You're probably spending more on video streaming services than you think - much more.
What if I told you these monthly subscriptions could be costing you over €500 a year?
Well, if you have four or more streaming services, then that is probably the case.
TV was a lifeline for many during the pandemic.
When lockdowns forced people indoors, we turned to TV shows and movies for our entertainment.
Many signed up to multiple streaming services - which were never cancelled.
But do you really need or use all of these platforms?
We’re taking a look at the true cost of streaming services, and the top five ways to save some cash.
Netflix
Not so long ago Netflix was the only show in town, and it still remains the most popular streaming service here.
As of last year, it had around 600,000 subscribers in Ireland, and 232 million across the world.
It offers three plans - the basic one for €8.99 a month, the standard for €14.99 and the premium for €20.99.
All of the plans are advert free, and allow you to watch unlimited content.
You can also cancel your plan at any time.
So, which one should you choose?
The premium plan allows you to watch on four different devices at the same time, so if you have a big family with multiple TVs, laptops or I-pads on the go, this is probably the best option.
The standard plan allows for viewing on two devices at the same time, while the basic plan only allows for viewing on one device at a time.
The video quality also differs depending on the plan, with the best quality of 4k and HDR only available on the premium plan.
It is worth noting that Netflix has started cracking down on password sharing, so if you’re piggybacking on a friend or family member’s account, your time is probably coming to an end.
Back in May, Netflix started emailing Irish customers who are sharing their accounts with people "outside their household".
It said a Netflix account is "for use by one household" and those wanting to share theirs must pay €4.99 extra to do so.
The company has certainly changed its tune since 2017, when it joked on Twitter that "Love is sharing a password".
Annual cost: The cheapest Netflix basic plan will add up to €108 euro for the year, while the standard plan will cost you €180 and the premium plan just over €250.
Disney +
With just under 160 million subscribers worldwide, Disney + is hugely popular.
For a time last year, it surpassed Netflix in paid subscriber numbers, but has since dropped back.
Four million customers cancelled in the last quarter, with 300,000 of those in the US and Canada, where it raised prices last December.
It also introduced ads to the basic plan in the US, and charged more for an ad-free membership.
There is no word yet on whether it plans to do the same across Europe.
Launched in 2019, Disney + became one of the top streaming services in the world almost instantly.
Disney pulled its franchises including Pixar movies, Star Wars and Marvel from Netflix in order to attract customers to its own platform.
So, how much does it cost? A Disney + subscription here will set you back €8.99 a month.
Annual cost: If you pay monthly, your subscription will cost just under €108 for the year. But if you make one annual payment you can get 12 months for the price of ten, which will cost you €89.90.
NOW TV
NOW TV was launched in Ireland back in 2017 and is operated by Sky.
It offers plans or as it calls them 'memberships', based on what type of content you want to watch.
These include Entertainment, Cinema, Hayu and Sports memberships.
In terms of pricing, NOW TV usually draws customers in with offers.
For example, the Entertainment and Cinema memberships are €11.99 each per month.
However, NOW TV is currently offering the Entertainment membership for €11.99 for three months, and a bundle of the Entertainment and Cinema memberships for just under €24 per month.
Beware, if you sign up for multiple memberships, it can be very easy to lose track of your costs
Like many other streaming services, NOW TV will often offer you a discount if you go to cancel your membership.
Annual cost: Without any offers, the Entertainment or Cinema membership will cost you around €144 for the year. The Entertainment and Cinema bundle on offer at the moment will cost you just under €288.
Prime Video
The Prime Video subscription is similar to Netflix and Disney+ in that one plan will allow you access to unlimited content, advert free.
You can either subscribe to Prime Video for £5.99 per month, or you can sign up for Amazon Prime for £8.99 per month.
Amazon Prime gives you free, priority delivery on many products ordered on the Amazon website, as well as access to Prime Video.
It is worth nothing that the cost of your amazon subscriptions will be deducted in pounds - so £8.99 works out at just under €10.50.
Annual cost: When paying monthly the annual cost of Amazon Prime is around €126, while the cost of Prime Video is around €84. If you pay annually, the cost is slightly less.
Apple TV+
Apple TV+ was launched in 2019, and offers just one plan for €6.99 a month.
This will give you access to all of its content, including original shows such as the much talked about series 'Hijack’ featuring Idris Elba.
You can avail of a seven day free trial before deciding if you want to sign up.
You will also get a limited subscription to Apple TV+ when you buy an Apple device and redeem the offer within 90 days.
Annual cost: The annual cost of an Apple TV+ subscription will set you back €84.
Five ways to cut costs
1 Consider cancelling (or threatening to cancel) a subscription
Find out which streaming service you use least, and consider cancelling it.
If you signed up for a service over a year ago to watch a certain series which you’ve now finished, it might be time to call it quits - at least until a new season lands.
Sometimes just signaling your intent to cancel will be enough for the company to offer you a significant discount in the hope you will stay - so this is definitely worth trying.
You can also pause your subscriptions while you go on holidays, or if you simply know you won't have time to use them.
2 Rotate your subscriptions
You can cancel anytime with most streaming services.
This means you could subscribe to just one service per month, and plan your viewing accordingly.
If you’re one for binging a new series over a few weeks this could work for you.
For example, subscribe to Netflix in January, Disney Plus in February, Now TV in March.
While this would take some careful planning, it would save you hundreds.
3 Use the free trials
Most major streaming services, apart from Netflix offer free trials.
This could be the perfect chance to binge a full series in a week.
After that, if nothing else interests you on the service you can cancel at no cost.
This is a great option if there is just one show you want to watch and have the time to binge.
Make sure you take note of the date by which you need to cancel the trial.
If you don’t cancel before that date you will be charged for a month.
4 Choose the cheaper plan
The more expensive plans might be your ideal choice, often offering higher quality pictures and the option to view content on multiple devices at the same time.
But if you're trying to cut back, opting for the cheaper plan is a simple way to do so.
For example, switching from the premium Netflix plan to the basic one will save you almost €150 a year.
5 Keep track of your costs
Sometimes just working out how much you’re paying annually for these services will give you that push to cut back.
Go through your bank statements and add up exactly how much of your hard earned cash is being deducted each month - you might be surprised.
All those seven and eight euro subscriptions a month add up!
