How to unsubscribe to Netflix:The first thing you need to know is that you can't cancel your plan just by letting your credit card expire. If your credit card expires or is no longer valid you will be required to enter a new credit card or paypal information.
Once you enter valid billing information your subscription will then be "renewed" and you will be charged the monthly subscription amount till the end of the "billing" period. For instance, I let my credit card expire on August 4, 2012 and when I signed in to Netflix on September 7, 2012 I had to enter valid information and then I was charged 25.96 in fees through the end of October 4, 2012. I suppose that it is somewhere in the Terms of Service that I may have agreed to pay an extra month through the end of my subscription. You have been warned that the man is going to stick it you.
Also, if you have DVDs that you have not returned, they give you till the end of the subscription period to return them. If you do not have them or do not return them by the end of the subscription period you will be charged for each one of them, probably around 25.00 for each DVD. I suggest you return them asap and also make sure to empty your DVD Queue; DVDs in your mail-plan will probably cause Netflix to mail you more DVDs, since, technically, you are still "subscribed" till the end of your subscription.
In order to cancel your subscription to Netflix see the following steps:
- 1. Log in to Netflix
- 2. Update your payment information
If you let your credit card expire or have cancelled the card on file with Netflix you can't do anything until you "Update Payment Method." In other words, you can't cancel your plan unless you give Netflix a valid credit card of PayPal account. However, updating your payment method will result in Netflix charging you for the subscription plan that you have. Let me put it another way, you can't just quit Netflix, they will charge you your monthly subscription plan before you quit. It is sort of like giving your landlord a "30 day notice" which basically makes Netflix your Entertainment Landlord. See below the notice you will get if your payment methods are no longer valid:
- 3. Empty your Disc Queue
The screen shot below shows part of my "Disc Queue." I decided that since I was cancelling my subscription I would empty my queue by clicking on the X in the "Remove" column. Emptying the queue is an experience that may give you a good feeling. I sure got a good feeling since I was no longer afraid to receive any more little red envelopes. I lost a few in my last move and I was charged 25.00 each! But the good-feeling reward comes because you are also taking a step to cancel your Netflix subscription. Cancelling your Netflix subscription is also a step in the direction of breaking your TV addiction. It's a liberating feeling because "you no need no stinkin' netflix" - or TV, for that matter.
- 4. Go to your Account section and begin to Cancel the Plans.
Many Netflix subscribers have a Streaming Plan and a DVD Plan. In order to cancel both you first have to click on the link to "Cancel streaming plan" and then "Cancel DVD plan." In your "Account" section you have to select your plans in order to begin to change or cancel them. See screen shot below:
- 5. Stop the shipping of DVDs.
The screen shot to cancel your DVD plan is below. Notice that you have to check off the box "Stop shipping DVDs to me as of today." Also notice that you may also get a warning to "Update Payment Method" again; this is somewhat distracting and frustrating since you may have already updated your payment information. Make sure you check the "Cancel DVD Plan" button.
- 6. Get confirmation that your DVD Plan will be cancelled.
A Netflix "DVD Plan" is the plan that allows you to get DVDs by mail, instead of just having a "Streaming Plan." Make sure you empty your DVD Queue and have checked off the "Stop shipping DVDs" box above or else you will probably be getting DVDs by mail! Here is the confirmation that your DVD Plan is being cancelled:
- 7. Cancel your Streaming Plan.
Before you are able to cancel your streaming plan you are given a chance to select a streaming plan:
- 8. Get confirmation that your Streaming Plan will be cancelled.
Confirmation that your plans will be cancelled:
You have "plans" even after cancelling:
- 9. Mail back any Netflix DVDs that you have as soon as possible. As mentioned above, if you do not return them by the end of your subscription period you will be charged at least 25.00 each.
It takes a lot more steps to cancel your Netflix subscription than it does to start it! But it is worth it. Sure, Netflix is only 7.99 for a streaming plan, but then they are part of the reason why you are paying so much for internet service that is probably bundled with your cable or satellite provider. Your next step is to cancel your cable TV subscription and also lower your internet speed and save more money since you no longer need to stream videos from Netflix!
Below is a silent video parody of the Netflix website:
Now that you have "taken a small step" to reduce your expenses it's time to take a look at all of your expenses and begin to cancel all subscriptions that you do not need.