New Sky deal includes broadband and ‘free’ Netflix - and could save you money

Sky is offering customers a new package including its superfast broadband and a free Netflix subscription.

This comes as broadband and streaming services bills sky-rocket.

Netflix hiked its subscription prices by up to £24 a year last month, while Sky raised bills for most customers by £43 a year at the start of April.

But, Sky’s new deal could help you save money with it rolling a few packages into one and being cheaper than other products it offers.

What is Sky’s new deal?

The new deal includes Sky’s Superfast broadband with 36Mbps downloads, plus the Netflix add on too.

The whole bundle will cost £39 a month- you can sign up for the Sky Superfast broadband deal + Netflix here.

However, you will have to pay a bit more than a standard Sky contract for the bundle.

A standard Sky contract with Netflix currently costs £26 a month - but that doesn’t include any broadband access.

Sky’s basic internet access is another £25 a month on its own.

So the new deal Sky is offering will work out cheaper, and you will be essentially getting the streaming service added on for free.

If you were after the two services, internet and Netflix as well as Sky channels, you would be paying £51 a month – £12 more than the new deal.

Is it the right deal for me?

The deal won’t stick around forever so you will have to be quick to cash-in on the offer.

However, it is worth having a shop around to make sure you are getting the best value for your money.

Another provider could offer a better and cheaper deal - so it is important to do some research first.

For Sky’s deal, keep in mind that you will be tied into the contract for 18 months, so make sure you are sure that it is the right deal for you before your purchase.

There is also an up to £49 set-up fee that you will have to pay initially too.

How to save on your subscriptions

There are other ways to keep costs down if you don’t want to pay for the Sky bundle.

If you pay annually rather than monthly you could save in the long run.

You can also test out a service before you pay with a free trial - this way you can see if there are good programmes available that you would actually watch.

If you decide to do this, make sure to set a reminder for when the trial ends as you will be automatically switched to a monthly subscription if you don’t cancel in time.

It is also worth noting how much you actually use a Netflix subscription - if you don’t use it that much you could cancel or downgrade your services.

If you only watch Netflix on one device you could downgrade to the cheapest basic £6.99 package.

You can always watch the box for free too by using the free apps of traditional TV stations such as Channel 4, ITV and 5 that feature live TV and an extensive back catalogue.

You can also access BBC shows through iPlayer, as long as you have a TV licence.

How to save on broadband bills

If you are out of contract you should always shop around to see if switching to a competitor will reduce your costs.

If someone else is offering something cheaper you could switch and save yourself money - you don’t have to stick with the same provider.

Consumer group Which? found that broadband customers who switch away from the "Big Four" providers, including BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media, can typically save around £190 a year.

You could also try haggling with your current provider to see if they will lower costs for you - there is no guarantee it will work but it is worth a try.

A Virgin Media customer saved as much as £210 on their bill by trying this method.

For low income households there is also a lot of help out there too.

Millions of households on benefits could save hundreds of pounds on their broadband bills if they are eligible for cheaper social tariffs.

BT, Community Fibre, G.Network, Hyperoptic, KCOM and Virgin Media O2 all offer social tariffs, which allow you to get cheaper deals.

You will have to apply directly with the provider - which will assess your eligibility.

You will usually need to be receiving either employment and support allowance, income support, jobseeker’s allowance, or Universal Credit.

Ofcom estimates these deals could save struggling households up to £150 a year.

A version of this article originally appeared on NationalWorld.com