NO PROBLEM!
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Don't cancel 365 Personal. Simply buy a 365 Family subscription using the same email account. 1 year will be added to the current 365 Personal expire date, and your (whole) subscription will be converted to Family. Yes that is a bonus!
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Here is the MS article on the process.
Switch to Microsoft 365 Family or Microsoft 365 Personal
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/switch-to-microsoft-365-family-or-microsoft-365-personal-3fcc1efc-2722-427f-8efa-db94b9b0a36b
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Free / Cheap Office Options
You have a few options to consider:
For the kind of "personal" stuff you describe your needs are relatively simple. You most likely don't need the "leading edge" features in 365.
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First, call around to your family and friends to see if anyone has a 365 Family subscription which they have not granted all 5 of their available "free shares". If 3 or more people share the cost of 365 Family the cost would be approx the same as buying onetime payment Home and Student, but you get more features that you may, or may not use (6 way share less than $17 per year per person).
One time payment Office 2021 gives you the 4 basic applications. Outline online is probably adequate for your needs. 2021 reaches it's "end of life" Oct 2021. You could continue use it after EOL, many people do. $160/4.75 years works out to approx $34 per year.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/?terms=office%202021
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Office 2021 Home and Business for Mac US$50 – expire 2022 01 30
https://www.zdnet.com/article/get-a-lifetime-of-necessary-microsoft-office-apps-on-your-mac-and-windows-for-50/
https://academy.zdnet.com/sales/microsoft-office-home-business-for-mac-2021-lifetime-license-2
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote
Office 2021 Pro Plus Win US$50 – expire 2022 01 29
https://academy.zdnet.com/sales/microsoft-office-professional-plus-2021-for-windows
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher, & Access
If your needs are really simple: simple documents like letters etc, simple spreadsheets, slideshows, you may be satisfied with the "Free" Office Online apps. You can access them through OneDrive or the new "Office" applet you may find in your start menu
The Office app in Windows 10 will launch the Online apps if you are not signed in to 365.
https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/how-to-use-the-new-office-app-with-windows-10/
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/office-apps-blog/new-the-office-app-for-windows-10-now-available-to-everyone/ba-p/353553
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Don’t forget to look at the “Partner Benefits” which are part of 365 Personal / Family.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/partner-benefits
They are short term, typically 1-3 months “free” or discount offers for other online software. These partner benefits change depending on your geographic location, and change over time. So check them out, try the “free” ones (don’t forget to cancel before end of trial!). Check back every month or two to see if there are any new offers.
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This website locates legitimate MS Partners for you: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/solution-providers/home You can change country at bottom left corner of the page.
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Six simple steps for saving on renewals or first purchase of Microsoft 365
https://office-watch.com/2021/6-steps-to-saving-on-office-365-renewals-or-first-purchase/
For tip #6 (auto renew) “Recurring Billing”. Before submitting your product key, make sure the “Recurring billing” (aka “Auto-renew”) option is turned off. Sometimes that will trigger MS to give you an offer of a “free extra” month for turning on Recurring billing. Do it. After you complete the activation check your expire date. It should be 13 months out. Once you confirm that, turn off the recurring billing check box so you don’t get auto billed next year.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/turn-recurring-billing-on-or-off-for-microsoft-365-for-home-c7c0bc32-9744-4acf-9818-815d5c96cc59
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Save on 365 Family/Personal by “Stacking” subscriptions
$HHH $$$
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Don't tell MS you are getting a bonus. 1 year of "Family" time for the price of "Personal" ...
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The "upgrade" is a F.A.D. (Failed As Designed):
This time the FAD is in user's benefit. Someone at MS must have had a stroke ...
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Money Saving Hint #1: Stacking subscriptions ...
You can "stack" up to 5 years of subscriptions.
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There is a way you can save 4 x $30 on a long (5 year stacked) Family subscription ... think about it ... <g> Game the system.
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Money Saving Hint #2: Recurring Billing Bonus ...
When you are getting a 365 subscription, sometimes MS gives you an "incentive" to turn on the "Recurring Billing" feature. In other words, you have to turn it off before starting/completing the subscription. SOMETIMES, when they see the flag is off they will give you a prompt to turn it on, with an offer of 1 or even 2 months "Free" for turning it on. So you take the hint, turn it on, get the extra free month or two. You'll see it immediately in the expire date.
So you can do this during "stacking".
Turn off recurring billing, subscribe to 365 Personal
Turn off recurring billing, subscribe.
Rinse and repeat stacking, ending with 365 Family.
NOTE:
Since you are getting "extra" time you can only "stack" 4 (or 3 if you get 2 free months for turning on recurring billing) subscriptions, so get the last one "right"! If you try for a 5th, you will lose the time beyond 5 years. Oops, don't do that!
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Money Saving Hint #3: Costco 15 months for price of 12
https://www.costco.ca/microsoft-365-family-15-month-subscription%2C-digital-download.product.100657668.html?langId=-24
https://www.costco.com/microsoft-365-family-15-month-subscription-(e-delivery).product.100462462.html
Shop around. There are a few stores, like sometimes Costco, who sell 15 month licenses for price of 12 months! Find a friend with a costco card to get you in as a guest or pay them to buy you a costco gift card to get you into store.
4x15 = 60 months = 5 years
applying hint 2, IF you are getting the free offer it would only be 2+1+(3*1)=48 months
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The best part, these are all "legal" tips.
2021 12 28- Amazon deal for Microsoft 365 Family
https://office-watch.com/2021/amazon-deal-for-microsoft-365-family/
Example of a Short term offer
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Free Office for 180 days
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mDigakHMic
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If you work at a large company that has lots of 365 Business subscriptions, or you know someone who works in a place like that, you may qualify for the HUP, Home Use Program, discount. That is 30% off on price of a 365 Family/Pesonal subscription. It’s actually a good deal
HUP Propaganda:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/home-use-program/resources
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Check Eligibility: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/home-use-program?rtc=1
you submit your work email to check eligibility,
but use your "personal" email to activate the HUP subscription.
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Install or reinstall through HUP
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/install-or-reinstall-office-through-microsoft-hup-d99c6e4a-6756-4ece-99a0-b1df654ec7d3
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Activate HUP: https://support.microsoft.com/office/activate-o...
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Microsoft Home Use Program - Order History:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/home-use-program/order-history?SilentAuth=1&wa=wsignin1.0
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Troubleshoot HUP:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/get-help-installing-office-through-microsoft-hup-f682c420-ed43-42d9-96e4-235dd7708848#BKMK_HUPKey
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https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/home-use-program?ocid=eml_hup_cons_store_acq_officehup_m365_surface (downloaded)
<snip>
Save 40% until February 23*
Microsoft 365 Family and Personal annual subscriptions are 40% off on your first year for Home Use Program eligible customers.*
</snip>
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2020 08 18- Alumni and Student discount for Microsoft Office
https://office-watch.com/2020/alumni-and-student-discount-for-microsoft-office/
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/alumni-discount - 365 Personal $12 for 1 year. (currently US only?)
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