Entertainment
Is there no greater joy than that of the ability to watch TV shows and movies on-demand? No longer do you have to look up in a paper guide when your show will be on and then plan accordingly to either watch it live or tape it using your VCR. Kids and adults these days can choose which programming they want to watch and then watch it whenever they feel like it. What a luxury. Streaming services, like Hulu, have helped facilitate on-demand viewing. And with that come some Hulu hacks every mom needs to know.
In May of 2016, Hulu announced that it had about 12 million paying subscribers in the United States. Though that pales in comparison to Netflix's 86 million subscribers worldwide, clearly, Hulu is a staple in many American homes. According to The Verge, Hulu has been working to expand its content offerings and make the user experience more seamless and enjoyable, which is undoubtedly helping its growth, but there are also some tips and tricks to make using the streaming service a bit easier in the meantime. Try these eight Hulu hacks to make sure your kids can watch more safely and your life's just a tiny bit easier.
1
Make Individualized Profiles
Just like Netflix, Hulu has a feature that allows subscribers to create up to six individualized profiles, according to PC Magazine. Make your kids' kid-specific to prevent them from viewing anything that's not age appropriate or you don't want them to watch.
2
Use The Magic Cube
Kids fighting over what to watch or just can't decide? Let Hulu's Magic Cube feature solve that problem. According to Hulu, you choose keywords that represent what kind of show you're in the mood for and it does the rest.
3
Set Alerts So You Know When Shows Expire
Do your little pals turn into little monsters without their favorite show? Circumvent any potential disappointment-induced meltdowns by setting alerts for when shows are expiring so there's time to say so long for now, according to Digital Trends.
4
Put It On Pause
Taking a family vacation and not inviting your Hulu subscription? According to Thrillist, Hulu allows you to freeze your subscription for anywhere from one to 12 weeks. That way you don't have to pay for something you're not using.
5
Watch Without Commercials
As a lot of parents already know, according to Common Sense Media, kids are super susceptible to ads. While it's more expensive than their plan with limited commercial interruptions, Hulu now has a "no commercials" option. It might just be worth it.
6
Set Up Your Watchlist
Hulu's Watchlist can be a great tool for parents. Fill your Watchlist with your kid's favorite shows and movies and you'll be able to pull up appropriate programming quickly. Bonus: you can add your favorite family-friendly content for a super easy family movie night.
7
Use The App As A Remote
If you're watching Hulu on your TV, pull up the app on your phone and use it as a remote. According to Buzzfeed, a smartphone will function the same as a real remote, meaning you can skip ahead, change shows, hit pause, or turn it off without having to wrestle the remote away from the kids.
8
Get Points
Turns out, Hulu has a deal with multi-store reward program Plenti, which gives you 200 points for every 10 episodes of specific, qualifying shows you watch, according to PC Magazine. Make sure to register your rewards card account and link it to your Hulu account to get your points.
