Households forced to tighten their belts due to the cost-of-living crisis are cancelling expensive subscriptions, but they can still enjoy these luxuries if they are prepared to be flexible and hunt down special deals.
Rising inflation and soaring energy bills has led to more than 1.2million customers cancelling TV streaming deals and gym memberships over the past six months.
But in the TV streaming market, a number of providers offer free trials, enabling people to continue enjoying a service as long as they cancel before the introductory offer ends.
Binge: Someone who is canny can gain free access to paid-for services for almost two months before dipping into their pocket
For example, Amazon Prime offers a 30-day free trial period while Apple TV+, BritBox and NowTV all have seven-day free trials.
It means someone who is canny can gain free access to paid-for services for almost two months before dipping into their pocket.
Households can binge on shows they like before cancelling. All providers have flexible contracts.
This lets customers cancel monthly subscriptions at any point with no exit fee.
Gyms such as Fitness First have recently been forced to offer more flexible deals to stop customers leaving.
For example, a Fitness First membership now starts at £54 a month without any contract.
It is not necessary for fitness fans to sign up for 12 months. Last year, households spent an average of £620 on subscriptions – up 12 per cent on 2020.
But this figure will now come crashing down as the cost-of-living crisis, triggered by rising inflation, eats into household incomes.
