As the leaves turn and the weather grows chilly, it's a good time of year to get cozy watching shows and movies on best streaming services. But nobody has the money or even time to see everything that's out there. That's why I'm here to help you decide which services to keep this month and which you can cancel until next month.
Americans now pay an average of $46 a month for streaming services, according to Forbes — or a hefty $552 a year. But you can save money on streaming by getting rid of a service or two for a short time. It's easy to re-subscribe later when there's a new show or movie you truly cannot miss.
For November 2024, I would cancel Peacock and Hulu. We rate both services highly, but no major titles are debuting in the next month. While they have some interesting offerings, they're not in the "must see immediately" category. Here's why I think you should consider canceling Hulu and Peacock this month.
Few big titles are arriving on Hulu or Peacock in November 2024
Both Hulu and Peacock boast impressive libraries but a lot of their content will still be there next month. What really draws in and keeps users are originals. And in November, both services have lackluster original slates.
Hulu has just two new notable series arriving this month. The first is FX's "Say Nothing," a historical miniseries set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles of the '70s-'90s.
The other standout title is "Interior Chinatown," a crime comedy limited series featuring a mostly-Asian cast. Jimmy O. Yang stars as a character actor stuck in background roles of a "Law & Order" type show. One day, he accidentally witnesses a crime and as he investigates, he begins to uncover family secrets and a criminal underground in Chinatown. Yang is joined by Ronny Chieng, Chloe Bennet and Lauren Tom.
As interesting as both shows look, they premiere mid-month: "Say Nothing" on Nov. 14 and "Interior Chinatown" on Nov. 19. Personally, I can be patient and wait to binge them come December.
As for Peacock, the most high-profile new original is "The Day of the Jackal," a miniseries starring Eddie Redmayne as a highly elusive assassin who meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer (Lashana Lynch).
Plus, the second season of the comedic thriller "Based on a True Story" brings back Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina for more true crime podcasting hijinks.
But as with Hulu's originals, Peacock's new shows aren't premiering right away. "The Day of the Jackal" is set for Nov. 14, while "Based on a True Story" starts streaming Nov. 19. All you have to do to save a bit of money is wait a measly two weeks.
ABC and NBC shows are airing — but there's a free way to watch
One of the best things about subscribing to Hulu and Peacock is next-day access to new episodes of ABC and NBC shows, respectively. That includes hits like "Grey's Anatomy," "Abbott Elementary," "Law and Order: SVU" and the "Real Housewives" franchise. And with Peacock Premium Plus, you can get the 24/7 live feed of your local NBC channel, so you can watch your programs right when they first air.
But you can watch ABC and NBC for free the old-fashioned way — with a TV antenna. Mine is hooked up to a Sling AirTV Anywhere device so I can record shows to watch later. But if you don't have this setup, some smart TVs have a built-in antenna or you can get an antenna to hook up to your smart TV.
You can also watch ABC and NBC without paying a dime by signing up for a free trial from Fubo or YouTube TV. And with those live TV streaming services, you can watch the episode as it airs or record it to a cloud DVR.
How much you'll save by canceling Hulu and Peacock this month
How much you can save by canceling Peacock and Hulu depends on which tiers you currently have.
The ad-supported Peacock Premium is $8 per month, while ad-free Premium Plus (with the live NBC feed) is $14. Ad-supported Hulu is $9, and ad-free Hulu is a whopping $19.
If you have the basic standalone versions of both, you'll save $17. If you have the highest, ad-free tiers, you'll save $33. That may not sound like a lot but churning various streaming services throughout the year can save you well over a few hundred dollars. And with holiday shopping at the end of this month, every dollar counts.
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