YOU don’t always have to fork out for a fancy TV package or a cinema trip.
Money Saving Mum Gemma Bird reveals her top tips for watching on a budget.
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SIGN UP FOR FREE TRIALS
Amazon Prime and Netflix both offer a free 30-day trial, while Now TV has a free seven-day trial.
Just remember to cancel before it auto-renews to avoid being charged.
DISNEY+
While Disney+ doesn’t offer a free trial, it is worth signing up for one month’s membership for £7.99 for Pixar films including Soul and Luca.
The average kid’s cinema ticket costs £6, so if you watch one movie a week, you’d save almost £30 over the holidays.
GRAB DISCOUNT DVDs
If you still have a DVD player, you can pick up second-hand DVDs for ten a penny.
Head to car boot sales, eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Poundland – where you can nab the likes of the BFG and Paddington for £1.
HEAD TO THE LIBRARY
Libraries aren’t just for books.
Most will have a selection of DVDs that library card holders can borrow.
You may need to pay but usually it’s no more than 25p.
ADD PACKAGES ON
Rather than paying an extra £9.99 a month for a standard Netflix account, see if you can add it on to your current package.
Sky customers can add it for an extra £4.99 a month.
TAKE OFF WHAT YOU DON’T NEED
If you’re paying for a sports or movie package that you’re not using, take it off – it’s money down the drain.
You can always cancel subscriptions if that proves difficult.
ASK FOR BETTER DEALS
Every year I contact Sky and ask for a better deal – and I get one.
If you’re a loyal customer, they will want you to stay.
If I’m ever having trouble with a sales assistant, I’ll ask to speak to the manager as they have a lot more sway.
DITCH THE TV LICENCE
You aren’t legally required to have a £159 TV licence if you only watch on-demand platforms such as 4OD and ITV Hub – but this doesn’t apply if you stream live TV or watch BBC iPlayer.
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GET GOOGLE PLAY CREDITS
Android users can install the Google Opinion Rewards App and in exchange for responding to surveys you’ll receive Google Play credits.
Save up your credits to buy movies and TV shows such as Cruella and Peter Rabbit from the Google Play app.
SPLIT YOUR NETFLIX BILL
Rather than forking out £9.99 a month for a standard Netflix subscription, ask pals if they’ll split a premium subscription at £13.99.
This allows you to watch Netflix on four different devices at once – split it four ways and it’s £3.50 a month.
Summer viewing
Your kids will be glued to the telly during the school holidays thanks to these unmissable shows chosen by Natasha Harding
SKY: PETER RABBIT 2
HE might lead a charmed life in the garden, but a bored Peter decides to venture out to the big city in a bid to find a new adventure.
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Sadly for the iconic rabbit, he meets a series of shady characters, who cause chaos for the whole family.
WHEN: Available now to download
AMAZON PRIME: STARGIN
THE popular superhero drama is back for season two, with high-schooler Courtney Whitmore, played by Brec Bassinger, back for more costumed action.
The Justice Society of America searches for a new place in the world after reigning supreme in season one, while a new Green Lantern is introduced.
WHEN: Available from August 11
NETFLIX: CENTAURWORLD
A WAR horse is transported to a bizarre world filled with strange singing centaurs of all shapes and sizes.
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In a desperate bid to return to her own world, she aligns herself with a group of the magical creatures to tackle a new journey that will test her more than ever before.
WHEN: Out now
NETFLIX: VIVO
ON a journey to deliver a song to his owner’s long-lost love Vivo, a musically gifted kinkajou — that’s a rainforest-dwelling honey bear — heads on the adventure of a lifetime in this animated singalong.
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WHEN: Out Friday
DISNEY+: DISNEY PRINCESS REMIXED
WHO doesn’t love a song by a Disney princess?
This 30-minute special, narrated by internet sensation Txunamy Ortiz, 12, celebrates much-loved leading ladies through reimagined performances of signature tunes.
WHEN: To be confirmed
CBBC: HORRIBLE HISTORIES
THIS show, based on Terry Deary’s books, always goes down a treat with history-loving youngsters.
This month there is an animated protest special, while the 2019 Rotten Romans movie will be screened later in the month.
WHEN: August 20, 5pm
CBBC: LAGGING
A NEW comedy-drama following a group of five gamers, all 12 years old.
Each has unique traits they bring to the team as they face quests and conquer the gaming world. But as five very different people who don’t quite fit together, surviving the challenges of real life is often trickier.
WHEN: Tuesdays, 5pm
CBBC: ALMOST NEVER
AS boyband The Wonderland push themselves harder than ever to make it in the music industry, Sasha Small steps up her campaign to break up the group and sign lead singer Nate for herself.
As always, lots of ups and downs are promised in this third season.
WHEN: Tuesdays, 2.25pm
CBBC: STILL SO AWKWARD
IN the latest series of the sitcom, Lily arrives at university and discovers her life — living with Frankie, Samson and Seb; studying drama with TV star Claire and working with bossy Josh — is still . . . so . . . awkward.
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WHEN: Mondays, 5pm
DISNEY+: SHORT CIRCUIT
AFTER the success of the first season, this is back for another run.
The concept? Anyone at Walt Disney Animation Studios can pitch an idea for an original short film.
Five feature in this run.
WHEN: Tomorrow
DISNEY+: DIARY OF A FUTURE PRESIDENT
SHE is destined for big things but Elena must still face the trials and tribulations of middle school. Inching closer to her bright future, the Cuban-American student has her fair share of heartache in season two.
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WHEN: August 18
CBEEBIES: NUMBER ONE NEWTON AVENUE
A NEW live-action series exploring maths via everyday scenarios . . . with a sprinkling of magic to help friends Freddie, Jayden, Libby and Rio.
With catchy songs and animations, topics covered include counting, patterns, measurement, shapes and numbers.
WHEN: Later this month
DISNEY+: JUNGLE CRUISE (12A)
STARRING action hunk Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Brit Emily Blunt, Jungle Cruise is based on the Disneyland theme-park ride from which it gets its name.
Dr Lily Houghton (Blunt) enlists Frank Wolff (Johnson) to help her search for an ancient healing tree in the Amazon.
WHEN: In cinemas now and on Disney+ Premier Access
DISNEY+: MARVEL STUDIOS’ WHAT IF…?
THE first-ever animated series by Marvel Studios tells the back-stories of different Marvel heroes and reveals what would have happened if major moments in the blockbuster films had different outcomes.
WHEN: August 11
DISNEY+: PAW PATROL THE MOVIE (U)
THE canine rescue crew make their big-screen debut, to the delight of their legions of young fans.
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When the pups’ arch-enemy Humdinger becomes mayor of Adventure City, Chase, Skye, Rocky and co must save the day.
WHEN: In cinemas August 13
DISNEY+: CRUELLA
THE big-screen live-action film based on One Hundred And One Dalmatians comes to living rooms.
Set in London in the Seventies, Emma Stone plays wannabe fashion designer Estella Miller as she comes to embrace her wicked side on the way to becoming Cruella de Vil.
WHEN: August 27
