How I cut my streaming bills in half without giving up Netflix

I didn’t want to become "That Person" who pretends they only stream for the documentaries. I'm a complete sucker for true crime, thriller, mystery, suspense, and even soppy, tear-jerking romcoms, depending on my mood. I just didn’t want to keep paying over R700 a month to watch shows I already forgot about, all because the next season would take 1 - 2 years before it released.

Here’s how I sliced my monthly streaming costs without turning into a pirate or giving up Netflix.

I stopped paying for everything at once | This sounds obvious, but most people don’t really rotate their subscriptions; they just accumulate them. I was running Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Plex, Showmax, and YouTube Premium at the same time. For what? I was watching the same three shows and still downloading Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Vampire Diaries when they vanished from mainstream streaming.

Now I rotate monthly | I pick two platforms per month max. I watch what I want, cancel, and restart another one the following month. Zero effort, and in the process, I save between R300 and R400.

I dropped Netflix from Premium to Standard | I had no business paying R229 for 4K Netflix when my internet speed barely loads YouTube in 1080p (720p, when I'm lucky). Unless you live in a house with several other people streaming at the same time, Standard (R179) or Basic (R99) is more than enough.

Netflix SA still gives decent resolution on lower tiers | Your phone won’t know the difference, but your wallet will. You don't need to pay R229 a month for premium unless you have a compatible TV capable of 4K, or plan to watch on six different devices, and let's be honest, who ever does?

You don’t need six subscriptions. You need a watchlist and a little discipline.

I used my mobile plan perks (it really does exist) | Vodacom gives Showmax Mobile for free on certain plans. MTN offers discounted streaming bundles if you buy data through their app. Some Capitec users get deals through the Live Better rewards. Also check your mobile plan and bank rewards. The odds are, something you’re already paying for includes a free or cheap add-on.

I switched YouTube Premium to a family plan and split it | The family plan costs R149/month. That covers up to five people. We split it across the group chat, and everyone wins. Ad-free YouTube for R29-something per person?

I’ll take that!

You can do the same with Spotify and Apple Music, too. Just ensure that everyone pays you. Some people can be dodgy (even friends and family).

I stopped falling for the “free trial” trap | I used to sign up for every free trial like I was cheating the system. However, the joke was on me because I would forget to cancel, and suddenly, I was paying R145 for something I opened once and never used again.

Now, I set a calendar reminder on the day I sign up. Simple, albeit slightly ruthless.

Streaming doesn’t have to cost the same as a DStv Premium package. You don’t need every platform, every month. A few small shifts, and one shared YouTube plan, cut my bill in half without missing anything.