Streaming On The Cheap
Compared to the cost of cable/satellite and purchasing movies or songs, streaming is incredibly cheap. Just getting rid of that monthly cable bill alone can save you 1200 dollars or more in a year. It might seem petty to try to shave a few more dollars off the cost but saving is what it is really all about. If saving even more money has got you interested, here are a few ways that you can do just that.
Use Free Trials
All of the major players use free trial offers to gain members and you can use that to your advantage to get a few months free.
Before you commit to one streaming movie service, sign up for the 30 day free trial. When it is over, cancel it and move on to the next free service. You can use this method of saving to get months and months of free movies and television. Check out Netflix, Hulu, Prime, Disney+, Sling, Youtube, etc, etc. You can practically go half of the year without paying a dime.
The same thing goes for music streaming services with almost all of them offering free 30 day trials of their premium memberships. Try one, cancel it and then move on to the next.
Cancel Your Service
Okay, yes you want your streaming service but there are a lot to choose from. If it is too late to take advantage of free trials or you have burned through them all, cancelling can get you some more free time.
Once you cancel your service, you will quickly find out just how much they want your money. Almost immediately, you will start receiving additional offers to restart your service with a free month or at least a few free weeks.
This works great because you do not miss anything. Even if you have to do without your favorite service for a few days, your favorite shows will be waiting for you. That is the great thing about these services because you can stream what you want whenever you want. Cancel and then just come back and start where you left off.
Go With The Free Version
With music streaming services, you can save a fortune by going with the free version. Sure, you have to deal with a few advertisements but, for the most part, they are not too intrusive. In any case, it will save you about 10 dollars a month which is 120 dollars per year. That is a savings that will add up over time.
When it comes to streaming television and movies, you also have some free options. Things like IMDB television, Crackle, etc. While a bit more limited than the pay services, they can still get you quite a bit of entertainment and it is hard to beat free.
Using only free music, TV and movie services can save you up to $300 in a year. If you must use a pay service, you can still do something about the price by opting for the paid advertisement version. Save a few bucks a month with minimal ad intrusion. It is worth it.
Split A Subscription
While we are not going to advise you to split a service outside your household, if you have a roommate, and have two subscriptions, you are throwing money away.
Instead, split a subscription. Even if you have to move up to a multiple device plan, chances are pretty good that it will save you money.
Get Free Premium Services
You may be able to get free premium subscription services and not even know it. A lot of companies that you already deal with may offer streaming services as a perk and you might not know it.
One example is your internet company. My company, for example, recently had an offer for 6 free months of Spotify. This was not as widely and openly advertised, you had to look for the offer.
Cell phone companies are another example. Many bundle streaming services such as Hulu with their packages. Check with your phone provider and see if they have any such deals.
Wrapping Up
Streaming is a great way to save money over traditional cable and satellite plans. It is also a much cheaper choice than buying countless singles off of iTunes. If you have decided to go to a streaming service, good going, you are headed the right direction.
But, why should you stop there? If you are desperate for money or want to maximize your budget, keep going. Even if it only represents a few dollars a month in savings, every penny counts in the long run. Take the time and squeeze every dollar of savings out of your entertainment budget. It will get you that much closer to your financial goals.
