There are tons of streaming services around and the bill can add up quite quickly if you subscribe to several. So if you̵
Annual plans
To get started, let’s discuss an option that almost every service has to offer: annual plans. Paying for an entire year instead of monthly payments is usually 10% -20% cheaper, assuming you’re okay with prepaying. This option is only practical for services that you already know you’ll use a lot throughout the year, so it’s definitely recommended that you do some research on a service’s library before committing. And if this is a service you’ve subscribed to for several years, an annual plan seems like a safe bet.
Temporary sale
This is the most obvious option of the bunch, but most streaming services go up for sale at least a few times a year – especially around the holidays. Sometimes this is a simple discount that lasts a few months, sometimes it is a significant price reduction for a whole year. For example, Hulu regularly offers an annual subscription that is ad-supported, dropping the monthly cost to $ 1.99 at the end of the year. And Spotify has often slashed subscription prices for a few months during the summer and holiday seasons.
These deals are limited in scope and are usually one-off per account, but they’re worth keeping an eye out for anyway – it’s certainly the easiest way to save at least some money. It’s also worth keeping an eye out for discounted gift cards that can save you a little here and there.
School offers
Many streaming services give students big discounts on subscriptions, such as YouTube Premium which is reduced from its regular price of $ 11.99 per month to $ 6.99 – and that includes ad-free YouTube viewing along with YouTube Music. There is also a great bundle of Spotify, Hulu (ad-supported) and SHOWTIME available to students for just $ 4.99 per month.
This usually only works with accredited colleges or universities, and certain services may only support specific schools, but it never hurts to check your eligibility. Typing the desired service of your choice plus ‘College discount’ in Google should be enough to find all the details you need.
Group / family discounts
Family plans often offer decent discounts on an individual basis if you split the bill among everyone. Of course, it differs between each service – both with how much you save and how many people they allow on one plan – but if you have a group of people you trust to pay on time, this is a great option to save money . However, if you are going to do this, we recommend that you opt for an annual subscription instead of monthly payments. The latter can be annoying for everyone involved.
Bundled services
You may occasionally find some TV streaming services bundled for a lower total price. The only problem with bundles is that if a service is included that you’re not interested in, it probably won’t be worth it – even if the bundle includes more than two services. Take the “Disney Bundle,” for example, which includes Disney +, ad-supported Hulu, and ESPN + for $ 12.99 per month – about $ 5 cheaper than a subscription to each individually.
However, if you’re not into sports and will never use ESPN + as a result, then the price is essentially the same as an ad-supported Hulu subscription along with Disney +. That doesn’t mean the bundle isn’t a good deal, just make sure you know what you’re actually paying for when it comes to one of these bundles.
Deals with partners
Cell carriers and credit card companies often partner with streaming services to provide cheaper or free plans as bonuses to the plans you pay for. Verizon even offers the “Disney bundle” we just mentioned completely free, for example with certain plans. Whatever credit card company or cellular provider you use, it’s worth checking out for unclaimed promotions like this one – they can help you save a lot.
Opt out of the things you are not using
While this is an obvious option, it’s surprising how easy it is for subscriptions to sneak up on you without even noticing. It’s a common mistake to make underused services pay for months at a time, so it’s really important to keep track of which services you’re currently paying for and which you’re actually using. Fortunately, there are quite a few services you can use with this, such as Trim and Truebill.
With the methods listed here, you can slash your streaming service budget by a decent amount each month. While each service is different and may not be as generous with discounts as others, some of these options should help you save at least a few dollars a month.
