery+.

I always pay 20 to 50% less for Netflix each month. How you ask?
I buy Netflix gift cards at a discount. One recent example, Amazon gave me $10 off $25 to upload one photo to their site. Same for the wife.
Bought 2 $25 E-Netflix cards for 40% off. I haven't paid full price in years.

Get Amazon prime for half price with my daughter's college discount. Probably won't renew once that ends.

Daughter has Disney+ which I rarely use.

Discovery+ I had to get for my wife to agree to cancel cable. Well worth it.

I recently cancelled HBO Max that I got a year for $8.

I do love all the Star Trek shows on Paramount+. So one of my financial blogs posts a free 30 day code. I binge watch as much as I can then cancel. Six months later I can use another code.
 
I rotate stuff. I have Fubo for now under a 30 day free promo but will switch back to Youtube TV when the freebie ends. I like its UI the best of the live streaming packages. I get Peacock free with Comcast internet and watch a little of it. I also have Prime but I doubt I will renew next year. Haven't had Netflix for a while so may sign up for a few months with them again.

I can't stand ads either. Anything I want to watch on YT TV..... I always record so I can skip through the commercials.
 
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