The Average U.S. Streaming Customer Pays $942 A Year
The days of everyone having cable to watch their favorite shows and movies are long gone, as most people have cut the cord and moved on to streaming services.
Streaming services have revolutionized the way we consume entertainment, offering a vast array of movies, TV shows, music, and more at our fingertips. These platforms, such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Spotify, allow users to stream content on-demand over the internet without the need for traditional cable or satellite TV services.
So how much are we spending on all these streaming subscriptions? New research from Bango, a “super bundling” platform looks into the costs and habits of streaming video subscribers.
Their survey of more than 5-thousand U.S. streaming service customers reveals:
- The average subscriber has 4.5 streaming video subscriptions, but 10% have 10 or more and 2% have 15 or more.
- In addition to video subscriptions, 62% have a retail subscription, 44% have a music subscription, 25% have one for gaming, 16% subscribe to one for news and 13% have a sports VOD subscription.
- Ad-funded tiers have led 36% of subscribers to upgrade their services to avoid watching ads, while 31% have canceled at least one service after it introduced ads.
- More than half (57%) have canceled a subscription because of a rate hike.
- The crackdown on password sharing has led 35% to start paying for a service they had been accessing for free previously.
- On average, U.S. customers pay $77 a month, or $924 a year for subscriptions, while 25% pay more than $100 monthly.
- Three-quarters of respondents say there’s one video service they’ll never drop or pause their subscription to.
Overall, streaming services have become a staple in modern entertainment consumption, offering convenience, variety, and original content to users worldwide. However they can be expensive!
Foods You Should Probably Skip Air Frying
Large Bone-In Meat
We’re not talking about chicken wings here, we’re talking about large whole chickens. You’re better off sticking to an oven when it comes to cooking them. If you’re wondering why, chicken must be cooked to a specific temperature internally before being consumed. According to the USDA, all poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Unfortunately, air frying this food item doesn’t guarantee an even cook. But hey, at least chicken wings are small enough to get an even crisp. Just make sure you line the air fryer basket first if it’s raw meat.
tasha_lyubina/ Getty Images
Wet Batters
An air fryer is not a deep fryer. So, if you’re looking to toss battered fries, meat cutlets, or battered veggies, think again. There’s a big chance the batter will drip down the base of the machine, causing a big mess and major cleanup after. Bad enough, some people didn’t know you even had to clean an air fryer regularly. No really, someone on Reddit shared that they didn’t wash their air fryer basket after each use. “I don’t think I’ve ever washed it lol. I’ve had it for 8 months and decided to finally wash it today,” they wrote. They continued to say how there was a bunch of “solidified juices” and “fat/ grease” from steak and chicken.
Fabián Ponce/ Getty Images
Cheesy Foods
It’s possible to make your favorite cheesy snacks in an air fryer. But it can get messy. AllRecipes cautions against air frying cheese. This isn’t because of health reasons but for cleanup purposes. They point out that cheese melts fast. The outlet suggests sticking to foods that effectively hold the cheese in place. Maybe, just stick to frozen cheeses like mozzarella sticks.
Wirestock/ Getty Images
Leafy or Chard Greens
Sure you can go ahead and put those Brussels sprouts or broccoli in the air fryer. But skip putting spinach, collard, or chard leaves in. If you haven’t tried it already, light leaves might move and shift around during the cooking process. You may also come across a fairly dry vegetable if you don’t put a little oil with it. And, of course, you don’t want to forget the seasonings.
Martin Barraud/ Getty Images
Popcorn
Some people have tried it but you probably shouldn’t. Most air fryer models won’t reach the required temperature to pop the kernels. According to Jolly Time Pop Corn, the best popping temperature is between 400 and 460 degrees Fahrenheit. Plus, popcorn kernels can become lodged within the air fryer’s heating element, which can potentially cause it to short.
Prostock-Studio/ Getty Images
Pasta, Quinoa, Rice, Grains
Some grains like bread can be cooked in an air fryer. However, it can get a little tricky with lighter breads like toast and English muffins due to the air making them fly around. But anything like pasta, quinoa, and rice doesn’t do too well. Raw grains need to absorb water to cook. But there is some good news. If you have rice that’s already cooked, just add a little oil to reat in the air fryer.
egal/ Getty Images
