Even home movie nights are getting more expensive as streaming costs keep rising.
Americans now pay an average of $61 a month for streaming services, according to a Deloitte report — or a hefty $732 a year. If you want to watch your favorite shows and new movies, you can use an easy trick to save money on streaming: churning, or getting rid of one service for a short time and re-subscribing later when a must-see title premieres.
For February 2025, I would cancel Prime Video and Disney Plus. Both streaming services are top-notch, but they don't have much going on next month. While Prime Video has one popular show returning and Disney Plus offers its vast library of kid-friendly content, you really won't miss much if you pause your subscription for either. Here's why I think you should consider canceling Disney Plus and Prime Video this month.
Why I'd cancel Prime Video in February 2025
Prime Video is a behemoth, boasting a massive library of originals and licensed movies and shows. Yet, its upcoming lineup is looking a bit lackluster. The biggest title arriving in February is a whopper, though: "Reacher" season 3.
The action crime drama has been a huge hit for Prime Video since it debuted. Based on Lee Childs' books, the show is essentially an anthology following Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson), a hulking former military policeman who applies his very particular set of skills to solve a crime. In season 3, he infiltrates a vast criminal enterprise in order to rescue an undercover DEA informant whose time is running out.
If you're a fan of "Reacher," you might be hesitant to cancel Prime Video for the month. But season 3 doesn't premiere until Feb. 20, when the first three episodes drop. Then, the rest of the episodes will air weekly. So, if you can wait a few weeks, you can easily catch up and save money at the same time.
Prime Video's other notable title in February is "Invincible" season 3. The dark, gritty animated superhero story arrives earlier in the month, on Feb. 6, also with three episodes that are followed by weekly airings. Again, I recommend that fans practice a little patience and binge the whole thing come March.
Why I'd cancel Disney Plus in February 2025
As for Disney Plus, we know a lot of families depend on its library of kid-friendly movies and shows. Yet, with school in session, your kids may have enough on their plates that they won't miss streaming "Frozen" for the 500th time.
Aside from ongoing episodes of "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man," Disney Plus has two interesting debuts. The first is Pixar's first-ever original series, "Win or Lose," which follows a softball team preparing for their big championship game.
The other is the second batch of episodes for "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place," the sequel series to the beloved Disney Channel show that aired from 2007 to 2012.
But "Win or Lose" premieres Feb. 19 and "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" on the literal last day of February, the 28th. You can cancel Disney Plus for the month, then binge both in March.
How much you'll save by canceling Prime Video and Disney Plus this month
How much you can save by canceling Disney Plus and Prime Video depends on which plans you have.
Disney Plus Basic (with ads) is $10 per month and Premium (ad-free) is $16. Prime Video is included in a Prime membership ($15 per month) or you can get it on its own ($9). Subscribers can pay $3 extra per month to get rid of ads.
If you have Disney Plus Basic and standalone Prime Video, you'll save $19 (or $28 if you have the ad-free versions of both). If you pause your Prime membership for the month, your savings range from $25 to $34.
That may not sound like a lot but churning various streaming services throughout the year can save you a few hundred dollars. And with prices of everything skyrocketing, every dollar counts.
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