January always arrives with a clean slate — and a slightly bruised bank account after the holidays. With the decorations packed away and credit card statements rolling in, it’s a smart moment to take a clear-eyed look at your monthly spending. For many households, the sneakiest line item is also the easiest to overlook: streaming subscriptions.
The average American now spends more than $60 a month on streaming services, and that number keeps creeping up as prices rise and new tiers appear. That’s why I swear by a simple reset at the start of a new month: watch what you want, then pause what you don’t. A little strategic canceling can go a long way toward restoring some financial breathing room.
For January 2026, two of the biggest names in streaming stand out as easy candidates for a temporary break: Netflix and Disney+. Their current lineups make this an ideal moment to hit pause. Not forever, just long enough to save some cash while you wait for the next must-watch release. You can always jump back in when the timing is right. Here’s why canceling Netflix and Disney+ in January 2026 makes a lot of sense.
Why I'd cancel Netflix in January 2025
As ubiquitous as it may seem, Netflix's value proposition keeps getting worse — it's getting more expensive while seeming to release less content. Last year, the service announced yet another price hike, including the first increase for its ad-supported plan.
Yet, the price hikes haven't been accompanied by a massive upsurge of shows and movies. In fact, the new on Netflix schedule is looking pretty lackluster, with a few major exceptions.
The biggest of them is "Bridgerton" season 4, which focuses on a love story involving the second-eldest Bridgerton son, Benedict (Luke Thompson). He meets the woman of his dreams at a masked ball, but the lady mysteriously vanishes. Unbeknownst to him, she is Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), a maid working for a harsh mistress. It's giving Cinderella.
While "Bridgerton" is, without a doubt, a massively popular hit — and one of my faves — season 4 doesn't premiere until nearly the end of the month, on Jan. 29. Plus, the season is split into two, with the second part dropping in February. So, if you cancel Netflix and re-up next month, you can save some cash and have a subscription for both halves.
The other two titles that might give you pause about canceling Netflix are movies: the crime thriller "The Rip" and the rom-com "People We Meet on Vacation."
"The Rip" looks fantastic, pairing longtime friends/collaborators Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as Miami cops whose team stumbles upon a horde of drug money. They're joined by a stacked cast including Teyana Taylor, Steven Yeun and Kyle Chandler. The movie debuts mid-month, on Jan. 16. And as good as it looks from the teaser trailer, I think I can wait a couple of weeks to watch it.
"People We Meet on Vacation," which drops Jan. 9, follows two best friends on their globe-trotting adventures, which come to a screeching halt when things turn romantic. I've read the book and am looking forward to the screen adaptation, but it's the perfect thing to watch on Valentine's Day next month.
Why I'd cancel Disney+ in January 2026
Plenty of households treat Disney Plus as indispensable, thanks to its deep library of Marvel blockbusters, Pixar comfort rewatches and endless kid-friendly animated options. But as far as new originals and exclusives go, January isn't offering much.
The only major new release is the MCU show "Wonder Man," which centers on Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), a struggling actor who is trying to earn the lead role in a remake film. He befriends another, more veteran actor, Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley). What neither know is that Simon will eventually gain superpowers.
"Wonder Man" certainly looks intriguing, and as part of the MCU, likely a must-watch before "Avengers: Doomsday." Still, it doesn't premiere until late in the month, on Jan. 27. It would be easy to wait a month or two to binge the whole thing.
How much you'll save by canceling Netflix and Disney+
If you pause both Netflix and Disney+ for January 2026, the savings add up faster than you might expect. Depending on which plans you’re on, skipping both for a month can easily free up anywhere from around $20 to well over $30. Even the ad-supported tiers aren’t exactly cheap anymore, and January is a great time to trim recurring costs without feeling like you’re missing out.
That might not sound dramatic on its own, but right after the holidays, every bit of breathing room helps. That’s money back in your pocket after gift splurges, travel expenses and end-of-year treats. Netflix and Disney+ will both roll out plenty of binge-worthy titles later in the year, so you can cancel guilt-free now, reset your budget, and re-subscribe when the next big release actually gives you a reason to.
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