Replace Cable with These Streaming Services

Cable packages can be costly. They also tend to include a lot of channels you never even watch. Rather than paying for unused channels, replace your costly cable package with streaming services instead. Just one or two can give you plenty of variety. Add a few or more apps to the mix and you'll have even more options of what to watch -- still for a lower price than you're probably used to. I personally spend less than $50 per month with access to Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access). You can sign into these apps on your smart TV, through a gaming console, using a streaming stick, or even right on your phone.

Netflix is vastly different than when it originally started. You may remember renting DVDs to your door from the service. Now the app offers tons of original shows and movies with well-known names. Space Force with Steve Carell is a newer show option, as is Mr. Iglesias with Gabriel Iglesias, the comedian. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is a movie featuring Will Ferrel and Rachel McAdams. Down to Earth with Zac Efron is a travel show, while Tiger King: Murder, Madness, and Mayhem gives you a glimpse into the life of Joe Exotic. Those are just a few possibilities. Netflix Originals is a full section to discover.

Originals aren't all that's offered, either. You get tons of access to new seasons of shows after they've aired on TV. Watch Grey's Anatomy, Shameless, The Flash, and much more. You can even go back and watch series you loved years ago, or check out things you always wanted to watch but missed while they were on. Dexter, Gilmore Girls, Zoo, New Girl, Charmed, and plenty more are available. New stuff gets added regularly, so you'll never run out of options. I pay $18 per month for this service - the most expensive out of all the ones I have. But it gives me the ability to watch on four devices at once and comes in UltraHD. You can pay less if you just need it for one device.

I actually don't even have to pay for Hulu anymore. It was just $6 per month for me, but my phone service through Sprint gives me free access now to the streaming service. Hulu has some great original shows, like The Handmaid's Tale and Little Fires Everywhere that can only be seen through this app. I can also watch cable shows the day after they air on TV. I mainly use it for that purpose. I watch shows like The Bold Type from Freeform and 9-1-1 from Fox. There's tons of new and old shows and movies to check out.

This is actually the one I watch the least. I pay for Amazon Prime for free shipping and special deals, and Video comes along with it for under $14 per month. I've checked out a few things on there, but with so much already to watch with all my other apps I just don't use it like I thought I would. There is plenty of content though. They have original shows and movies, like Upload, My Spy, Hanna, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. I did start that show, but haven't continued with it yet. I did finish The Wilds and Tell Me Your Secrets, though -- two great shows. My boyfriend and I also watched the show Hunters on it. I primarily use the service after I've paid an additional price for renting new movies that would've been in theaters. My toddler does watch the app though. They have old Clifford episodes and have also continued with the series. Lots of short, colorful shows for kids are available through this service.

I got Disney+ the day it came out on November 12, 2019. I wanted it for when the reboot of Lizzie McGuire would come out -- though as of right now the show is no longer going forward. Creative differences caused some drama. I got to watch the original again though. You can also see Hilary Duff right now on Younger, and she'll be playing the lead in the upcoming How I Met Your Father (a reboot of How I Met Your Mother.) It's set to air on Hulu, which is actually owned by Disney. Though I don't get to watch Lizzie like I wanted, there's still plenty of content to watch, such as The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers and WandaVision (2 new Disney+ originals).

I also have kids who like a lot of what Disney offers, and the monthly charge is low at just $7. You get 7 profiles, which is the most of any service I've seen so far. My toddler can watch her Disney Junior shows while my nearly teenage son can check out the new shows they produce plus Star Wars and Marvel movies. I mainly like it for the nostalgia factor. My old Disney favorite movies like Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, Jungle 2 Jungle, and Motocrossed are on there. You can watch hit movies, check out new, original productions, or search old favorite shows.

Paramount+ got its start on March 4, 2021. It's a rebrand of the original CBS All Access app. Now, you can use it to watch shows from CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, and more. It works great for me in the summer when I want to watch Big Brother. Paying just 6 bucks a month lets me watch the live feeds as well. I got rid of it for a while, but recently got it again so I could go back and watch previous seasons that I never saw. It has all of them available. Plenty of other shows are also available in full. I've checked out Younger, Why Women Kill and Tell Me a Story, for example. All 40 seasons of Survivor are on it, plus all 10 seasons of Blue Bloods. It even has a list of older movies you can watch, such as the original Charlie's Angles, Agent Cody Banks, and Blade Runner. Check them out if you want to feel nostalgic.