You can watch podcasts on TikTok now. If you’re a creator, load episodes straight to TikTok through an RSS feed and tack it on to your vids. Cool: Listeners won’t have to leave the app to hear the whole podcast. Yikes: It’s TikTok.
7 ways to stop paying so much on streaming every dang month
Five years ago, Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu with Live TV would cost you around $56 a month. Not bad! Today, the exact services will run you over $106. How’s that for outrageous?
New research shows we’re more cutthroat than ever about what we pay to stream. Let’s look at some clever ways people save so you can, too!
It’s all about the Benjamins
If it’s not clear by now, we’re all scaling back on streaming primarily because of how dang expensive these services are. Sure, some people hit their TV limit during the pandemic (🙋♀️ raising my hand), but costs are still out of control.
Here are a few recent increases in monthly prices:
- Ad-free Netflix plan: From $13.99 to $15.49
- Ad-free Disney+ premium: From $11 to $14
- Ad-free Hulu with Live TV: From $70 to $77
- Ad-free Amazon Prime Video: From $0 to $2.99, plus you need to pay $14.99 per month for Prime
Over the last two years, roughly 25% of American streaming subscribers have canceled at least three services. Yup, I’m in that category, too!
OK, I’m ready to save
I feel you. You don’t need to cut all your streaming to save significant cash, either.
- Get creative. What do you pay for that you don’t need all the time? Looking at you, sports add-ons. Cancel those once specific events or seasons are over.
- Focus on what you watch most. If we’re not watching anything on Netflix, it goes away until our show returns. A couple of active services are usually more than enough for one family.
- Watch ads. Streaming companies are desperate to keep you, and you can get free or cheaper options if you’re willing to put up with commercials.
- Get a grip. Sometimes, you forget what you’re even paying for. I use Rocket Money (a sponsor of my podcast) to do it for me. You can also comb through your bank and credit card statements to find all your streaming charges.
- Consider an antenna. This is a no-brainer if you’re a sports fan and your favorite games are on local channels. Here’s a solid option that includes a DVR, and this one gets the job done on a budget. Try this site to see what channels you can get at home.
- Test the freebies. Pluto TV, Tubi and plenty of others still cost absolutely nothing. Ads? Yes. Free? Yes. Big list of freebies here!
- Sharing is caring. Not everyone has banned this yet. Amazon lets up to six people share. Through Apple’s Family Sharing feature, six folks get Apple TV+. Disney+ started cracking down on password sharing for Canadian users, but it’s still OK here in the U.S. — for now.
My husband, Barry, is a serial subscriber
If there’s a paid app or service, he somehow finds it. I regularly go in and cancel stuff he’s not using, and then every few months, he’ll yell, “KIM! Did you cancel this?” I just laugh.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Sky-high car insurance rates? Blame it on all the tech in our cars
My car insurance just went up 32%. Did I have an accident or get a few tickets? Nope. Since 2020, car insurance rates in the U.S. have risen by a whopping 37%. The main reason? High-tech vehicles — aka anything remotely new — cost way more to repair. And you don’t need to have a high-tech car to feel the pinch. It’s hitting everyone.
The safest way to "unsubscribe"
🔮 Bill Gates is losing sleep over AI: On his “Unconfuse Me” podcast, he says he’d love to travel to the year 2100 to see if AI helps the world or dooms us. It’s frightening if even he doesn’t know what’s going to happen.
Free privacy tool: See what your CAR collects about you
A new car has over 1,400 microchips and runs on 100 million lines of code. Because it is connected, it can also collect a lot of data about you.
Your car is like your phone, computer or tablet now — always listening. What is your vehicle collecting? Way more than we’d all like to think.
The mistake slowing down your connection and killing your phone
It’s a cozy evening, and you just started streaming your favorite show. But, as the plot thickens, your Wi-Fi takes an unexpected hiatus. Annoying, right?
Before you unplug your router, look at your smartphone. The culprit could be apps chowing down on precious bandwidth.
Ayatollah's Instagram and Facebook account
You ditched TikTok: But now and then, you want to scroll mindlessly. Go to YouTube and click “Shorts.” This is YouTube’s version of quick, little videos you’ll want to keep watching. Don’t forget to subscribe to my daily awe-inspiring, laugh-out-loud podcast on YouTube. Yup, it’s that good!
Biden calls and the FCC
Can the FCC’s latest ban on audio deep fakes cut down the flood of unwanted calls? Here’s the news in this short podcast.
New threat at the gas pump
These devices are sneakier than skimmers. I’ll show you how to spot them in this short podcast.
New York's robot patrol fail
Was a robot cop there to patrol or just to take selfies? Find out in this short podcast.
How to clean your filthy AirPods
Do you know what you’re actually putting in your ears? Find out the dirty details in this short podcast.
⌛ Quick podcast tip: Want to listen to a podcast more quickly (to save time) or more slowly (to understand every word)? There’s usually a “1x” on the now-playing screen. It’s your playback speed. You can increase it (e.g., by 1.25x, 1.5x or 2x) or decrease it (e.g., by 0.75x).
Face ID and your privacy
What are the odds someone else’s face can unlock your phone? I reveal the answer in this short podcast.
Talk techy to me: Get your work done faster with this pro tip
AI still has a long way to go, but I’ll tell you one thing: Writing with your voice is getting a heck of a lot easier.
Maybe you dictate text messages, but there’s so much more you can do if you start dictating for work, too. I’ll show you how, plus I’ve got some tips to make your spoken words shine on the page.
3 ways to preserve your family memories this holiday season
Do you remember all the stories older relatives told over the years? You probably recollect bits and pieces. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to relive them whenever you wanted?
Then there are photos of your loved ones from over the years — some sadly fading or stashed away in an attic. Let’s get those precious memories out so that everyone can enjoy them.
Privacy tip: Make sure you're not accidentally sharing your location with apps or people
Ever text a picture to an acquaintance or someone you just met? Depending on your phone and camera’s settings, you may have inadvertently sent where you live, too. This is what someone can see from just a photo.
One good thing about social media is that most platforms wipe out this data. Still, they’re exposing you in other ways. Here’s how to check everything Facebook collects.
Quick tech tricks: Save printer ink, avoid malware, speed browsing and more
You need a timer, and you need it fast. Do a Google search for “timer” and one appears right there for you to use. There’s a stopwatch option, too. Easy, right?
Here’s another smart tech tip I’m surprised so many people mess up. Most people fill in the email recipient section before writing the message. That’s a mistake. Make that your very last step — that way, there’s a much lower chance you’ll send an email before it’s truly ready to send.
Clever tech hacks for less stress this holiday, from Amazon spoilers to family pics
Gift shopping, scammers, cooking the prime rib just right … There’s too much to worry about this time of year. Before you dive headfirst into the festive frenzy, I’ve got tech tips that’ll sprinkle a little magic on your celebrations.