One of the biggest money suckers in this day and age is subscription fees. I love signing up for online resources that help and provide me with news, entertainment, and educational content. But those fees can really start adding up each month over a year.
Redditor u/EnaGrimm has the same issue: “I love reading articles with my morning coffee, watching masterclasses on the weekend, and listening to audiobooks on my commute.”
“But I just can’t afford to keep paying for all of them. Has anyone had success finding news/learning/entertainment content for a better deal?”
1. Get a Libby Account
Did you know you can access free audiobooks at your library through an app on your phone?
Once you have your library card, simply download the Libby app and set up an account to access free ebooks and audiobooks available through your local library.
“Libby also lets you add multiple library cards. I have e-cards to 4 different library systems which cuts down drastically on wait times for popular books,” wrote u/yumricecrispytreats.
2. Get a Kanopy Account
Similar to the Libby app, Kanopy is connected to your library and gives you access to stream movies for free. The selection depends on your library, but there is often a large selection available to choose from. It has a similar user interface to Netflix, so browsing the site will feel familiar.
3. Get a Hoopla Account
Hoopla is another app that you access through your library to watch movies for free.
“I suggest going to a large library system in your state (university-affiliated usually),” advised u/bhjt. “Content availability in these apps mentioned are generally dictated by the size of the library.”
4. Read News From Free Sites
While many news outlets require a subscription to access more than a couple of articles per month, there are plenty out there that are free to read. Just take the time to find a publication that feels right to you. Some examples of free news sites include The Associated Press, Reuters, NPR, and BBC.
At Wealth of Geeks, there’s lots of entertainment and financial news you can check out.
5. Rotate Your Streaming Subscriptions
This may seem like a lot of work, but it can save you a lot of money on content that you’re paying for but not even watching every month.
“There is only so much viewing time each month. We rotate through Peacock, Hulu, Netflix, HBO, Discovery, Paramount, and Disney. 1 at a time,” said u/MigilousTaxes.
“I always cancel right after I subscribe. As one sub gets close to ending, we brainstorm which one to get next.”
6. Listen to Podcasts
We’re in the era of podcasting, which means there is an unlimited amount of content at your fingertips. You can typically listen to podcasts for free, or access a massive amount of options at once with a Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Soundcloud subscription.
7. Steam Free Documentaries on YouTube
If you’re looking for a fun way to zone out and spend your evenings binge-watching TV, why not turn to YouTube? These days, there are tons of amateur filmmakers putting out some great content, and it’s free (if you don’t mind the ads).
If you’re looking for ways to save some cash this year on monthly entertainment subscriptions, try one of these seven tips to reduce costs. It all adds up!
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.