How Sky customers could get ‘FREE’ Netflix with their broadband as bills rise across the board

A NEW Sky deal means customers could get away with not paying a penny for Netflix, as monthly bills have already rocketed for broadband and streaming services alike.

Netflix hiked its subscription prices by up to £24 a year last month.

1

Meanwhile, Sky raised bills for most customers by £43 a a year at the start of April.

It wasn’t the only broadband provider to do this, as BT, Virgin Media and more all quickly followed suit in hiking prices for customers.

But Sky’s new package could be the answer to cutting your costs across the board, by rolling a few packages into one.

The catch, of course, is that you’ll have to fork out a bit more than a standard Sky contract for the bundle.

But if you compare it to other products that Sky has to offer, you essentially get the streaming service added on for free.

What’s included is Sky’s Superfast broadband with 36Mbps downloads, plus the handy Netflix add on too – costing £39 a month for the whole bundle.

A standard Sky contract with Netflix currently costs £26 a month but that doesn’t include any broadband access.

Sky’s basic internet access is another £25 a month on its own.

Most read in Money

So if you were after the two services otherwise (internet and Netflix as well as Sky channels) you’d be forking out £51 a month – £12 more than the new deal.

You’ll have to be quick to cash-in on the offer though as it won’t stick around for ever.

But it’s also worth having a shop around first to make sure you get the best value for your money – another provider might offer a better, cheaper deal.

You also have to weigh up whether the perks are right for you, as there’s no point paying for something you won’t use anyway.

Also keep in mind that with Sky’s deal you’ll be tied into the contract for 18 months – so make sure you’re ready to commit to paying out for that long before you purchase.

Plus there’s an up to £49 set-up fee that you’ll have to fork out for initially as well.

How else can I save on my subscriptions?

If you don’t want to have to fork out for the Sky bundle to cut down your Netflix costs, there’s other ways to keep up your subscriptions without hurting your bank.

If you pay annually rather than monthly you could save in the long run.

You can also test out a service before you pay with a free trial – that way you’ll see if there are programmes or goods you will actually use.

Just make sure you set a calendar reminder for when trials end as you will be automatically switched to a monthly subscription if you fail to cancel in time.

And keep an eye on whether you actually use a service you are paying for as well.

If not, you may be better off cancelling or downgrading your services.

If you only watch Netflix on one device for example, you could downgrade to the cheapest basic £6.99 package.

And there’s other ways to watch the box for free too.

Traditional TV stations such as Channel 4, ITV and 5 have there own free apps that feature live TV and an extensive back catalogue that can be watched on a computer, smartphone or through a set-top box.

You can also access BBC shows through iPlayer, as long as you have a TV licence.

How else can I save on my broadband?

If you’re out of contract you should always shop around and see if switching to a competitor will lower your costs.

You don’t have to stick with your current provider once your time is up, so if someone else if offering something cheaper you could save yourself unnecessary spends each month.

Consumer group Which? found that broadband customers who switch away from the “Big Four” providers, which includes BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media, can typically save around £190 a year.

You can also try haggling with your current provider to see if they will lower costs for you.

It’s not guaranteed to work, but there’s no harm in trying.

One Virgin Media customer saved as much as £210 on their bill by trying the method.

For low income households struggling with broadband bills, there’s help out there too.

Millions of households on benefits could save £100s on their broadband bills if they are eligible for cheaper social tariffs.

BT, Community Fibre, G.Network, Hyperoptic, KCOM and Virgin Media O2 all offer social tariffs, which allow you to get cheaper deals.

You’ll need to apply directly with the provider, which will assess your eligibility.

Ofcom estimates these deals could save struggling households up to £150 a year.

But to claim, you’ll usually need to be receiving either employment and support allowance, income support, jobseeker’s allowance, or Universal Credit.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk