Americans quit subscription streaming services in droves as cost of living continues to climb, report finds

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Independent

Wednesday 08 April 2026 23:56 EDT


Americans are quitting subscription streaming services in droves as the cost of living continues to climb, a recent report has found.

Streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu have become increasingly popular in recent years, but Deloitte’s 2026 Digital Media Trends report, released late last month, shows how Americans are getting frustrated over the cost to have their favorite movies and TV shows at the click of a button.

About 40 percent of Americans have cut back on streaming services in the last three months because of financial concerns, according to the report.

“As the cost of everyday essentials like food and housing remain high, many consumers are reevaluating their budgets and cutting back on nonessential expenditures,” Deloitte said in its survey results. “At the same time, prices for media and entertainment services continue to climb.”

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/streaming-services-cancel-cost-living-increase-b2954213.html

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Link to REPORT - https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/technology/digital-media-trends-consumption-habits-survey/digital-media-monitor-dashboard.html#paid-streaming-video-churn

[Scrivener7]

1. My sister has all the streaming services at the same time.

It's much cheaper to have one or two at a time and rotate through them. I have a $20 per month budget for it. But the services piss me off, charging and then packing in the ads.

Remember when we were told the internet would be free to everyone?

[mwmisses4289]

6. Yeah, the hook to get you to subscribe to cable back in the 1970s.

How long did that last? Less than 5 years?

[Floyd R. Turbo]

2. I churn and burn; wait for discounted periods and subscribe for a month or so to catch up on my stories then cancel.🤗

[Scrivener7]

4. That's the only shopping I do on Black Friday.

[Floyd R. Turbo]

5. 🤗

[mountain grammy]

22. Works for me!

and I've house/dog sit for friends and catch up there.. Just avoid anything new.

[Floyd R. Turbo]

24. 🤗

[WA-03 Democrat]

29. Agree

We do the same. YouTube without ads is worth it for us at $29.99 per month. Everything else its transactional and based on a “want.” We love watching old movies on Tubi which are free.

[Floyd R. Turbo]

31. 🤗

[Oneironaut]

57. FYI you can use an ad blocker or browser like Brave for ad free YT.

[WA-03 Democrat]

60. True!

I travel a bunch for work and love to download and watch during the flights.

[Luciferous]

55. I do the same thing, usually rotating

between Britbox, Acorn, and PBS. Sometimes if there's a deal I'll get AMC or something.

[Floyd R. Turbo]

58. Yep! Currently BritBox is one half off for two months.

[Ray Bruns]

3. I solve this problem by not now or ever having streaming services.

[wolfie001]

14. Yes! I have food and shelter and medical I'm more concerned about

[GenThePerservering]

61. Same here...but I have an addiction to audio books and plays

so not sure how much I save!

[Gaytano70]

7. I just cancelled Netfix yesterday (again).

They raised the price by $2 a month! I was already unhappy with them for not standing up to the Ellison hostile takeover of Warner Bros. (all media monopolies suck, but at least they would be better than the *rump stump licker), and with the steady stream of slop Netflix currently has, it was an easy choice for me to cancel (for like, the 20th time).
Currently, I have the Disney/Hulu/HBO bundle ($31). Not sure what happens to HBO if Paramount buys Warner though.
I do watch a LOT of streaming, and zero network/cable tv. With all the crap in the world now, I spend most free time I have escaping into binge watching fantasy and sci-fi.

[dixiegrrrrl]

20. We have no affordable cable options in our area

so streaming is a preferable option, esp. since I can use tablet and not be forced to sit in one spot to watch something.Plus no ads!!!!! I can watch anything on my own schedule, at less cost than any decent cable choice.
Binging on all of Yellowstone was marvelous...

[Haggard Celine]

33. I recently finished watching Yellowstone.

The scenery is gorgeous and the characters are interesting. It was recommended to me by a friend and now I'm picking up Paramount to watch the spinoffs. Taylor Sheridan is a talented fellow.

[dixiegrrrrl]

49. "The Madison" is another new Sheridan show with jaw dropping scenery.

Set in Montana in the fall.
I have to remind my self to breathe.

[Haggard Celine]

50. I saw that listed, but for some reason I didn't look at it.

Thanks for telling me about it. I'm going to check it out.

[mama]

8. "Resist and Unsubscribe"?

I wonder if this campaign from Scott Galloway has anything to do with the decline? I try to rotate my subscriptions, but have been only a little successful in managing this. When I heard about "Resist and Unsubscribe", I was motivated to dump almost all of them.

[mountain grammy]

27. Yes. I think his campaign is definitely contributing..

[littlemissmartypants]

9. Before long people are going to have to...

Start reading books and telling tall tales by candlelight.

[3825-87867]

10. Books?

Are these something new?

And what are...candles?

[enigmania]

11. I was about to say that.

[niyad]

13. Books were the original hand-held device, made of a strange

substance called paper. Did not require power, but could occupy a great deal of space.

candles. .another strange substance, a mini--fire by which one could read the aforementioned books.

[efhmc]

16. Cute and informative.

[niyad]

17. Thank you. One does try.

[3825-87867]

21. Yeah, right!

[erronis]

30. And you can't be ticketed for holding a book while driving. (Might be unsafe, depending...)

Depending on what you're looking at.

[niyad]

41. I used to read while I was walking. Several times, cops stopped me,

telling me I needed to be more aware of the somewhat dangerous surroundings. Somehow, I don't think they ever stopped the people with earbuds orr headphones. I, at least, could hear what was going on around me, as well as see over whatever I was reading.

[FakeNoose]

32. I still read books all the time ... mostly on my Kindle

[niyad]

35. Once I was introduced to my library's Libby, I was thrilled. The entire library

system at my fingertips, including ALL the magazines (I had NO idea there were so many cooking and gardenings magazines!) No clutter, no having to worry about returning overdue books in bad weather. . .And when one wants something new to read at 3am, it is easily found and delivered.

[flying rabbit]

52. I didnt know Libby had the magazines.

Thanks!

[niyad]

56. You are most welcome.

[BumRushDaShow]

25. "Before long people are going to have to...Start reading books and telling tall tales by candlelight."

That just prompted me to recall that famous scene at the end of Jim Carey's classic "The Cable Guy" after he falls from the tower onto the satellite dish and that knocks the cable out all over town -

The whole scene -

[Ray Bruns]

34. Oh the horror!

[wolfie001]

12. I love to listen to my favorites on YT while walking

But the interruptions for commercials make it aggravating. I don't want to buy the subscription service. It's all going down the tubes. Billionaire business owners don't want to pay employees anything never mind minimum wage that hasn't been raised for who knows how many years. republiCON dystopia.

[TBF]

15. Occasionally I watch a movie, but more often sports -

Last edited Thu Apr 9, 2026, 01:39 PM - Edit history (1)

and it's tremendously difficult, for example, to find a single streaming service that covers what I want. For example, let's say I want to watch the Packers season of football. I'm in Texas so I need something like Sunday Ticket to get many of the games. But it doesn't have all the games. Monday night and occasional Thursday nights might be on different streaming services. It gets frustrating very quickly. I think we were better off with 900 channels on cable that we paid once a month. Currently I cycle in and out with Fubo. I cancel when I'm not watching much and reactivate when there's a series of games I want to see.

[NJCher]

18. Kanopy and Hoopla

Free from the library.

[Attilatheblond]

26. Was just gonna post that our Public Libraries offer many alternatives!

There are digital services one can download from home and many libraries still keep actual DVDs people can check out and take home for a week or two.

Our library offers bicycles, 'adventure packs' for people who want to experiment with this thing called 'outdoors'! There are also 'culture passes' for those who want to take the kids to see museums and other educational exhibits.

Once read Public Libraries being referred to as 'the community's living room' and knew the phrase to capture the modern library systems. People need to check out their libraries if 'it's been a while'. Support library services, attend library board meetings, let them know you are paying attention, consider running for your local board if they are not or step up to city and country government office to ensure library services continue to meet needs and be the community's living room.

Thank your librarians, they woke hard to protect your rights and access to information. Then tip your tri-corn to the wisdom of Doctor Franklin as you utilize library services.

[niyad]

42. All quite correct. My favourite branch has all the things you mentioned,

plus magazines, community meeting rooms, cool things for kids, a "Friends of the Library" book sale, plus staff I have known for years.

one of my favourite t-shirts reads, "Librarians: The original search engines"

[sakabatou]

19. Welcome to the seven seas, lads!

[Bengus81]

23. Cancel your Paramount + account. I did............

[Intractable]

53. I try to get out, but they keep pulling me back in.

Whenever I cancel Paramount, within two months, they send an offer to me for "two months of Paramount+, including Premium for $2.99/month, then $13.99 after that."

So, I take two months for six dollars and then cancel again.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

Frankly, I'm running out of things to watch on Paramount. I just discovered "Hell on Wheels." It's very good.

[Bengus81]

59. I'll miss Perry Mason and all of those character actors but it's on other places

I like Paramount+ when the NFL season comes around but I have a external antenna that does the job,actually a somewhat better picture.

I refuse to support the Trump boot licking Ellison's. FUCK em...........

[bucolic_frolic]

28. How much of that stuff can you absorb?

In the 80s - video. 1999 - DVD. Then streaming.

Our minds went to mush. All our problems can't be solved in a 48 minute sitcom and a movie.

[Bettie]

37. It isn't about solving the problems

it's about escaping them for that 48 minutes....though, it's usually 42 these days for an hour long show.

[manicdem]

36. Inflation is the excuse

I started to cut down on streaming services because they are all increasing prices well beyond inflation and adding or increasing ads. They were once touted as a cheap alternative to cable without ads. I don't trust them anymore and there's always some plan around the corner to cut service and raise prices again.

[Skittles]

38. or maybe they're just figuring out streaming is now like cable

[BumRushDaShow]

40. It pretty much is that but now "portable" (don't need a set top box)

[Polybius]

44. I would do anything in the world to go back to Blockbuster being king

I loved going into those stores. Now I can't even see movies in Best Buy and Target, they pulled them.

[valleyrogue]

39. I will stick with DVDs. N/T

[Polybius]

43. Physical media is back, baby!

For me, it never left. VHS, DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K UHDs for life!

[BumRushDaShow]

45. Don't forget laser discs

I still have a stack of movies I used to use to demo my home theater back 30 years ago (before DVDs) to have Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. My poor player is throwing error messages now.

[Polybius]

47. I have those too, including the elusive Pioneer CLD-A100 Laserdisc player

I even have the even more obscure Capacitance Electronic Disc (CED) media.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitance_Electronic_Disc

The only thing I'm missing is Beta.

[BumRushDaShow]

48. Mine is a Denon LA-2300

Looks like this -



Does LDs and CDs (has a little CD tray in the middle of the LD tray).

What I liked about it was that it had like a "dual head" reader thingy that could read both sides of the disc so I didn't have to manually flip the disc over to continue the movie.

And no Beta here either! I knew that was gonna be a mess.

[JustAnotherGen]

51. I turn them on and off

Based upon what programs I want to see.

Example- after IWTV Season 3 fully streams (episodes released weekly)- I'll sign up for a month to watch the latest season of Dark Winds and IWTV.

[buzzycrumbhunger]

54. I ditched satellite over a decade ago.

Pissed me off to pay for over 1000 channels when I only watched about six of them. DirecTV laughed when I asked why we couldn’t order a la carte, so PFFFT! I bailed.

I got enough teevee through my T-Mobile with free Netflix, Apple TV, and Hulu.

Oops—until they announced Hulu was no longer free. Little harm done there. Then they said Netflix wasn’t free anymore, and soon after, AppleTV was going up, but we could get a deal at $3/mo.

Except I rarely watched AppleTV. Just nothing really appealed. And Netflix rarely drew me in, either.

It amazes me that having the TV on was a constant background noise growing up and now? It drives me nuts unless I’m really watching something. I have better things to do than watch mediocre shows, and I like the quiet otherwise—especially compared to the hours they spend trying to sell you crap in between snippets of the actual shows. I can’t even remember the last time we even thought about going to an actual movie. Unless it’s something truly irresistible (LOTR!), I don’t see it happening.

It’s interesting how they’ve continually jacked up prices on all the streaming stuff and ignored the fact that more and more of us are fine just doing without. (Wishing I’d bought that t-shirt ages ago that proclaimed, “The joy of not being sold anything!”)

I read constantly (hooray for freebie book lists!) and am much happier playing stories in my head—without commercials. I doubt the entertainment industry has the awareness to wonder why people are actually tuning out these days. Maybe we’re just tired of being led?

[GenThePerservering]

62. I used to sell pre-owned, refurbished VHS DVD and VHS/DVD players in my store

and still have a pile of them - maybe I ought to go back to doing that. Except the shipping - urg!