Author Topic: Netflix only once or twice a year  (Read 4194 times)

jim555

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Netflix only once or twice a year
« on: April 30, 2019, 11:25:27 AM »
Instead of paying for a whole year of Netflix just sign up for a month every six months to a year.  Then binge out for that one month and cancel the service.  Anyone else doing it like this? 

Jenny Wren

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2019, 12:02:36 PM »
Sort of.

We keep a list of Netflix shows we would like to see if the opportunity arises. Then, once or twice a year when we end up in an AirBnB with Netflix (which seems to be most of them), we watch the ones that seem most interesting.

DadJokes

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2019, 12:04:38 PM »
We used to cycle email addresses to get free 30 day trials of Amazon Prime anytime we were too impatient to wait for something. We would just create a new email to get another free trial. Could you do the same thing with Netflix?

seattlecyclone

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2019, 12:13:29 PM »
The Netflix subscription is something we tend to keep active because both sets of our parents also have the password and like to watch it sometimes. We do this general strategy for other streaming services though; pick up a free trial to CBS All Access to watch the latest season of Star Trek, pick up a free trial of Amazon Prime for some of their shows, etc. No reason to be a paid subscriber to multiple of these at once!

YttriumNitrate

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2019, 02:29:28 PM »
With the ever increasing number of streaming services, I suspect that in the not to distant future there will be a service that automatically switches your streaming services every month or two. For example, right now, it probably be on HBO Go for Game of Thrones, and then maybe switch over to Netflix for a few months, then back to Hulu.

solon

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2019, 02:37:57 PM »
If only there was some giant streaming service that would combine all the shows from all these services. There could be like 200 channels. It could cost $100/mo, or so.

Zikoris

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2019, 03:05:46 PM »
Another idea would be to move away from television watching altogether.

https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/05/06/mmm-challenge-cut-your-cash-leaking-umbilical-cord/

https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2017/09/20/seek-not-to-be-entertained/

And there's another post with a picture of a broken tv in it, but I can't remember the title.

SaucyAussie

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2019, 06:11:30 PM »
I've thought about doing that with the premium subscription on Hulu - like get hulu/hbo for a month and just watch everything.

katsiki

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2019, 06:38:24 PM »
We cancelled about 6 months ago.  Thinking about adding it back for a few months.  I believe they keep your account history for 10 months.  At this point though, we have not missed it.

marble_faun

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2019, 06:51:44 PM »
Yes, that's exactly what we do with Netflix now. There's usually some specific new content we want to see, then we're done for six months.

FIRE Artist

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2019, 12:50:55 PM »
That is what I do with Crave - the Canadian streaming service that now has HBO and Showtime (?) for The Handmaid's Tale.  Back when I had cable I would wait until GOT was done for the season, then get it for a month and binge watch it.  I didn't want to wait until the end of this last season because spoilers.  I will take it off once HT is done sometime near the end of July.  Also convenient that Billions is also overlapping GOT too. 

I have not done this with Netflix, but I think I will.  I have not been watching it as much, and my library has added more free streaming services to explore as well.  I have reached peak streaming, I suspect many other people have as well. 

I think that I will always have at least one streaming service on the go at a time.  My hobby is art, so I pretty much always have something on in the background in my studio.  It is a pretty inexpensive form of entertainment. 

Linea_Norway

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2019, 05:03:14 AM »
Our state TV channel often doesn't broadcast the olympics, because the license is too expensive for them. Then DH takes a one month subscription to a paid channel to watch it.

ontheway2

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #12 on: May 08, 2019, 08:01:05 AM »
We do something like this. They actually sent us another free month after having cancelled for awhile; I'm not sure how many times they will do that though. I plan to do a month or two at a time and binge what I want to catch up on then cancel until the next big show comes out (Stranger Things for my son). Most shows I don't mind being behind on.

acepedro45

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #13 on: May 08, 2019, 08:35:39 AM »
I think I have you all beat. Here's my brag: I have perpetually free Netflix.

There's a card (sadly no longer issued) from Bank of America called "Better Balance Rewards." It's a no-fee card that will pay you quarterly bonus of $25 (30 if you have a lot of assets at the bank). The only condition is that you must pay your bill off completely each month and have at least one transaction.

You can see where I'm going with this....If I use the card to buy Netflix at 9.08 a month and make no other transactions, but every three months get paid a 30 bonus, I'm being paid 2.76 a quarter to hold a Netflix subscription.

I only discovered they don't issue the card any more in researching this post today. Sorry fellow Netflix lovers!

NotJen

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #14 on: May 08, 2019, 09:18:23 AM »
I keep Hulu on a monthly basis.  I need to get better with pausing the subscription when I know I won’t be watching for a while.

I’ve watched several series by borrowing the discs from my local library.  I’m not sure how long it lags, but that’s my go-to when I start a series through a free trial or something and don’t finish.

DaMa

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #15 on: May 08, 2019, 04:32:29 PM »
I have Amazon Prime.  I cycle through the other services one at a time and binge watch the shows I want to see.  Right now I have HBO for two months (Game of Thrones).  Then I'll have Hulu (Handmaid's Tale), Netflix (The Walking Dead, The Crown, etc.),  CBS All Access (Big Bang Theory, Star Trek Discovery, etc.),  and STARZ (Outlander).  Since it ends up being once a year, I get the free trial offers each time.  I've been doing this for 3 years now, and it works great.

mountain mustache

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #16 on: May 08, 2019, 06:49:04 PM »
About once or twice a year I will pay for a month of Netflix at $7.99 for the month. Usually it's in the Winter when it is cold, dark, and I'm tired from training and just want to watch some documentaries. For $15 a year, it's an expense I stress 0% about.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #17 on: May 09, 2019, 12:52:55 AM »
I have Amazon Prime.  I cycle through the other services one at a time and binge watch the shows I want to see.  Right now I have HBO for two months (Game of Thrones).  Then I'll have Hulu (Handmaid's Tale), Netflix (The Walking Dead, The Crown, etc.),  CBS All Access (Big Bang Theory, Star Trek Discovery, etc.),  and STARZ (Outlander).  Since it ends up being once a year, I get the free trial offers each time.  I've been doing this for 3 years now, and it works great.

LOL. So the fact that you can binge watch series for some time works in their disadvantage. But I guess there are not enough people walking the path that you do to stop offering the free trials.

leonblack

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Re: Netflix only once or twice a year
« Reply #18 on: May 13, 2019, 10:46:11 AM »
I've been noticing that more libraries have been picking up netflix original series on dvd. Another free hack.