An average person nowadays is subscribed to at least one streaming service… well, that’s just our assumption. And since we were able to make you click this blog post, you are likely subscribed to one and want to maximize the money you pay every month. No worries – we all feel the same. While it’s super straightforward to use a streaming service, we sometimes wonder if we’re truly getting the most value out of it.
If you’ve ever felt like you could be using your subscription better, you’re in the perfect place. Here are five things you should take advantage of when using your streaming services:
1. Family/Group Plans
If you’re looking to save from your subscription, you can look into family plans because they’re generally cheaper. What some people do, even though they don’t live in the same household, is they split up the monthly or annual fee to make it more affordable. For example, Netflix has a premium plan, a.k.a their family plan, that allows four devices to stream simultaneously. It costs $22.99 per month, so dividing that into four people would only cost $5.75 each. That’s a significant discount compared to the basic ad-free plan that costs $15.49 a month.
2. Video Quality/Resolution
Many people don’t realize they can manually adjust the streaming quality on streaming platforms. Make sure you’re watching in the best resolution your device and internet connection can handle. Of course, the higher the resolution, the more you’ll need a fast internet service. If your current connection can’t handle it, you can adjust the quality to a lower setting to prevent buffering or lag. This will also help you save data if you’re on a limited plan.
3. Bundled Plans
Some providers offer streaming services bundled with other services, including home internet, cell phone plans, and even TV services. These deals can give you more bang for your buck, especially if you’re already using or planning to use those services. For example, some mobile carriers offer free subscriptions to popular streaming platforms as part of their monthly plans, or you can get a discounted rate when you bundle streaming with your home internet. This way, you’re consolidating your bills while getting all the services you need.
4. VPNs
As you might already know, using a virtual private network or VPN can bypass geo-restrictions or the restrictions in place to regulate content distribution across different places. For example, if you’re traveling to a country where Netflix doesn’t have the same content as your home country, or if you simply want to visit the content library of a different region, you can simply use a VPN to do that. This means more content for you, but keep in mind that it may violate the terms of your streaming service, so you have to check.
5. Watch Parties
If you’ve ever heard of watch parties or those apps/tools, movies, or TV shows with friends online, you’re probably familiar with the concept. This makes it easier for families or groups of friends to enjoy watching movies or TV shows even if they’re miles apart. Plus, the best part about this is whenever you watch through these apps, most streaming platforms actually don’t count it as an active screen. This means you can watch together without counting towards your streaming service’s user limit. It would be great if you could share an account with others.
The Bottom Line
There are a lot of ways to maximize our streaming subscriptions, especially if you get creative. Most of the time, there are not-so-hidden features on the streaming platforms that we simply need to take advantage of. So, the next time you watch your favorite movie or TV show, make sure to keep these things in mind.
