There are so many streaming services being offered that it can be hard to choose which to subscribe to. If you want to get the standard Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max lineup, that will still run you roughly $42 a month. If you still want to have that live TV experience on top of having those streaming services, you can go ahead and tack on another $65 per month, leaving with you a total of $107 (that’s about $1,284 a year).

Of course, there’s the option of practicing self-control and limiting yourself to only 1-2 streaming services. Let’s be honest though, with the increased watch time since the pandemic started, these streaming platforms are taking advantage of this moment and making sure that they keep our eyes glued to the screen with constant delivery of new content.

So, how can someone have access to all this streaming content without emptying their wallets completely? Simple. Utilize your friend network. We learned as children that “sharing is caring” and now is the best time to flex that lesson. A lot of these streaming platforms allow for multiple users on one account. Personally, I have Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ and share them with my friends without asking to split the bill. I figure that since I am already subscribing to all these platforms for my own personal use, it makes no difference if a few more people hop onto my plan.

If you are looking to subscribe to more than three streaming platforms, I suggest splitting the bill with friends. The first step is establishing the friend group that will participate in this communal program. The more people you have, the more content you can enjoy for less money. After you’ve figured out who’s going to be a part of the sharing-is-caring plan, as a group, figure out which streaming services you want. Seeing as you are all friends, there’s a good chance that you all have similar tastes, so there shouldn’t be much discourse about this.

Now, while splitting the streaming bill evenly is the fairest option, if the choices you all make are around the same price, it might just be easier to have one person take over one account on each platform. This option is also ideal because you don’t have to worry about collecting money from each person every month. In my experience, having to collect every month can turn into a sticky situation and sometimes even a petty situation.

However you decide to go about navigating the endless waters of streaming services, just know that at the end of the day, it’s just TV.

Photo via Wall Street Journal