Several online services such as Netflix and Hulu offer tempting one month free opportunities, but here is why you should be skeptical about signing up for them. It is no secret that college students usually live on a tight budget. Often times that means there is not a lot of money going around towards entertainment. You might see the one month free offer and think that signing up for it isn’t a big deal because you will cancel their subscription at the end of the month. It is not that easy!
Those online services make that offer for a reason. They hope you will either get hooked on what they are providing or that you will simply just forget to cancel it. And it works! All too often the servicer gets exactly what they want from tricking the consumer into using their product for free. That could quickly turn into a very costly decision for you. To sign up for that offer, keep in mind that you have to give them a lot of personal information which includes your credit card number. At the end of the first month, they will start billing you without even notifying you!
When you add up the costs of these services, they likely are not worth it while you’re on a tight budget. Common providers of these services cost anywhere from $7 to $10 each month. That might not seem like a lot, but when you realize the cost is anywhere from $84 to $120 per year, it might put it in a little bit of a different perspective. Likely, that’s a big chunk of your budget. Play it safe and don’t take the one month free.
David Biggs Peer Counselor I Powercat Financial Counseling www.k-state.edu/pfc
