Entertainment costs money — and it ain’t getting any cheaper. After denying earlier leaks showing higher prices, Google’s YouTube TV announced on Thursday that its base plan will increase from $73 to $83 starting in January. The company, like other pay TV providers, blamed the “rising cost of content” and operational expenses for the 14% hike.

With subscription costs doubling over the past six years, many Americans aren’t waiting for another price hike — they’re canceling now and searching for more affordable alternatives.

• For news enthusiasts: Platforms like Pluto.tv, Freestream, and Tubi offer a handy slate of local news channels alongside national options from familiar networks like ABC, CBS, and NBC. Best of all? They’re free.
• For food/culture/lifestyle maximalists: Philo TV offers a $28/month subscription with channels like Lifetime, Hallmark, HGTV, Cooking Channel, and Food Network. It also includes over 100 additional free channels with a mix of TV and film from across the decades.
• For the best local sports coverage: If YouTube TV left a lot to be desired in terms of your local sports needs, you’re not alone. Fubo.tv specializes in regional sports coverage, starting at $80/month. However, folding in local channels generally costs a bit extra.
• For college sports fans: Sling TV’s $40/month Orange plan includes all of the ESPN channels, TBS, and TNT, covering a broad range of college sports and basketball games. But to get regional conference coverage, you might need to explore pricier options.
• For NBA/NFL fans, It’s tough to keep up: Due to the splintering of linear TV and streaming platforms, a larger number of NBA, NFL, and other sports games are showing up on services like Amazon, Apple TV, and Peacock. Even now, one service might not be enough, requiring many Americans to mix and match their preferred services to watch all the games they want.

The cheapest way to go? As the last six years have shown, rising costs for pay TV and streaming services are here to stay. Still, there are easy ways to keep your cash. Make the most of introductory offers or temporary discounts to try new services — and only keep what you actually want. To keep track of subscriptions, use a credit card or service that allows you to create one-time virtual cards, so you can watch what you want and renew only when you’re ready. And as a last resort, good ol’ fashioned cable might finally be cheaper — check with a local provider like Xfinity or DirecTV to see if they have any offers.