DealHack Guides
19 Smart Hacks to Slash Your Entertainment & Streaming Costs
July 11, 2024 · 12 minute read
Are you tired of spending a fortune on entertainment? Whether binge-watching the latest series, catching up on blockbuster movies, or grooving to your favorite tunes, the costs can quickly add up. But don’t worry, saving on entertainment and streaming services is not only possible, but it’s also more accessible than you think!
In this guide, we will uncover 19 unbeatable tips to help you keep more money in your wallet while still enjoying the best in entertainment. Ready to dive in? Let’s get started!
In this post, you'll learn:
Why you should bundle services for bigger savings.
How to take advantage of free trials and promotions.
How to leverage student, family, and military discounts.
How to rotate your subscriptions strategically.
Where to hunt for the best deals and promotions.
How to utilize library and aggregator resources.
1. Bundle Your Services
Bundling your services is a smart way to streamline your entertainment options and save money. By combining multiple services into one package, you can reduce costs significantly while enjoying various content.
Cable and Internet Bundles: Many providers offer discounts if you bundle TV and internet services. This saves money and reduces the hassle of dealing with multiple bills.
Streaming Service Bundles: Services like Disney+ offer bundle deals that include Hulu and ESPN+, providing a variety of content for a lower price.
Mobile Plans with Streaming: Some mobile plans come with free subscriptions to popular streaming services like Netflix or Apple Music. Check with your carrier to see what offers are available.
2. Maximize Free Trials and Promotions
Free trials and promotional offers are your best friends when it comes to streaming services. They allow you to test out different platforms without making a financial commitment.
Track Free Trials: Sign up for free trials, but make sure to set reminders to cancel them before the trial period ends to avoid unexpected charges.
Stagger Your Trials: Use one free trial at a time. After it ends, cancel and start a new trial with a different service. This way, you can enjoy continuous free entertainment for months.
Popular Streaming Services with Free Trials
| Service | Free Trial Duration | Regular Monthly Cost |
| Netflix | 30 days | $8.99 - $17.99 |
| Amazon Prime | 30 days | $14.99 |
| Disney+ | 7 days | $7.99 |
| Hulu | 30 days | $7.99 |
3. Explore Student, Family, and Military Discounts
Many streaming services offer special discounts for students, families, and military personnel. Taking advantage of these discounts can lead to substantial savings.
Student Discounts: For instance, Spotify Premium for Students includes Hulu and Showtime for a reduced price, and Apple Music offers a significant discount for college students.
Family Plans: Services like Netflix, Spotify, and Apple Music offer family plans that allow multiple users to share one account, significantly lowering the cost per person.
Military Discounts: Some streaming services offer discounts for active military members and veterans. Check individual service websites for eligibility and offers.
4. Rotate Your Subscriptions
You don’t need to subscribe to all streaming services at once. By rotating your subscriptions, you can enjoy a wide variety of content while saving money.
Prioritize Your Watchlist: Make a list of shows and movies you want to watch on each service. Use one service for a month, cancel it, and then switch to another.
Pause and Resume Subscriptions: Some services allow you to pause your subscription and resume later without losing your data. This can be a great way to save money if you’re not using the service regularly.
5. Hunt for Deals and Promotions
Finding deals and promotions can lead to significant savings on streaming services. Always look for special offers and discounts.
Credit Card Offers: Some credit cards offer cashback or discounts on streaming services. Check your card’s rewards program to see if it includes any such benefits.
Retailer Promotions: Stores like Best Buy or Target often have promotions for streaming service gift cards. These deals can provide substantial savings.
Deal Websites: Websites like Dealhack frequently post updates on the latest streaming discounts and promotions, helping you stay informed and save more.
6. Opt for Ad-Supported Plans
Choosing ad-supported plans can help reduce your monthly expenses. Many streaming services offer cheaper plans that include ads.
Hulu: Offers a lower-cost plan that includes ads. You still get access to a vast library of shows and movies for a fraction of the cost.
Spotify: The free version of Spotify includes ads, which can be a great option if you don’t mind occasional interruptions.
Peacock: Has a free tier with ads, allowing you to access a variety of content without paying.
7. Share Accounts (Where Permitted)
Sharing accounts is a great way to reduce your entertainment expenses, provided the service allows it. Many streaming platforms allow account sharing, making it easier to split costs.
Netflix: Allows multiple profiles under one account, which can be shared with family members.
Spotify: Offers family plans that let you share one account with up to six family members.
Amazon Prime: You can share your Prime benefits, including streaming, with one other adult.
8. Utilize Library Resources
Libraries offer more than just books; they’re a treasure trove of free entertainment options. You can access a wide range of content without spending a dime.
Hoopla and Kanopy: These digital services allow you to borrow movies, music, and audiobooks with your library card.
Physical Media: Many libraries have extensive collections of DVDs, Blu-rays, and even digital magazines and newspapers that you can borrow.
Online Access: Libraries often provide access to various digital content, including e-books and streaming services.
9. Capitalize on Streaming Aggregators
Streaming aggregators help you find the best deals and content across multiple services. They simplify your search for entertainment by compiling offerings from various platforms.
JustWatch: Helps you find where movies and shows are streaming and if any deals are available.
Reelgood: Aggregates content from multiple streaming services, making it easy to see what’s available where.
Decider: Offers reviews and recommendations for movies and TV shows, helping you decide what to watch next.
10. Stay Updated with Cashback and Reward Programs
Cashback and reward programs can offer significant savings on streaming subscriptions. These programs allow you to earn money back on your purchases.
Rakuten: Offers cashback on subscriptions and purchases from various retailers, including streaming services.
Honey: Finds and applies coupon codes for you and offers rewards for certain purchases.
Credit Card Rewards: Some credit cards provide points or cashback for entertainment expenses, which can be used to offset the cost of subscriptions.
11. Be Strategic with Viewing Habits
Making small changes to your viewing habits can lead to significant savings. Here are some tips to help you cut costs without sacrificing your entertainment.
Download for Offline Viewing: Some services charge less if you download content for offline viewing. This can also help save on data costs if you have a data cap.
Adjust Streaming Quality: Lowering the streaming quality can reduce data usage, which is beneficial if you’re on a limited data plan.
Family Movie Nights: Instead of multiple individual subscriptions, have communal viewing sessions. This not only saves money but also creates a shared experience.
12. Explore Niche Streaming Services
Niche streaming services offer specialized content at a lower cost. These platforms cater to specific interests, often providing unique shows and movies that mainstream services don’t offer.
Shudder: A streaming service dedicated to horror fans, offering a wide selection of horror movies and series.
CuriosityStream: This program specializes in documentaries and educational content, perfect for those who love learning.
BritBox: Focuses on British TV shows, offering a variety of classic and new British series.
13. Get Creative with Free Alternatives
Many free alternatives to paid streaming services still offer quality content. Exploring these options can significantly reduce your entertainment expenses.
YouTube: YouTube provides many free videos, from music and tutorials to movies and TV show clips.
Pluto TV: Offers free live TV and a wide range of on-demand movies and TV shows.
Tubi: Provides an extensive library of free movies and TV shows with minimal ad interruptions.
14. Opt for Yearly Subscriptions
Paying for a year upfront can lead to significant savings compared to monthly payments. Many services offer discounts for annual subscriptions.
Netflix: Offers a discount if you pay for a year in advance.
Amazon Prime: An annual subscription is cheaper than paying monthly and includes additional benefits like free shipping and access to Prime Video.
Hulu: Offers discounts for annual plans, making it cheaper than paying monthly.
15. Explore Free Entertainment Options
Free entertainment options can provide a rich source of enjoyment without any cost. From board games to DIY movie nights, there are many ways to have fun for free.
Board Games and Puzzles: Low-cost activities that provide hours of entertainment for families and friends.
DIY Home Theaters: Invest in a projector for a cost-effective home cinema experience. Use free movie nights with family or friends to enjoy a theater-like atmosphere without the cost.
Creative Nights: Organize movie or game nights at home, where each person brings a different activity or movie, creating a diverse and fun experience.
16. Avoid Overlapping Services
Be mindful of overlapping services that provide similar content:
Evaluate Content: Compare what’s offered on each service and eliminate redundancies.
Choose the Best Fit: Select the service that offers the most content you enjoy.
Consolidate Services: Opt for services that provide multiple types of content (e.g., Amazon Prime offers movies, music, and e-books).
17. Monitor and Adjust Your Subscriptions
Regularly reviewing your subscriptions can help you avoid unnecessary expenses. Keep track of what you’re paying for, and cancel any services you no longer use.
Monthly Reviews: Set a reminder to review your subscriptions each month. Look at how much you use each service and decide if it’s worth keeping.
Cancel Unused Services: Don’t keep paying for subscriptions you don’t use. Cancel them and only resubscribe if you really miss them.
Switch Plans: If you’re not using premium features, consider downgrading to a cheaper plan.
18. Leverage Credit Card Perks
Many credit cards offer perks that can help you save on streaming services:
Cashback Rewards: Some cards offer cashback on streaming services.
Introductory Offers: New credit card sign-ups may come with free streaming subscriptions.
Points and Miles: Use points or miles to redeem subscriptions or gift cards.
19. DIY Home Entertainment
Sometimes, the best way to save is to create your own entertainment:
Board Games and Puzzles: Fun for the whole family without a subscription fee.
Home Theaters: Invest in a projector and sound system for an immersive experience at home.
Creative Nights: Host movie nights, game nights, or DIY karaoke at home.
Streaming Services and Savings Strategies
| Streaming Service | Strategy | Details | Potential Savings |
| Netflix | Rotate Subscriptions | Alternate months with other services | Save up to 50% on monthly fees |
| Disney+ | Bundle Deals | Bundle with Hulu and ESPN+ | Save $5.98/month compared to separate subscriptions |
| Spotify | Student Discount | Spotify Premium for Students (includes Hulu & Showtime) | Save $14/month |
| Amazon Prime | Free Trials and Annual Plans | 30-day free trial and annual subscription option | Save $36/year with annual plan |
| Hulu | Ad-Supported Plan | Cheaper plan with ads | Save $6/month compared to ad-free plan |
| YouTube | Free Alternatives | Access to movies, documentaries, and user-generated content for free | Save $12/month (YouTube Premium) |
| Hoopla | Library Resources | Free streaming with a library card | Potentially save hundreds per year |
| CuriosityStream | Niche Streaming Services | Affordable documentary streaming | $2.99/month or $19.99/year |
| Peacock | Ad-Supported Free Plan | Free tier with ads | Save $4.99/month |
| Rakuten | Cashback and Reward Programs | Earn cashback on streaming subscriptions | Save 1-5% of your purchase |
| Apple Music | Student Discount and Family Plan | Discount for students, family plan for multiple users | Save $5/month (student discount) |
| Pluto TV | Free Alternatives | Free live TV and on-demand content | Save $20-50/month on cable |
Conclusion
Saving on entertainment and streaming services is entirely within your reach. With some strategy and savvy, you can enjoy your favorite content without draining your bank account. From bundling services to taking advantage of free trials, discounts, and niche options, myriad ways exist to cut costs while maximizing your entertainment experience.
So, why wait? Start implementing these hacks today and keep more of your hard-earned money where it belongs in your pocket. Happy streaming!
FAQ
How can bundling services save me money on entertainment?
Bundling services can reduce costs significantly by combining multiple services into one package. Examples include cable and internet bundles or streaming service bundles like Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.
What are some strategies for maximizing free trials and promotions?
Track and stagger free trials, using one at a time to enjoy continuous free entertainment. Always set reminders to cancel before the trial ends to avoid charges.
Are there specific discounts available for students, families, or military personnel?
Yes, many streaming services offer discounts for these groups. For instance, Spotify Premium for Students includes Hulu and Showtime, and Apple Music offers student discounts. Family plans and military discounts are also commonly available.
How can rotating subscriptions help save money?
By prioritizing your watchlist and using one service at a time, you can cancel and switch services each month, ensuring you pay for only one subscription and still enjoy various content.
Where can I find deals and promotions on streaming services?
Check credit card rewards programs, retailer promotions, and deal websites like Dealhack. These sources often provide updates on the latest discounts and promotions.
Is opting for ad-supported plans an excellent way to save money?
Yes, ad-supported plans are cheaper and still provide access to a vast content library. Services like Hulu, Spotify, and Peacock offer such plans at lower costs.
Can sharing accounts legally help reduce costs?
Yes, sharing accounts within permitted guidelines can reduce costs. For example, Netflix allows multiple profiles, and Spotify offers family plans that can be shared.
How can I utilize library resources for free entertainment?
Libraries offer digital services like Hoopla and Kanopy, where you can borrow movies, music, and audiobooks for free. They also provide access to physical media like DVDs and Blu-rays.
What are streaming aggregators, and how do they help?
Streaming aggregators like JustWatch and Reelgood compile offerings from various platforms, helping you find where movies and shows are streaming and if any deals are available.
Are there benefits to paying for yearly subscriptions instead of monthly?
Yes, many services offer discounts for annual subscriptions. For example, paying for Amazon Prime annually is cheaper than monthly payments and includes additional benefits like free shipping and access to Prime Video.
