- Date : 16/01/2021
- Read: 3 mins
Too many OTT subscriptions? Follow these tips to consolidate your channels and save money.
Indian audiences have effectively become OTT junkies. It has been a gradual progression from good old cable TV to digital media such as DTH and OTT services. As the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged people to stay at home, one fallout of the situation was that everyone quickly got hooked to top OTT platforms in India such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Zee5, Disney+ Hotstar, and more.
And to have complete access to the wealth of content out there, most millennials today have accounts on multiple such OTT platforms. While having so many options is great, it is important to manage these subscription based streaming services smartly if you want to keep your entertainment expenses in check. Here are eight tips that will help you do just that…
1. Share subscriptions: This is the most economical way of watching your favourite shows. You can either borrow a login and password from someone to watch for free or share the subscription cost with friends or family members.
2. Search for free content: Did you know you can get some OTT services for free? For instance, by becoming a Prime member on Amazon, you get the Prime Video service for free. Others platforms like Zee5 and Disney+ Hotstar have a freemium model that provide free movies as well.
3. Create separate profiles: This will help you personalise your experience by getting the right recommendations of TV shows and movies, maintaining a watch list, and more. This is a must if you are sharing a subscription with someone else. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, etc. let you create different profiles.
4. Make a kid-friendly profile: Create a profile that has child-approved content to make the OTT experience more enjoyable. This ensures they are not exposed to violent or sexual content. Most OTT platforms have a dedicated kids’ section that you can set up.
5. Look for discounts and offers: Often, video streaming players come up with offers of discounted subscription fees during times like sales, etc. For example, Amazon Prime Video, which is generally available annually for Rs 999, can be bought for Rs 499 during promo periods. Renew your subscription during offers to save big.
6. Leverage rewards programmes: A lot of big brands such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, etc. offer rewards programmes to post-paid customers, which include complimentary Zee5 subscription offers, Amazon Prime subscription offers and Netflix subscription offers. Grab these to get OTT services for free.
7. Cancel subscriptions with content overlap: A lot of OTT services have similar content. This is especially true for Hollywood movies and TV shows. If you feel that the channels you watch have a lot of overlap, cancel one subscription and save your precious money.
8. Automate renewals: Most subscriptions of streaming platforms offer monthly and annual subscriptions. The latter tends to be more economical compared to renewing the subscription every month or so. Set up automated renewals on your credit or debit card. This is one less thing for you to remember; it takes away the hassle and ensures you never miss your favourite shows.
Indian audiences have effectively become OTT junkies. It has been a gradual progression from good old cable TV to digital media such as DTH and OTT services. As the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged people to stay at home, one fallout of the situation was that everyone quickly got hooked to top OTT platforms in India such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Zee5, Disney+ Hotstar, and more.
And to have complete access to the wealth of content out there, most millennials today have accounts on multiple such OTT platforms. While having so many options is great, it is important to manage these subscription based streaming services smartly if you want to keep your entertainment expenses in check. Here are eight tips that will help you do just that…
1. Share subscriptions: This is the most economical way of watching your favourite shows. You can either borrow a login and password from someone to watch for free or share the subscription cost with friends or family members.
2. Search for free content: Did you know you can get some OTT services for free? For instance, by becoming a Prime member on Amazon, you get the Prime Video service for free. Others platforms like Zee5 and Disney+ Hotstar have a freemium model that provide free movies as well.
3. Create separate profiles: This will help you personalise your experience by getting the right recommendations of TV shows and movies, maintaining a watch list, and more. This is a must if you are sharing a subscription with someone else. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, etc. let you create different profiles.
4. Make a kid-friendly profile: Create a profile that has child-approved content to make the OTT experience more enjoyable. This ensures they are not exposed to violent or sexual content. Most OTT platforms have a dedicated kids’ section that you can set up.
5. Look for discounts and offers: Often, video streaming players come up with offers of discounted subscription fees during times like sales, etc. For example, Amazon Prime Video, which is generally available annually for Rs 999, can be bought for Rs 499 during promo periods. Renew your subscription during offers to save big.
6. Leverage rewards programmes: A lot of big brands such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, etc. offer rewards programmes to post-paid customers, which include complimentary Zee5 subscription offers, Amazon Prime subscription offers and Netflix subscription offers. Grab these to get OTT services for free.
7. Cancel subscriptions with content overlap: A lot of OTT services have similar content. This is especially true for Hollywood movies and TV shows. If you feel that the channels you watch have a lot of overlap, cancel one subscription and save your precious money.
8. Automate renewals: Most subscriptions of streaming platforms offer monthly and annual subscriptions. The latter tends to be more economical compared to renewing the subscription every month or so. Set up automated renewals on your credit or debit card. This is one less thing for you to remember; it takes away the hassle and ensures you never miss your favourite shows.
