7 Easy Ways to Keep Your Streaming Bill Low While Living in UK
The inflation rate has gone up in the UK, and it does not come as a surprise that streaming services are also increasing their prices. If you’re not careful, your streaming bill might skyrocket, defeating the entire purpose of cord cutting which is plausible since each streaming service has a unique offering.
Therefore, you need to utilize every avenue to save your streaming costs. Here are ways to keep your streaming bill low in the UK.
Choose a Bigger Commitment
Streaming services offer great discounts for subscribers who go for longer plans that last a year. For example, if you check our guide to watch Disney Plus in the UK, we suggest you pay the annual subscription to save 16%. In the end, you’ll get 12 months for the price of 10.
Some might argue the difference isn’t much, but these small saves really make a difference when you add them up.
Take Advantage of Free Trials
Most streaming services in the UK, apart from Netflix, offer a free trial. This means you might binge on most of your favorite shows and films for free.
However, you must plan this carefully because the free trials have a catch; you must provide your payment details. You’ll be charged if you fail to cancel before your trial ends, so plan your viewing wisely.
Cut Down on Resolution
Depending on the streaming service you’re going for, you don’t have to pay for the most expensive plan. Do not pay for premium content if you don’t have a TV that supports 4K. This also applies if you do most of your streaming on the go, i.e., on your Tablet, iPad, or Phone.
Also, you need to consider the number of devices you stream on since you’ll pay extra to cover more.
For example, Netflix Basic supports one device and streams in SD at a monthly charge of £6.99. Netflix Standard costs £10.99 monthly and supports HD viewing and streaming on two devices. Lastly, the Premium package with Ultra HD viewing and streaming on four devices costs £15.99 per month.
So, the Standard Netflix plan makes sense if you don’t plan on sharing your subscription and prefer decent quality images, even on a big screen.
Consider Sharing Your Subscription with Friends and Family
Most people use this strategy to save money on streaming bills because it works. Different streaming services have varying password-sharing policies; some are strict while others aren’t.
Recently, Netflix conducted a trial in Latin America, where it allowed subscribers to “add a home” to their account. This move aims to link accounts to known devices, and the user pays extra for any additional “Homes.”
This is Netflix’s way of curbing password sharing and might be soon rolled out in the UK.
So, before that happens, consider sharing your accounts so you don’t have to subscribe to more than one streaming service. For instance, you can subscribe to Netflix while your friend pays for Amazon Prime and share accounts.
Condense and Consolidate
An average UK family with kids has four or five subscriptions to streaming services, which is a lot. If you find yourself in this position, dropping a few is your most effective way to keep your streaming bill low.
It’s likely that you only need one or two over the others. Take some time to analyze how much time you and your family spend on each platform, and cut the ones you don’t need.
For example, most people, including families, pay a subscription to watch a new show that’s the talk of the neighborhood. But most don’t tune back in since the season finale. The best strategy is to cancel the subscription until the show returns with new episodes.
Some streaming services allow users to pause for a while; for example, you can pause your Prime Membership.
Look Around for the Best Streaming Deals When Renewing Your Phone Contract
Mobile phone providers in the UK offer enticing streaming membership when signing up for a new phone contract. For example, T-Mobile customers get free Netflix when renewing their phone contracts. EE also offers a Netflix subscription for new customers and upgrading Smart Plan customers.
This is a great deal, but it only makes sense if you’re in the market for a new phone contract and want to save on your streaming bills. Also, some mobile companies offer free streaming deals, so keep your eyes open when the next offer is on.
No Harm in Using Free Streaming Services
Don’t be quick to pay that monthly or yearly subscription because some of your favorite content might be available for free if you knew where to look. Popular shows available on paid streaming services are also present on free services.
The best streaming services for free content in the UK include ITV Hub, BBC iPlayer, My5, All 4, Freevee, Pluto TV, Plex, Xumo, and Kanopy.
Try canceling all your streaming services for a month and see what you can stream without paying a penny.
For example, Freevee has a great collection of shows such as White Collar, Burn Notice, Alex Rider, Leverage, Scorpion, etc.
Wrapping Up
We love streaming, but keeping the streaming bills low is important if the burden becomes too much. Use some of these strategies to lower your streaming bills, but keep watching your favorite shows and films.
