How we treat ourselves in The Subscription Age
However, we're going to focus on the entertainment forms of subscription, and what we reckon are the best of the bunch for you to treat yourselves to, starting with…
GAMES – Game Pass Ultimate
In this case, when we say games, we don't mean whip out the Monopoly board, and we don't mean check out the selection of casino online UK sites. No, in this case, we specifically mean video games, and if you've got an Xbox or a PC (or both), then the Game Pass Ultimate is a must-have. For £14.99/€17.99 per month, you get access to hundreds of multi-generational games on console, PC, and cloud, as well as being able to play brand new games on their very first day of release at no additional cost.
Game Pass Ultimate also allows you to play multiplayer online for consume, includes a membership for EA Play, as well as additional member deals, discounts, perks, and in-game benefits for free-to-play games.
STREAMING – YouTube Premium
Yes, we know you've got so many amazing streaming platforms to choose from. Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Paramount+… the list goes on and on. And on. But might we make a completely leftfield choice here and say that forking out for YouTube Premium is one of the best decisions you can make for your daily entertainment consumption?
Starting at £12.99/€13.99 per month for an Individual Plan (alternatives include a Family Plan or a Student Plan, depending on your needs), it means you've got access to all of the videos on YouTube, but without any of the ads. You'll also be able to continue listening to YouTube even if you lock your phone, or download and playback when you're out of internet range. Additionally, you'll also get access to YouTube Music, which is essentially its very own version of Spotify (more on that in a bit), so you're getting A LOT for this one subscription.
CINEMA – Omniplex
It really does feel we're in the middle of a fantastic cinema-going resurgence, following the big drop-off that the big screen had to endure in the aftermath of the pandemic. 2025 has already seen some incredible blockbusters that have people packing out screens again – Sinners, 28 Years Later, F1, Jurassic World Rebirth, A Minecraft Movie, Lilo & Stitch, Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, How To Train Your Dragon – and there are LOADS more still to come in the second half of this year alone.
Omniplex's subscription MyOmniPass starts from just £11.99/€14.99 per month (depending on your location), which gets you a Super Saver seat for every single movie that gets released, as well as getting access to exclusive members-only previews before general release.
MUSIC – Spotify Premium
There are probably better/more affordable/etc. music streaming platforms out there (for example, the YouTube one we mentioned above), but in terms of ease-of-use, nothing seems to come close to YouTube.
For £11.99/€11.99 per month (there are also Student, Duo, and Family Plans to look into), you'll get ad-free music, which you can download to listen to at any time, even when offline. Other obvious benefits include being able to listen to songs in any order, and organise you're listening queue (something not available on the Free Plan), and you're given access to the HQ audio versions of the tracks, as well as 15 hours per month of listening time from Spotify's audiobooks subscriber catalogue. However, speaking of books…
BOOKS – Happily Ever After Book Box
We don't know about you, but going in blind when trying to decide on what the next book you're going to invest your next few days with can be a daunting process. Outside of already enjoying the author's previous works or being given a specific recommendation from a third party, how do you pick your next book? We know we shouldn't judge the cover, but sometimes they do win us over…
Thankfully, companies like the Happily Ever After Book Box do a lot of that heavy lifting for us. You simply tell them what your favourite genre is, and every month you'll get a new surprise book. Additionally, for £19.99 per month, along with the book, you'll also get a bookmark, a surprise beauty product, some vegan chocolate, a hot drink sachet, and a little note letting you know which animal charity your box has raised money for that month!
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