So I originally started writing and creating YouTube videos as a way to entertain myself. I don’t have artistic talent so this is as close as I will get. My thoughts were that the target audience will be seniors perhaps not as mobile as before and maybe with a limited income. Maybe I’m both though in reality I have a bit more disposable income than many.

Today I will discuss cost savings available, but really it comes down to what you need to have versus what you want. How picky are you? If you’re an audiophile than some of this might be helpful, if not you can get a perfectly fine product for next to nothing or free.

Much of my disposable income goes to redundant streaming services that appear to be raising rates and providing less service. The scientists have been very busy finding ways to get our dopamine loop level going by making apps addictive. My particular vice has been YouTube Premium.

In short for about $16.00 a month you can watch videos uninterrupted by ads, except of course for the ads that the channel creator has decided to hawk for a few extra bucks. A particular frustration is that video ad productions has made creating the video more about revenue generation than art. The video is just an ad delivery device. One of the good things about YouTube premium is you can find some movie gems such as 50s sify, film noir and the Hercule Perot series, yes even Are You Being Served and Gerry Anderson’s UFO series. It also comes with music steaming, videos and audio. The Google podcasts are now part of YouTube.

The downside is the hateful content that is created that brings out the worst in me. Old guys from the US going to the Philipines as sexual predators of much younger women and make videos to justify why it’s ok. I’ve got to walk away so I cancelled my membership and just in time. Reports are coming in that YouTube Premium has announced price increases in many countries, some substantial. While the US is not part of that report yet, it will be. Maybe it’s important to know YouTube music does not stream in Dolby Atmos. Do you care?

While writing this I’m listening to the Sirius/XM real Jazz station via firestick app on TV. The 5.1 sound bar has Dolby Atmos playback but Sirius/XM does not stream in the format. Do I care? It sounds pretty good right now. The app provides many more channels than the receiver does and the plan I have comes with Pandora which adds even more channels. One of my guilty pleasures is American Family Classics. The Great Gildersleaves, Johnny Dollar and more! My package included the sports channels and I listen to the Arizona Diamondbacks get beaten way too many times. It brings back memories when I was a kid and my brother and I listened to Sandy Kofax pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals on a small transistor radio.

This is the complete Sirius/XM package which they would gladly charge $25.00 a month, however, and this is a secret, if you threaten to cancel because you have so many other streaming services, they will reduce the price to $10.00 a month for a year. Here’s a trick. Mark your calender to do the same thing in a year. At this moment I’m groovin to Etienne Charles/Rene Marie Centerpiece. I may just put a porkpie hat on.

Amazon Music is pretty tough to beat too. I have the Amazon Music Unlimited which is $10.99 a month. This comes with pick and play any song ad free, the most ad free podcasts, listen offline which means you can download any music you want and it will be there even when you don’t have a wifi connection. For me I like the Dolby Atmos streaming and even has spatial which is awesome when listening through headphones or buds that support this feature. I’ve just switched over to Amazon Music app and am listening to The Alan Parsons Project in 360. It’s awesome, but not sure how much so than say Sirius/XM.

This is my frustration with Amazon. I have bought into the complete Echo achitechure. I can play music on the Echo Show in the living room and if that’s all you have it’ll be fine. Otherwise Echo show is a waste of money. It’s just an Amazon ad generating device. There is talk of Amazon charging for upgraded Echo services. Not sure how that will work since they laid off most of those eggheads. I might have to research how to flip light switches.

Outside I have both a 5.1 sound bar which sounds fine, but also have the Echo Studios paired with a sub-woofer. The studios are set up perfectly so that the sound is amazing, however there is sometimes connection issues. One speaker will drop off or the music will quit playing. I suspect this is a wifi issue. You’re supposed to be able to pair the speakers with a firestick and stream videos sound through it and I have tried, but it’s an abysmal failure. Honestly if I were to do this again I skip the Echo devices and stick to the sound bars. I see a 7.1.4 system in the future for me. Botton line is Amazon Music offers a lot for the price. Maybe the best.

So if you really want to really cut the cord go get a library card right now! In terms of music, Freegal Music is, well, free. Sign up using your library credentials and you will get a huge variety of music to listen to. You’re only allowed to stream three hours a week, but you can also download up to five songs a week to keep. A years worth and you have 250 songs, like ones you listen to all the time now.

So while we’re on the library promotion, they also offer, wait for it, books! Yes you can download books for up to three weeks or if it’s not available you can put a hold on it. Audio books as well. The Libby app will allow you to download to Kindle which is my preferred reading system because of the ability to highlight and make notes. Kindles now let you download and listen to Audible books. Perhaps my favorite offering is the magazine selection. Pick which ones you like, tag them and you’ll be notified when a new issue is available, though not on Kindle.

Another library offering is Kanopy video streaming service. You get twenty credits per month, which comes to about ten movies, some recent, others nostalgic. Again free through your library. This is a great alternative and I’ve watched good stuff

I’m not going to waste time with Amazon Prime or Netflix. Pay more and get less with commercials now.

Some other free alternatives are Pluto, Tubi, and Freevee. I have these and watch old series like Perry Mason, Green Acres, Wild Wild West and Mannix. Yeah I’m old, but I have better things to do with my money like take trips similar the one coming where I’m going to Houston by train. Stay tuned.