Rotating services to save money

It is no secret that the cost of streaming has gone up. Almost every major service has increased its monthly subscription fee over the last few years. While the approach of keeping every subscription active simultaneously is convenient, it has become unsustainable for many household budgets.

The most effective strategy to counter these price hikes is to rotate your services. The premise is simple: instead of subscribing to Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and Paramount Plus all at once, you subscribe to just one. You watch the content you want on that service for a month, cancel it, and then move on to the next one. This method allows you to see all the content you want over the course of a year, but you only pay for one service at a time.

The financial impact

The savings generated by rotating are substantial. If you have six services and you only pay for one each month, you are saving the cost of five subscriptions every single month. Because the individual prices are higher now than they were in the past, the total amount of money you keep in your pocket at the end of the year is significantly larger.

The problem with bundles

Streaming services are aware that viewers rotate, and their solution is the bundle. They will offer a discount if you subscribe to multiple services together, such as a package combining Disney Plus, Hulu, and HBO Max. On paper, it looks like a deal.

However, bundles can often result in higher costs in the long run. If you subscribe to a three-service bundle, your viewing time is split three ways. It might take you three or four months to finish the shows you want to watch because you are bouncing between apps. If you had subscribed to them individually, you might have finished the Disney Plus content in one month, the Hulu content in the next, and the HBO Max content in the third.

If the bundle keeps you subscribed for longer than it would take to watch the content individually, you have not saved money. The rotation method keeps you focused and efficient.

Content availability

A concerning trend has emerged regarding content availability. In the past, movies and shows would simply move from one service to another due to licensing agreements. Now, some content is being removed entirely for tax purposes.

This adds a layer of urgency to your viewing habits. If you see a show on a service that you really want to watch, you should prioritize that service in your rotation immediately. There is no guarantee that the show will be there in six months, or that it will move to another platform. It might simply disappear from streaming entirely.

Cancel instead of pausing

To try and keep subscribers, many services have introduced a "pause" feature. They allow you to put your subscription on hold for a month or two instead of cancelling.

I do not recommend using this feature. If you pause a subscription, it will automatically restart billing when the pause period ends. If you forget to check your calendar, you will be charged for a month of service you did not intend to use.

The better option is to fully cancel the subscription. When you cancel, you do not delete your account or your profile. Your watch history and preferences are usually saved by the service for when you decide to come back. By cancelling, you ensure that you are the one in control of when you pay.

My Streaming Life relies on being smart with my budget, and rotating services is the best way to maintain that control.