Ruby McKenzie
Due to the wide availability of smartphones, laptops, and other electronic devices, people tend to spend a lot of time-consuming online entertainment these days. Very few people watch network television anymore; instead, they watch shows and films online.
However, the use of streaming services and other forms of online entertainment can be very expensive. Things are very hard for a lot of people at the moment due to the global cost of living crisis, so there’s never been a better time to curb your entertainment spending. This post will tell you how you can do that.
Promotional Codes
Many streaming services offer first-time users promotional codes, in order to encourage them to sign up. You can find the latest Peacock TV promo code, as well as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Now TV codes all on dedicated coupon sites. It’s better to use coupon sites to get codes than it is to try and get them directly from streaming services because coupon sites compile all of them in one place. If you already have an account with the streaming service whose code you want to use, you can go ahead and use a new email address to register a new account.
Free Trials
An alternative to using promotional codes is to use free trials. Again, if you have an account with the streaming service already, then you will need to register a new one. When you are registering a new account, you will need to use a new email address. Some streaming services will ask you to submit your debit card details when you are making an account. A good way to get around this is to make a PayPal account with your debit card attached, sign up using your PayPal account, and then remove the card from your PayPal account so no charges can be made.
Service Selection
If you are subscribed to multiple streaming services then a good way of saving money is to unsubscribe from the ones that you don’t use. It’s very common for people to have two or three streaming subscriptions at any given time, despite only using one, or sometimes none. Streaming subscriptions can be expensive. Make sure to unsubscribe from any services that you aren’t regularly using. Be sure to cancel any direct debits, too. Sometimes streaming services will try to take payments for a few months after they have been canceled.
Free Content
Do you actually need to subscribe to a streaming service? There are many different platforms today that will allow you to watch movies for free. It is important to make clear at this point, that in no way is this post advocating for movie piracy. There are various services, like Amazon Prime, that will give you access to lots of different movies for free, as long as you watch advertisements. You can also watch free movies on YouTube. Television and film piracy is illegal and can get you into legal trouble.
Maintain Budget
If you are going to continue to subscribe to a streaming service (or multiple services) make sure that you create a budget for yourself. Whenever you are trying to cut back on spending, budgeting is always a good idea. The creation of a budget won’t be that difficult for you to do. All you need to do is to calculate how much money you have coming into your account each month, then compare that against how much you are spending. If it is possible for you to do so, then you should try to save money each month, in addition to paying for entertainment.
Student Discounts
Students are usually able to get special discounts on streaming services. If you are currently in school, college, or university, then you may be able to get a discount. In order to determine whether or not you qualify for a discount, you should reach out to your preferred streaming service’s customer support team and ask them. Alternatively, you can use a coupon code site, as already mentioned. Coupon code sites also usually include information on student discounts, in addition to codes and discounts available to everyone else.
Value-based Spending
When you are looking for streaming services to use, the sensible thing to do is to use the one that gives you the most value for money. If you currently subscribe to several services, then go through them with a fine-tooth comb and identify which offers you the largest library of films and television shows. Amazing Prime, for example, enables you to access a huge library of free content with advertisements, as already mentioned. Netflix on the other hand allows you to watch content from its international servers with a VPN (although it’s technically against the platform’s rules and can get you banned).
Watching DVDs
If you don’t want to continue subscribing to streaming services, then you could always start watching more DVDs. If you go to charity shops, you should be able to get your hands on huge bundles of DVDs for next to nothing. Many new film releases aren’t released on DVD, because it is a dying form of media. However, if you are able to access films that you want to watch legally online, then you can download them and burn them onto discs. This will give you the opportunity to watch the latest film releases without going to the cinema or signing up for subscription services.
Network Television
Finally, you could just watch network television instead. In some nations, you can watch network television for free. However, if you do have to pay for access to network television, not doing so could lead to you getting into a lot of trouble. In the United Kingdom for example, not paying for a TV license can get you fined up to £1,000. In countries where you are required to pay for a TV license, there are government departments and bodies responsible for ensuring people have paid their bills. They sometimes turn up at people’s houses and ask to see their television sets.
If you are struggling because of the cost of living crisis, then you need to curb your entertainment spending. You really don’t need to subscribe to multiple streaming services, since your average platform has thousands of films and shows to choose from. You could also consider reading books or taking up hobbies unrelated to film and television.
