Farewell, cable television! Streaming services are here to stay and have become the most popular way to consume movies and TV shows. Needless to say, consuming digital media has changed in process, but in finance as well. Most streaming services require the user to invest in a monthly subscription. While convenient, this form of procuring entertaining content can be detrimental to your budget if not approached mindfully. Thankfully, VALLEY is here to give you our best recommendations on how to get the most for your money when subscribing to a streaming service.
Choose Wisely
The list of options when it comes to streaming services is massive. Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, Paramount+ and Apple TV all spring to mind.
The first part of navigating the world of streaming in a mindful fashion is choosing the appropriate service. It is important to research each company and compare them to see which’s list of offerings is most appealing to you.
Furthermore, we advise you to think twice before signing up for one of these sites simply to watch one program. By doing so, you may end up discontinuing your subscription after finishing that series, causing your “cost per series” to be very high.
By making an informed decision and contrasting options, you will set yourself on the right track to getting the most out of your subscription.
Take Control of Your “Cost per episode”
One of the best ways to maximize the value of your dollar in subscribing to a streaming platform is by thinking about it as you would a gym membership. If you are paying $20 each month for a gym membership, and you visit the gym 20 times per month, you are essentially paying $1 for each workout.
The same line of thinking can apply to streaming. If your monthly payment for Hulu is $7, and you watch 3 different programs on the platform regularly, you are effectively paying $3.50 for each. Likewise, if you watch 15 episodes of a show over a month, you are paying just under 50 cents each.
This type of mindset will help you become a more informed consumer. If the amount of money you pay per TV episode each month seems too high, you can rectify that by branching out and getting into more shows, or simply by watching your current obsessions at a faster rate.
By changing the way you think about these financial commitments, you can get a better idea of where your monthly payment is going, and you will have the knowledge necessary to decide what makes sense for your budget.
How do you get the most out of your streaming subscriptions? Let us know by tweeting us @VALLEYmag, and be sure to follow our Instagram @valleymag!
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