Say Goodbye To Streaming Subscriptions With This Cheap Alternative

Streaming subscriptions can creep up on you, slowly draining your finances every month. And it's only getting worse. Streaming services are constantly introducing incremental price increases, straying further from the original offer. Consider Netflix, which now charges $24.99 for its premium tier — the company raised prices again earlier this year. You do get 4K and HDR support, as well as the option to add two members, but some might consider $25 steep to watch "Stranger Things" and other Netflix originals. If you want to do something about it and cut ties with streaming services, one affordable and accessible option comes to mind: the library.

Sometimes the way forward means going back. In this case, that means going back to physical media, including DVDs and Blu-ray discs, but the bliss you'll experience as you save hundreds of dollars every year could be worth it. And if you ever get FOMO, you can always borrow a login from a friend to catch up. To finally say goodbye to streaming subscriptions, it could be worth revisiting older tech.

Library cards are back, and, in this economy, more attractive than ever. Libraries these days have CDs, audiobooks, DVDs, and Blu-rays that you can borrow, with libraries in larger cities better able to provide a wider selection of media. How many pieces of media you can borrow is entirely dependent on the library, but you can always come back when you're done and check out more.

To take advantage of this, you do need a physical media player. You can get a Blu-ray player from a reputable brand, like Panasonic or Sony, for less than $100, or you can head to your local Goodwill or thrift store and look for a used one. Also, remember that disc-based consoles released in the last decade are compatible with Blu-ray discs. Every PlayStation from the PS3 onwards can play Blu-rays. The newer Xbox Series X console, which Microsoft recently raised the price of, also reads Blu-rays, though the smaller Series S can't, lacking a disc drive. 

Physical media isn't everyone's bag, especially if you've yet to purchase a Blu-ray player, but there is some good news. There is a free streaming service called Kanopy that gives you access to tons of digital media, like TV shows and films, and all you need to access it is a library card. You can view Kanopy via your web browser, or you can download the app to your phone.

Making an account is super simple. All you need is your library card number and password. Once inside, you can watch series like "Ghosts" (the original British version) and films such as Bong Joon Ho's "Mother," among others. It's worth noting that content may vary depending on the library and region. 

The app has features you've come to expect from a streaming service, like the ability to add content to a watchlist. However, Kanopy is also a little different. There is a limit on the amount of content you can watch, which is measured in tickets. Tickets are deducted from your account whenever you watch content, and you have a certain amount of time to finish watching before it expires. The number of tickets you get depends on your library system, but if you run out, they replenish on the first of the month.

Kanopy may not have the variety of HBO Max, but it's free — incidentally, HBO Max subscriptions also increased in price October 2025. One downside: Your library has to sign up and pay for Kanopy for this option to work for you. That's less of an issue in larger cities with better-funded library systems, but libraries in small towns may not be as likely to offer this service.