Paying too much for Netflix, Amazon Prime- you can slash you bills

With the cost of living hitting millions of families’ wallets, an expert has shared tips to make sure you don’t spend too much on streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+. With so many streaming services out on the market right now, you could find yourself paying over £50 per month to keep up with your favourite shows, especially if you subscribe to several of them. While there’s no single subscription that will let you keep track of all your favourite shows, mixing and matching can save you money – for example cancelling Apple TV while you binge Netflix’s Obsession. 

If you’re unsure about how to save money in this difficult time, Rhiannon Philips, a personal finance expert at NerdWallet, has shared tips to help you be savvier about your streaming.

Use the service to its fullest

While most streaming services only offer access to things to watch, Rhiannon recommends Amazon subscribers get the most out of their Prime account by using the entire site, the Mirror reports.

She said: “Many people take advantage of the free one-day delivery service you can get with Amazon Prime. There are also several other benefits that people may not be utilising.

“With a Prime membership, you can read thousands of books as well as play new games and receive in-game upgrades at no extra cost.

“You may also be able to carry out a weekly shop with Amazon Fresh, which offers Prime members in certain locations free, same-day delivery on grocery shops over £40. So, if you are paying the Prime subscription price, it is important to make use of all of its services, not just one or two.”

With Amazon offering Prime Music subscriptions, free food delivery, and unlimited ebooks, you could really add up your savings by cancelling other services like Spotify.

Split subscriptions and use free trials

Splitting subscriptions could be beneficial if you live with a partner or with flatmates, especially if everyone is paying for the same service individually.

Rhiannon said: “Spotify offers a Premium Duo plan for £13.99 a month, ideal for two people in the same household. This can save you around £72 a year, compared to the price of two individual subscriptions.”

Meanwhile, there are many free trials and discounts out there that you can take advantage of by using both of your emails. 

Downgrade and go annual

While it will take a bigger chunk out of your expenses, paying for your subscription in one go is generally much cheaper in the long run and will save you money.

She shared: “If available, you could also consider downgrading from a paid premium plan to a free (or cheaper) plan with adverts. It can be annoying when adverts interrupt your music or show, but you should ask yourself if paying extra to stop them is worth the cost.”

Consider whether you need certain services

Often we subscribe to several services, even if we don’t use them all regularly. If you deem some of these unnecessary, Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ all allow you to cancel a monthly plan without an exit fee

Rhiannon concluded: “Remember, there is always a free alternative too. The likes of All4, ITV Hub and My5 give you some great box sets free of charge, although you can pay to view them without adverts.”