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With the rising cost of living, especially on things like food, gas, and other essentials, people are now looking for ways to save money and cut back on their essentials. Did you know that a smart TV can help you with this?
Well, to start with, a smart TV helps you move from cable TV and rely on the internet for your entertainment. However, subscribing to many platforms such as YouTube TV, Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu, and Netflix, among others can end up costing you a lot.
So, how can a smart TV help you save money when you can be tempted to subscribe to all these platforms? Well, you can save on your streaming services without sacrificing a lot.
Here are a few ways your smart TV can save you money;
Look at the Services You Can Cancel
The simplest tip to saving money on your smart TV is simply canceling one or more of your streaming services. The first thing is to look at all the streaming services that you have already subscribed to.
You might even have free trials coming up for renewal in a week or month’s time. Don’t forget about these free trials when looking at your streaming services. After that, identify the one that you do not use a lot and cancel it.
It is important to note that you can also cancel your free trial streaming services. For instance, cancel your showtime free trial if you have one and have already realized that you will not use it a lot. These free trials will cost you money sooner rather than later if you do not cancel them.
Use Shared Subscriptions
Some streaming services allow users to use shared accounts. However, they have strict policies and some of them are removing this feature from their services. You, therefore, have to be careful if you choose to use shared subscriptions.
That notwithstanding, if you are paying $30 for a premium plan that allows multiple profiles and streaming on various devices, why not use this opportunity to share the subscription and cost?
This way, you will share the cost and still enjoy all the services offered by the streaming service provider. Getting a smart TV is a great way to upgrade your style, but you need to make sure that you are not spending a fortune while at it.
Plan Your Streaming Subscriptions
If you look at some of the best streaming service providers such as HBO Max, Hulu, and Netflix, you will realize that they allow their customers to cancel their subscriptions and resume depending on their requirements.
So, do you need multiple active subscriptions all year round? Most shows take quite some time before a new season is released. Since you are done watching a favorite series, why should you keep your subscription running when you are not using it?
To save some money, you can cancel your subscription whenever you are not using it. When your favorite show(s) is released, you can then resume your subscription. This will save you a lot of money every year.
Consider Your Live TV Options
Buying a smart TV will most likely tempt you to consider the options you have for live TV. There are multiple options available today, from YouTube TV to Hulu Plus Live, Sling, and Pluto, among others.
If you look at the amount of money you pay for live TV streaming services, you will realize that it is a lot. For instance, Hulu Plus Live TV costs at least $70 a month while YouTube TV costs about $65 a month.
Do you have to pay all this money? Well, you can consider other options such as CBSN streaming and ABC News Live which offer live TV for free. You can also look at getting an indoor antenna for local TV channels that you can watch for free. These antennas cost about $10 – a one-off fee.
Free Trials on Streaming Services
Most streaming services come with a free trial. When choosing a streaming service to subscribe to, consider the ones offering a trial period. However, you have to be careful with how long the free trials last.
If, for instance, you get a two or three weeks free trial, you can watch multiple TV shows and series for free without paying a cent. If you decide to do this, make sure to cancel the subscription before the expiry of the trial period.
This way, you will enjoy all the benefits of a smart TV including streaming services without having to pay anything.
A smart TV is a good investment especially when it comes to your household entertainment. You, however, have to be careful to ensure that you are not spending a lot of money on your TV.
