The other option is to not have any cover, then sign up when you need it. A friend does this; if he gets a problem he calls the AA, and if his membership has lapsed, he just signs up to the cheapest cover (usually about £40) to get them to come out, then when it expires he doesn't renew it, and signs up again if he gets another problem.

I've got greenflag through my bank account, but I get staff coverage with the AA anyway, so the last time he had car trouble (two coil plugs failed after leaving his Golf at the airport for a couple weeks) I just rang them, quoted my membership number, and then drove to where he was (fortunately only 10 miles away) for when the patrol got there. My dad did the same when my Escort broke down years ago, and used his RAC cover on my car.