One of the reasons so many people were excited about cutting the cord was because cable companies were charging an arm and a leg for their services. It felt, and still feels, like an ancient idea, one that's still showcased by scrolling through hundreds of channels but ultimately not having anything to watch. Streaming services were meant to help with that. For some viewers, it may be doing just that.

For others it might just feel like you're paying the same amount but for a lot more stuff.

I can't really say that streaming services came out of nowhere or snuck up on me, but that's mostly because I don't really watch a lot of TV by default and therefore a lot of the different options out there just don't reach me. Still, missing out on some things like the CBS All Access exclusive Star Trek Discovery, or whatever new popular thing is on HBO at the time, can get pretty frustrating.

Of course, you can always subscribe to those services, and sometimes even with a free trial, and watch what you want to watch then cancel the subscription. And I know several people who do that. I've done it. I've checked in on HBO from time-to-time and caught up on a series or two then, when I didn't need it anymore, canceled. I imagine I'll subscribe again at some point, but only when there's something I actually want to watch.

But subscription services aren't just about TVs. There's music and movies and reading, too. Sports! Can't forget about sports. My most expensive monthly payment is for the ability to watch the NHL, for instance. But then there's Spotify and Apple Music (don't get me started). I'm subscribed to Netflix because that feels almost standard operating procedure at this point, and Hulu. I was surprised to Shudder until earlier today (which prompted this write up). But that's about it. It could definitely be worse, because at one point or another I could have had Showtime attached to Hulu, along with HBO, and then there's the aforementioned CBS All Access.

But, all of this is still better than having a cable subscription. Mostly because I'd have cable and all of those other services, too. The shallow amount of TV I watch I can get through these services more often than not, and that will definitely be the case when Disney+ launches later this year. And that service feels like a Netflix-level "must have" subscription even before it launches.

I'm curious, though: Have you cut cable and moved onto a primarily subscription-based content consumer? If so, how many subscription services are you currently subscribed to, and do you find yourself going back and forth on some services? Or is your cable subscription all you need these days? Let me know!