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December 11, 2018   |   Articles

Best TV streaming: Amazon Prime vs Netflix vs Now TV

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If you’re looking for something good to watch on the box, your best bet is often to head online. But how do you choose between NOW TV, Amazon Prime and Netflix?

I still love “normal” TV, and there are great shows on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. But more often than not, the programmes I watch are online. In fact, there’s too much choice!

But if you sign up to all three subscription services, it can quickly add up. Of course there are always deals, tricks and cheats to bring down the price – I’ve currently got all three of these streaming services. But if you are paying full price it’s probably best to pick and choose.

The tough choice then is which to go for? Well as a regular user of each one I’ve weighed up the pros and cons, plus the ways to get them for less.

Best for TV

I don’t think there much to chose between them all, but my number one pick is NOW TV entertainment. It’s the cheapest way to watch Sky Atlantic shows such as Game of Thrones and Westworld, and also gives me access to Fox, Comedy Central and Sky One. The main downslde is programmes tend to come and go, and then come back. Which is frustrating.

Netflix has a huge range of new exclusive dramas and comedies, as well as a huge box set back catalogue. The Good Place, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Sinner are my favourite shows from this year, and I’ve still to catch up on the latest Daredevil and shows like Maniac.

Amazon Prime has generally been the weakest for new programmes, but that’s changed in the last couple of years. The Man in the High Castle, Mr Robot and The Marvellous Mrs Maisel are all fantastic.

Whichever you pick, I don’t think you can go wrong. You’ll always find something great to watch, whether something new or old.

Scores out of 10 for TV choice

  • Amazon Prime – 9/10
  • Netflix – 10/10
  • NOW TV – 10/10

Best for films

NOW TV’s film pass is essentially Sky Cinema (formerly Sky Movies). It has the largest number of recent releases, and plenty of classics. The problem is you need a separate subscription from the Entertainment pack so it could get expensive if you want both.

Netflix and Amazon Prime have recently come into their own through the films they fund or produce to be exclusive on their platforms. On Netflix this means big Hollywood films such as the new Mowgli and the latest Coen Brother’s movie are premiering online rather than in cinemas.

But all three have a lot of rubbish and it can be a pain to find what you want to watch.

Netflix get’s the edge for me as it’s the only place to watch some very good films.

Scores out of 10 for film choice

  • Amazon Prime – 7/10
  • Netflix – 8/10
  • NOW TV – 8/10

Best for extras

Amazon Prime has a bunch of extra features worth considering. The best is you can download the videos to your phone or tablet, letting you watch when you don’t have any wifi.

You also get access to Amazon Prime Music (like Spotify), a Kindle lending library, 2 hour delivery with Amazon Prime Now and free next day delivery, even if the item is under £20.

You can also download certain programmes on Netflix, while this feature is coming to NOW TV in early 2019.

Scores out of 10 for extras

  • Amazon Prime – 8/10
  • Netflix 7/10
  • NOW TV – 5/10

Best for free trials

The good news is all of them offer a free trial!

>> Get a 7 day NOW TV entertainment free trial
>> Get a 30 day Amazon Prime Instant Video free trial
>> Get a 30 day Netflix free trial

These are all once per person. The best way to get value from these is to do one at a time, giving you more than two months of free films and TV. If you’ve housemates or family living with you, there’s no reason they can’t sign up after to get another three months.

Scores out of 10 for free trials

  • Amazon Prime – 9/10
  • Netflix – 8/10
  • NOW TV – 6/10

Best for price

This is looking just at the basic price. I’ll get on to deals in the next bit.

  • Amazon Prime price: £79 a year, though this includes extras such as free next day delivery
  • Netflix price UK: starts at £5.99 a month, rising to £7.99 for two screens and HD, then £9.99 a month for four screens and Ultra HD
  • NOW TV entertainment price: £7.99 a month
  • NOW TV movies price: £9.99 a month

I think you’re wasting money if you pay full price for more than one. There’s no way you’ve time to properly utilise each service if you’re flicking between them – and hey, box sets are built to binge!

Scores out of 10 for price

  • Amazon Prime – 6/10 (for an annual subscription)
  • Netflix – 6/10
  • NOW TV – 5/10 (as a combined price)

Best for deals

I’m yet to see any money off Netflix, though you can sometimes get free passes via other purchases (eg with a new mobile phone contract). You can also choose different prices packages which let you choose how many users can log in at the same time. This allows you to share with family and friends and split the costs. See my cash hack to saving through sharing for more info.

Amazon Prime is available at a discounted price from time to time, and I’ll list these on my Amazon deals page when they happen, though this is a lot rarer than it used to be.

NOW TV, on the other hand, is usually available cut price. I regularly update my NOW TV deals page with the latest offers, and I’ve probably spent less than £20 in the last 12 months for a year of Entertainment and three or four months of movies. That’s a saving of nearly £120.

Scores out of 10 for available deals

  • Amazon Prime – 4/10
  • Netflix – 4/10
  • NOW TV – 9/10

Easiest to watch on your TV

There are a few options here.

My top choice is via a smart TV. Our new Samsung was a game changer as it had apps for all three. No more wires!

If you don’t have one of these then there are a few different options. In the summer I wrote about how to make your TV smart, listing the pros and cons of devices such as the Roku, Now TV stick, Amazon Fire and Chromecast. If you are watching all three, you’ll want to go for the Roku.

Otherwise, it depends which service you want to stream. For example, you can’t watch Amazon or a NOW TV stick or via a Chromecast, and you can’t watch NOW TV via a Fire Stick. Netflix is available on all.

Or you can of course just connect your laptop to your TV with a cable.

Scores out of 10 for watching on your TV

  • Amazon Prime – 6/10
  • Netflix – 9/10
  • NOW TV – 6/10

Final thoughts

Overall scores out of 10 

  • Amazon Prime – 49/10
  • Netflix – 52/10
  • NOW TV – 49/10

So the scores show a slight win for Netflix – and that’s mainly down to having what I think is the best library of new and old content.

Both Amazon and Netflix lost points as there are very few deals available to cut the price. The only real way to save is to share your subscription costs. But if you can do that it becomes more affordable to get more than one service.

NOW TV, on the other hand, does have my favourite “can’t miss” shows each week and can be picked up very cheap if you get the right deals. Even better if you only get one of the Entertainment or Cinema passes. But if you want both, then you do have to pay for it, hence the lower score. Plus there’s the chance you’ll miss something if you don’t watch shows close to broadcast.

Ultimately I think it comes down to want you fancy watching and what you’re willing to pay.

Despite the scores, If I was forced to only have one it would be NOW TV. Largely it’s because that’s how I watch my top shows like Game of Thrones and WestWorld on Sky Atlantic, but also, you can get it so very cheap.

If you’re still not sure, maybe this simple breakdown will help:

  • The biggest selection of the latest movies – NOW TV Sky Cinema Pass
  • The big American shows the day after the states – NOW TV Entertainment Pass
  • The best classic box sets – Netflix
  • The best for box set binges – Netflix
  • Extra services – Amazon Prime
  • Watching offline – Amazon Prime or Netflix

How to make your TV smart for less

December 5, 2018   |   Podcast

Cash Chats Ep76 – Your refund rights when you change your mind

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Shops don’t have to give you your money back

With the big sales just a few weeks ago, and more on the horizon, it’s easy to get caught up by so-called bargains you might not need or want. The simple solution is to take any ill-advised purchases back for a refund – but that’s not always possible.

This week on the podcast I’ve taken a look at your rights, which can vary if you buy in a shop or online, plus how the way you pay can also make a difference.

This week’s links

Changed your mind? Your refund rights

Credit cards, Section 75 and your consumer rights

Review: Buying and selling gift cards with Zeek

November 20, 2018   |   Podcast

Cash Chats ep75: How to win at Black Friday

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With days to go until Black Friday, I’ve shared my top tips to help you bag a bargain in these huge annual sales.

Now there’s obviously some cynicism around Black Friday. That’s understandable – it’s a manufactured event to get people spending money they hadn’t planned to spend and buy things they hadn’t planned to buy. But if you do it right it’s a great chance to save some extra cash.

Please do leave a review and subscribe over on iTunes – it really makes it easier for others to find the podcast. Don’t forget you can also subscribe to my weekly newsletter.

This week’s links

My huge list of who is doing Black Friday and when

My Black Friday Bootcamp

Quidco and TopCashback new member deals

Amazon shopping tricks to save even more money

How to price match at John Lewis & Partners

Zeek Extra – get a 7% top up on gift cards at M&S, John Lewis, ASOS

The best cashback and reward credit cards

How to stack deals, and save even more money

 

November 12, 2018   |   Podcast

Cash Chats 74: Are luxury advent calendars a rip-off?

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I’m joined by Cora Harrison to see whether posh advents for adults are worth the money.

Festive advent calendars have changed. When you open the windows you don’t just get pictures of snowmen or angels. Even that late 80s upgrade of small chocolates seems traditional now. And the advent candle is long forgotten.

Now it’s all about luxury advent calendars for adults. For the last few years we’ve been inundated with all sorts of advents for grown-ups full of 24 bottles of gin, 24 tiny test size tubes of cosmetics or 24 random bits of jewellery.

And these aren’t cheap either. You can pay upwards of £300 for the top end versions, and even shops like Aldi have one going for £50. I’ve felt they’re bad value for money and always avoided them, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have other appeals.

For a start you get to try all sorts of different varieties – whether that’s craft beer, cheese or Pringles (these all exist too). And some, like the M&S Advent, full of beauty products, claims to have a retail value well above what you pay.

So this week on the podcast I’ve been joined by fellow blogger Cora Harrison. On her YouTube channel, Cora has been unboxing dozens of different luxury advent calendars to see what’s inside – and test whether they’re worth the money.

Have a listen to see what we think, plus a chance to win a Beer Hawk craft beer advent calendar.

More links

#FoodBankAdvent: How it works, and why you should take part

Win a Beer Hawk Advent Calendar

November 6, 2018   |   Podcast

Cash Chats 73: The energy price cap explained

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A cap on how much electricity and gas costs seems a good idea – and it is. But it’s not as simple as saying everyone is going to pay less.

In this episode of Cash Chats, I break down who the cap applies to, how it works, and why you shouldn’t get complacent. And my golden rules to make sure you don’t ever need to worry about paying too much for your energy.

Please do leave a review and subscribe over on iTunes – it really makes it easier for others to find the podcast.

This week’s links

Energy price cap: Will you actually save money?

The easy way to cut your gas and electricity bills

The energy comparison con, and why there’s now a fair way to find cheaper energy

Elsewhere on the blog

#FoodBankAdvent: How it works, and why you should take part

Refer-a-friend: Get paid when your friends switch bank

Why I hate Nectar points, and what you need to know about the Sainsbury’s double up points promotion

Budget 2018: What it means for you

October 29, 2018   |   Articles

Budget 2018: What it means for you

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How you’ll get to keep more of your wages before tax is taken away, and other announcements.

This year’s big financial statement from the Treasury was long. And boring. Oh so boring. I’ve reported on every Budget, Spring Statement and Autumn Statement since 2014 for the Money Advice Service and this has to be one of the dullest.

But that doesn’t mean some of the announcements won’t affect your bank balance, with top earners looking to keep £860 extra each year.

I’ve rounded up the changes which I think it’s worth you knowing about – though bear in mind it could all change if there’s a no-deal Brexit.

Income Tax changes

In recent years the Income Tax thresholds have risen in April, mainly to meet a Tory manifesto pledge to hit certain levels by April 2020. Well the Chancellor said he’s bringing that total forward by a year.

This means from next April you’ll pay less tax on your salary and income. You’ll be able to earn £12,500 each year tax-free (currently £11,850), which is worth £130 to anyone earning over that amount.

The next bracket will go up from £46,351 to £50,000. This means you’ll pay 20% tax rather than 40% tax on any earnings in that range. If you earn £50k or more then it’s £730 on top of the £130, so it definitely benefits higher earners.

Though anyone earning over £125,000 will see the tax relief on that first £12,500 gradually reduce to zero.

Pay increase for low income earners

The National Living Wage will go up in April from £7.83 an hour to £8.21 an hour. There will also be increases for all groups under 24 years old on the Living or Minimum Wage.

Longer breathing spaces for debt

There could be an a new 60-day period for people to get on top of debts before creditors can take action. When this was announced last year only six-weeks was proposed. There will also be a pilot of interest free loans, based an a scheme run in Australia.

High street help

If like me you’ve seen more and more shops and restaurants close in your local town centre then another announcement might help.

Business rates for many businesses will be cut by a third. It’s estimated that 90% of shops, cafes and restaurants will benefit. Fingers crossed it makes a difference.

Another move that could help is a new tax on the really big digital businesses like Amazon and Google.

Universal Credit isn’t going away

Despite some fierce lobbying in the last few weeks, Universal Credit will continue. This benefit system reform has been criticised for long waiting times that push struggling people into food poverty and homelessness.

However the Government announced a few changes. First the work allowance – how much people can earn and keep their benefits – will go up to £1,000.

There will also be an additional £1bn put into funding the transition from the old systems such as Job Seekers Allowance and Housing Benefit to UC so people moving across don’t lose out.

Shared ownership stamp duty refunds

If you were first-time buyer of a shared ownership property since the last budget (22nd November 2017), you’ll be able to claim all or part of your stamp duty back – as long as your home cost less than £500,000.

And the same rules will apply for all first-time buyers from now on.

Potholes to be filled

The Beatles sang, there were “Four thousand potholes in Blackburn, Lancashire”. And that was in 1967. Who knows how many there are today, but it’s a lot. And not just in Blackburn.

So there’s a new fund of £420 million available immediately for local authorities in England to start fixing them.

Good news for beer and spirit drinkers (and drivers), bad news for wine drinker and smokers

Tax is frozen on beer, spirits, petrol and air passenger duty on short haul flights. But it goes up on wine, tobacco and long haul flights.

October 26, 2018   |   Articles

Everything you need to know about the “Millennial” Railcard

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After a limited trial last year, the 26-30 Railcard is going to be available nationwide by the end of 2018.

Like so many train journeys, the arrival of this new railcard has taken longer than expected. But it’s here at last. Nicknamed the “Millennial” Railcard, four million people will be eligible to get one and save on their train travel. It’ll work like all other railcards except this one will be digital only.

Based on the trial, it’s expected users will save an average of £125 each year, based on an average of six journeys over 400 miles travelled in a year.

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Contents

This article might contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund the blog. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or the blog’s independence. Read more here.

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Here’s what you need to know about the Millennial Railcard.

Who can get the 26-30 Railcard?

An obvious one here, you have to be aged between 26 and 30 years old at the time of getting the railcard. But you can buy it the day before you turn 31 and still be able to use it for a year.

How much will the railcard cost?

It’s £30 for one year, though look out for discounts elsewhere. Most other railcards are available with between 10% and 20% throughout the year via codes (I’ll share the deals here when they are available).

What discount will you get?

As with other railcards, you’ll get a third off most journeys. You can get the saving on most ticket types, including off-peak travel via an Oyster card in London.

There are restrictions though. There’s a minimum fare of £12 between 4.30am and 10am Monday to Friday, so you can’t use it for commuting. You can get the full third off outside this time and all day at the weekend and on public holidays.

How do you get a Millenial Railcard?

We don’t know when it’ll be available – just that it will be before the end of 2018.  [UPDATE:] The railcard was finally launched on the 2nd of January 2019.

When it’s live you can apply online and then download it to your phone via the Railcard app. You’ll be able to use it instantly, so no waiting for the post or at the ticket office.

What happens if your phone goes dead?

For the first time, there won’t actually be a physical railcard issued. Now based on previous railcards I’ve had, I know you’re almost always asked to display your railcard by ticket inspectors. Having it on your phone is great as you won’t forget to bring it with you. But we’ve all had times our phones have gone dead, especially on long train journeys.

Well, National Rail has said that if your phone runs out of battery or is lost you’ll be able to log in on another handset. Though that only works if you’re travelling with someone, and that there’s wifi or signal that allows them to download it and log in.

It makes sense to buy a spare battery that you carry with you. You’ll use it frequently and its better than having to fork out a fine for not being able to show your railcard. I’ve got a couple of Anker power banks from Amazon which have been really good and held their charge.

You might already have a railcard without realising

If you travel in the South East, including by tube in London, and have an annual season ticket, then you’ve already got a Network Railcard. It’ll be called a “Gold card” but it does the same thing. It has the same time restrictions as the 26-30 card, and is limited to the South of England (here’s a map of where you can use it). But if you mainly travel within this area then you probably don’t need to get a millenial card too.

What if you’re not 26-30 years old?

Join the club! You might be eligible for another railcard. National Rail offers:

  • 16-25 Railcard
  • Two Together Railcard
  • Senior Railcard
  • Family & Friends Railcard
  • Disabled Persons Railcard
  • Network Railcard

If you’re eligible for any of the others, they might actually be better value for you, though that depends on when you are going to travel. You can read more about all the other railcards here.

More tips to save money on train travel

Cash hack: 10 tricks for cheaper train fares

Can split tickets really cut the cost of train fares?

How to get a refund for delayed trains

October 23, 2018   |   Podcast

Cash Chats ep72: Pay less for broadband

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In this episode of the podcast you can find out how to pay less for your internet.

This week I haggled an extra £8 a month off my monthly broadband charge – which was already £22 off the standard price. My total saving over 12 months is going to be £336. So in this episode I’ve shared how I did it and how you can do the same.

There’s a mix of methods you can pick and choose from – or do a combination of them all. For me I first took advantage of a top new customer deal, and then jumped on Virgin’s forthcoming price increase as an opportunity to haggle another discount. You can also save by stripping out services you don’t need or blagging extra special offers such as cashback and free TVs.

Please do leave a review and subscribe over on iTunes – it really makes it easier for others to find the podcast.

This week’s links:

How to cut the cost of your broadband and landline bills

How to beat broadband price hikes

Cashback site offers (May 2021)

October 23, 2018   |   Articles

How to cut the cost of your broadband and landline bills

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It’s easy to pay far more than you need on your phone and internet service, but it’s also pretty easy to cut £100s off your annual bill.

I’m currently paying the equivalent of £19 a month on my landline and 100mb broadband with Virgin. That’s £28 a month less than the standard price, saving £336 a year.

It’s a big saving, and there’s no reason you can’t cut your bills too! And if you’re not on fibre broadband you should be able to get it for even less.

So how do you do it? My low Virgin price is a combination of a very good sign-up offer, a complaint about service and some good old fashioned haggling. And these aren’t the only way to save.

You can find out a little more about my savings in this week’s podcast, or read on for my tips.

I think there are four basic steps to save on broadband and landline. You don’t need to do all of these, but the more time you put in, the less you’ll pay.

Step 1 – Do some research

The best way to get a deal is to hunt around for the best prices and offers.

Use a comparison site to get an idea of your options.

There are plenty of comparison sites out there. I like Broadbandchoices.co.uk as unlike some of the others it works out the annual cost for you including extras. They also have a few of their own exclusive offers.

Watch out for hidden costs

Broadband companies are no longer allowed to hide the cost of the landline, but there could still be set-up and connection extras you have to factor in. Watch out too for the smaller print telling you how much you’ll pay in 12 or 18 months when your contract is up.

Look at the service ratings

A few years ago I wrote about the savings I made going for TalkTalk’s TV, phone and internet deal.

I’ve just crunched the numbers, and after cashback, bonus high street voucher, special offers and credit for poor service, I paid an average just £4.45 a month over the 16 months I was with them.

Pretty good eh? Except it was appalling service. So bad I was desperate to leave, which I finally managed to do without penalty payments. There’s absolutely zero chance I would ever go back to TalkTalk even if it was the cheapest service available.

So the lesson is, make sure you’re happy with the service you’re going to receive.

Know what you’re getting

Watch out for any broadband that has ‘traffic shaping’. This means they’ll cut your speed at busy times of the day.

Likewise, if you don’t stream a lot of TV or download much, you probably don’t need unlimited data or Fibre high-speed internet.

Work out what you need

Though more and more people don’t use a landline, it’s usually cheaper to get one alongside your internet.

If you’re mainly watching box sets on Netflix or keeping to the standard channels, think about if you really need a Pay TV package. If you do, then NOW TV can get you Sky channels for a lot less.

> Check out my comparison of NOW TV, Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video

Step 2 – Look for extra offers and discounts

If you’ve found some prices that look tempting, see if you can save even more.

Check for cashback

Always look at TopCashback and Quidco to see what cashback deals they have. I got £110 when I moved to BT in 2017, and have had as much as £189 back. This can sometimes work for existing customers too if you want to upgrade your package.

Plus, new customers can often get a bonus when they sign up to the cashback site, sometimes as high as £16.

Wait for vouchers and other freebies

BT, TalkTalk and Sky all offer freebies when you sign up. Often it’s high street vouchers or a prepaid Mastercard. You can even get free tablets, FitBits or TVs from time to time.

However, these promotions can come and go and the value changes frequently. If there aren’t any on offer when you look I’d wait a few weeks to see if that changes, though if you’re paying through the roof with your current supplier it might be better to just switch. Most recently we got a £100 prepaid Mastercard.

If you can combine cashback and vouchers, that’s even better!

Can you pay upfront for the line rental?

A final saving is to pay your line rental upfront for a year. Unfortunately, the discounts available have dropped from around £50 to just £15 to £20, and not all providers do this. Plus you it can make it harder for you to switch away if you’re midway through your year. Still, it’s worth a look.

Step 3 – Haggle with your current provider

Once you’ve got a sense of the prices and extra offers available, call up your current provider.

Check if you’re in contract

Do check you are out of contract before leaving and if you’re required to return any equipment. If not you may be charged for leaving early. But Ofcom figures show that 39% of people are out of contract – and likely paying more than they should as a result.

It’s not impossible to get out of a contract before it ends. If prices rise, you often get sent a letter saying you have 30 days to move. You can also try to leave if the service is really bad, but this isn’t easy.

Work out your target price

If your research has come up with some fab extra discounts in the form of cashback and freebies, factor them into your monthly cost. So if you’re looking at £120 cashback, that reduced your ideal monthly fee by £10. This is what your current provider needs to match or beat.

See what they offer you

Phone up your provider and ask to speak to the cancellation team – they usually have access to the best deals. Say you’re thinking of leaving and see what they can offer you. Tell them the research you’ve done and the prices you’ve found elsewhere.

They’ll usually try to keep you by offering a discount or extra services for free. If it’s the latter, have a think about whether you really want that extra or if you’d prefer a money saving.

Don’t feel pressured to make a snap decision. Just say you need to speak to your partner/housemates and ask them to call you back the next day.

Hopefully they’ll suggest something you’re happy with (it’s obviously easier not to switch). But if they can’t match the deals you’ve found elsewhere, it might be time to switch.

Still call if you are in contract

You might still be able to haggle a better deal, or even cut some of your services you don’t use.

Step 4 – Make the switch

If you’d made the decision to move, it’s pretty easy to do.

Sign up with the new provider

The new provider will sort out the switch for you and let you set a date for the move to happen. It should take place within a couple of weeks, though our move to BT took longer.

The only difference is Virgin. You’ll need to cancel directly with your current supplier and ask for a MAC (Migration Authority Code).

Don’t forget to go through the cashback site or comparison site if they are offering exclusive deals, otherwise you’ll miss out.

Chase for any owed money

When I left Sky a few years back I realised they hadn’t refunded me for the last month. If I hadn’t chased them, it’s unlikely they’d have paid! The same happened with TalkTalk who owed me £77.