I sat down the other night to look at my bank statement, and it’s getting ridiculous. Between the Apple ecosystem, the Google storage (because yes, I use both ecosystems), the “no-ads” tax on YouTube, and the big streamers, I realized I’m paying a monthly “entertainment tax” that’s starting to look very much like a grocery bill.
If you’re in the same boat—juggling Apple One, Google One AI, YouTube Premium, Netflix, and Disney+, you’ve likely realized that we didn’t actually escape the old DStv “bloated bundle” problem. We just traded one big bill for five or six smaller ones that hide in the background.
Here is how I’m looking at it lately, person to person.
The “Double-Dipping” Trap
The first thing that hits you when you look at these services is how much overlap there is. If you have Apple One and YouTube Premium, you’re paying for two different music libraries. My family uses YouTube Premium because, frankly, life is too short for those unskippable ads. But Apple One is where my storage lives.
The fix isn’t always easy because kids are creatures of habit. But honestly? Pick a side. If everyone is already on YouTube for the videos, they have YouTube Music. It’s “free” at that point. Make them use it. Paying for Apple Music on top of that is just donating money to a trillion-dollar company that doesn’t need it.
Be Brutal with the “AI” Tax
I’m a tech guy, so I fell for the Google One AI Premium tier immediately. Gemini is cool, but is it “R400-a-month-cool” for every single person in the house? Probably not. Most of us just need the 2TB of storage so our Google Photos don’t stop backing up.
I’ve looked at dropping back to the standard 2TB plan. It keeps the family photos safe but cuts out the AI features I only actually use to occasionall. It’s worth asking yourself: are you actually using the tech, or just paying for the possibility of using it?
The South African Reality Check
We have it weird in South Africa. Our data is expensive and our banks are trying to be our best friends.
- FNB and Standard Bank: If you aren’t paying for these via a virtual card that earns you eBucks or UCount points, you’re leaving money on the table. It’s a bit of a chore to set up, but getting 40% back on a Netflix sub actually makes the price feel fair.
- The Disney+ Mess: I link mine through my DStv bill (Yes, I still have Dstv, but just for sport). It’s the only way to get a decent discount in this country. It’s annoying to have your accounts tied together, but R50 is R50.
Stop the “Always-On” Mindset
Netflix Premium is R199. Disney+ is R159. We keep them both active “just in case” someone wants to watch something on a Tuesday night.
I’m considering doing something different: I call it the “Binge Cycle.” We’ll have Netflix for two months, catch up on everything, and then—this is the hard part—actually hit cancel. Then we move to Disney+ or Showmax for a bit. These companies designed these apps to be “set and forget,” and they will hate this strategy, but your bank account will love it.
The Reality
At the end of the day, these apps are supposed to serve us, not the other way around. If you’re like me and you’ve got the full “Apple-Google-Netflix” stack, you’re likely over-provisioned.
Downgrade the Netflix to Standard (nobody actually notices the 4K difference on a tablet anyway), consolidate your music, and use your banking rewards. You’ll probably find R300 a month you didn’t know you were wasting. In this economy, that’s a win.
Now Read: Beginners Guide: Best Streaming Services South Africa
