The rise of online television and movie streaming sites has dramatically increased in recent years, shifting the focus from traditional cable or satellite. In a study done by Forrester Research for the New York Times, results show that overall cable subscriptions have dropped, however the use of streaming services have increased. If you are a student, or are trying to save money, Netflix and Hulu is the obvious way to go.

You can watch whatever you want, wherever you want. Another benefit is that they do not have commercials, so you will not be interrupted while watching your six episodes of Grey’s Anatomy every night. Streaming services also provide thousands of shows and films, so you’ll never be bored. Choosing what to watch is made easier by recommendations based on what you watch most.

Considering that most people have wifi and cable, services like Netflix or Hulu is a much cheaper alternative to a bundle with a cable company. Instead of paying for internet and cable from a company, you pay only for the internet. According to BGR, the average cable television bill is around $99.10. Whereas the average price of internet plus the monthly fee for a premium netflix account is $50.00 total, which is about half of cable service itself, even with the most expensive plan. If you have unlimited data usage on your phone, you don’t even need to pay for the extra internet, which is even better.

Many cable companies have introduced using multiple devices, and on-demand movies and shows, however these services often cost extra, even though you have already paid around $100.00 for that month. Buying one movie from a cable service is almost as expensive as an entire month’s pay for Netflix. Most of the time, you can only keep the movie for a few days, so you probably won’t get more than one watch out of it before you have to pay again. Cable television is a giant waste of money compared to streaming services, and many people are starting to realize it.