Secret Ways to Save on Netflix

Not long ago, Netflix rolled out a price increase, but you don’t have to pay those prices.

One option is to leave Netflix. There are multiple cheaper streaming services, as we detail in “Hulu Now Offers One of the Cheapest Streaming TV Plans Around.”

But what if you aren’t willing to leave Netflix? Well, here’s a little-known savings secret: You can still shave off some of your monthly subscription cost by paying with a discounted gift card.

Following are a couple of ways to pull this off.

1. Buy discounted iTunes or Google Play gift cards from a wholesale club

If you pay for your Netflix subscription through iTunes, you can pay for it with an iTunes gift card, Netflix’s website says. The same goes for Google Play.

And many warehouse clubs sell iTunes or Google Play gift cards at a discount. For example, Costco currently sells iTunes gift cards, while Sam’s Club offers both iTunes and Google Play gift cards.

Warehouse club discounts for these gift cards aren’t huge — generally up to around 5%, from what we’ve seen. Still, this tactic will shave down the cost of a recurring expense that rarely goes on sale.

2. Buy discounted Netflix gift cards through a marketplace

Another way to buy discounted gift cards — no wholesale club membership necessary — is through gift card marketplaces. These are websites on which folks with unwanted gift cards sell them for less than their face value to folks seeking a deal.

Examples of gift card marketplaces include Raise.com.

If you buy a gift card for 10% off its face value, for example, you will effectively save 10% on everything you buy with that card — which could include your Netflix bill. Netflix’s website notes that you can pay for your subscription with a Netflix gift card.

You may not land a deep discount with this tactic, but, again, you can still shave down the cost of a recurring expense. And that kind of savvy savings is, well, not to be discounted.