As streaming TV prices climb, you may wonder if it's best to go back to cable.
The thought crossed Steph Keller's mind. She's a wedding photographer who spends hours a day editing photos and albums.
For a well-deserved break, she turns on the TV in her home studio.
In the past few years though, she says, streaming has become just as pricey as her old cable package.
"We were paying over $200 to watch TV, which is crazy," she said.
Keller had YouTube TV, the streaming equivalent of a cable package, until recently when the rate climbed to $83 a month.
"We got YouTube TV, which is great, it has a lot of live channels," she said. "However, that got expensive too!"
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So she slimmed down to just a handful of services.
For sports, which are important to her family, she has ESPN+.
She also has Prime Video since "it comes with your Prime membership," she said.
She also subscribes to Netflix, but the ad-supported version for $6.99 a month.
"The ads on Netflix," she explained, "are literally two per show, one in the middle and one in the beginning. It's not a big deal."
More affordable live TV streaming services
If you still like the experience of live TV, CNET senior editor Kourtnee Jackson says to start with an affordable live TV streaming service, like Philo or Sling TV.
"They offer less channels than a service like YouTube TV or Hulu with live TV, but they offer a great starting point in terms of pricing," she said.
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She recommends you couple it with an on-demand service that suits your family's needs, such as Netflix or Disney+, especially if you have younger children.
Jackson says streaming services are offering more and more live TV all the time, "Some services like Peacock and Paramount+ offer live programming. "They offer live sports,” she said.
Before signing up for a streaming service, CNETsuggests you consider:
- Its channel lineup
- Pricing
- Extra features such as free DVR
- Whether it is ad-free or includes commercials
- How much sports programming it offers
Jackson also recommends bundling, such as bundles that include Hulu and Disney+, or bundles offered by cell phone providers.
"I think we're going to see a lot more bundles to give consumers more choice," she said.
CNET finds that once you factor in taxes and extra fees, live TV streaming still comes out cheaper than cable in most cases.
The customers who might actually save with cable, CNET says, are sports fans, even though more and more games now stream live on Netflix, Prime, and other services.
Steph Keller says all her streaming services now add up to less than $30 a month, with an antenna for local stations.
"Do your research, talk to people," she said. "Don't be afraid, and save that money, why not?"
And that way you don't waste your money.
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