LOADS of us will be looking to cut back after the Christmas splurge, and trimming down streaming bills is a popular way to recoup some cash.
Making some changes doesn’t mean you have to miss out on your favourite shows or movies either – you’ll just be able to watch them on the cheap.
The average household spends a whooping £175 per year on film and TV streaming services, according to Barclays.
And it only looks to get more expensive, with annual rises becoming a common dread.
But there are clever tricks to bring the cost down instantly without needing to hit cancel.
We set out the best ways below for the most popular services:
#1 Netflix
Netflix is the world’s most popular streaming service with loads of major hits from Stranger Things to KPop Demon Hunters.
The company doesn’t really do deals throughout the year but you can still slash the cost in other ways.
Many households forget that the platform has a cheaper ad-supported subscription for £5.99 per month – that’s a £7 saving compared to the next tier up, the standard plan without ads.
Sadly Netflix ended free account sharing with people outside your household a few years ago.
But it might be worth partnering up with someone else and paying them the fee.
You can add an extra member for £4.99 a month with ads, or £5.99 without them.
Also, if you’re a Sky or Virgin Media TV customer do check your account as they both come with Netflix at no extra cost.
And Virgin Media Broadband only customers get it included as well with the M500 or Gig1 package.
#2 Disney+
Disney+ is another favourite in many households, especially those with kids.
The “House of Mouse” runs deals throughout the year for £1.99 a month but sadly nothing like that at the moment.
Instead, to save money on Disney+ it’s worth checking your mobile network provider.
Plenty of them offer Disney+ free for a limited period and some allow you to add it to your mobile bill for a discount each month too.
O2 and Vodafone both offer these currently.
Alternatively, you can exchange Tesco Clubcard vouchers for access to Disney+.
And if you’re a Lloyds Bank customer with Club Lloyds, you can exchange your annual perk for a year’s Disney+ subscription too.
#3 Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video comes as part of your wider Amazon Prime subscription for deliveries and more.
But if you never use those other benefits and just subscribe for Prime Video you’re wasting money.
There’s a secret Prime Video only option that’s cheaper.
It’s only a quid less but worthwhile for those who want to save.
Amazon doesn’t shout about it much but if you go to the subscription page, select the “change” button next to Stream Monthly, and choose the £7.99 Prime Video option.
If you’re an O2 customer you can add Prime to your billing and get a £2 discount on your mobile costs, effectively giving you a £2 discount on Prime.
#4 Apple TV
There are lots of ways to get Apple TV for free with quite lengthy trials.
Firstly, if you’ve got a brand new iPhone or other Apple product for Christmas don’t miss out on the trials, which tend to be about three months.
Just open the Apple TV app and it should pop up.
Alternatively, Barclays Blue Rewards and Premier accounts get access to Apple TV.
EE also runs a similar giveaway.
#5 Paramount+
Paramount+ has a huge back catalogue, as well as new exclusive shows.
If you’re a Sky Cinema subscriber you get Paramount+ included (not to mention two free cinema tickets a month).
Otherwise, Three mobile customers get Paramount+ free if they’re on a Value or Complete plan.
And don’t forget, Paramount+ has a basic tier with ads that you could downgrade to, costing £4.99 a monht.
#6 Discovery+
Discovery+ is home to a mix of entertainment and sport, depending on what subscription tier you have.
The sports side is a lot more expensive, so if you’re looking for savings there read our separate guide.
Discovery+’s entertainment only package is among the cheapest at £3.99.
But you can get it for free for six months if you’re a Vodafone customer.
And it’s included with some EE TV packages as well.
SWICHEROO AND SAVE MORE
By Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
The best way to save a substantial amount on streaming requires a little more organisation.
But doing so can save you hundreds if you’re subscribed to just three streaming services at once.
The idea is to not subscribe to multiple apps at the same time, just subscribe to one then move on.
So, for January you could subscribe to Netflix, then cancel it and subscribe to Amazon Prime Video in February, then do the same again with Disney+ in March and etc.
You can do this by selecting the monthly subscriptions which you’re allowed to cancel at anytime.
The planning element really comes down to what you want to watch.
For example, if you want to see Bridgerton series four when all episodes are available, hold out to get Netflix until February.
You’ll also need to note down when to cancel so that the platform you’re currently subscribed to doesn’t renew for another month.
