Hint: You’re probably paying for more than you think.
It’s way too easy to sign up for something, use it once, and then forget it’s draining your account every month. Whether it’s a streaming platform you barely touch or an app that promises to “change your life,” those little charges add up fast.
So, how do you take back control? It starts with a little curiosity and a little clean-up. Let’s talk about smart ways to save money on your subscriptions—without going full hermit and cutting off every service you enjoy.
Save Money. Cancel Subscriptions.
It’s never a bad idea to review your monthly and annual subscriptions and see which ones you might want to cut. In fact, it’s a good idea! How? Let us tell you!
Step 1: Take Inventory (a real one)
Let’s be honest—most of us couldn’t list every recurring charge on our cards if we tried. There’s always something sneaky slipping through.
A smart move? Go through all your credit and debit card statements keenly from the past 12 months. Yes, all of them. Look for anything billed monthly or annually. You’ll likely spot a few things you didn’t know were still active.
Make a list. Doesn’t matter if it’s on a spreadsheet, a whiteboard, or a note on your phone. You can also create a simple board on a tool like Monday.com to track the service, its cost, renewal date, and whether you want to keep, cancel, or downgrade it.
The beauty of this is not just seeing the charges—it’s getting ahead of them. Set reminders for 50 days and 21 days before the renewal date so you can rethink your choice before you get charged again.
Step 2: Decide What Stays, What Goes, and What Can Shrink
Once you have the list, it’s time to do a little editing.
- That premium streaming service you watch once every two months? You can probably skip it.
- The “pro” version of a tool you use occasionally? Downgrade to the free tier.
- That fitness app you opened twice last year? Cut it loose.
And if something still feels useful but a bit pricey, check for cheaper alternatives. For example, one person swapped Dropbox for Tresorit. While it didn’t have every shiny feature, it did the job, at a better price, with stronger privacy.
You don’t have to ditch everything. Just trim the stuff that doesn’t serve you anymore.
Step 3: Try the Scorched-Earth Trick (If You’re Brave)
Here’s a bold approach—but one that works surprisingly well: Cancel your credit card.
Okay, not for fun. But if you’ve got a card that most of your subscriptions are linked to, call the company, say it was lost, and get a new one issued.
Why? Because companies love auto-renewing. They hope you’ll forget, get distracted, or just let the charges roll. With a canceled card, they can’t do that anymore.
You’ll start getting emails like, “Hey! Your payment didn’t go through!” from services you forgot you even had. It’s a slightly chaotic way to reveal your full subscription list—fast.
Downside? You’ll have to update your new card info on the services you actually do want to keep. But that minor hassle might help you decide what’s worth it.
Step 4: Don’t Let New Subscriptions Sneak In
So, you’ve cleaned house. Great. But how do you stop things from piling up again?
Anytime you sign up for a new service, add it to your subscription tracker. Set reminders before the renewal date. Make a habit of reviewing everything once every few months.
And always ask yourself: “Would I pay for this again today?” If the answer’s no, don’t renew it.
Step 5: Let Friction Be Your Friend
Nobody wants to log into a website and hunt down the cancel button. That annoying process? It might actually help you stop wasting money.
When times are tight—or even when they’re not—that bit of resistance can be enough to stop an unnecessary charge from going through.
You don’t need a complicated system. You just need a little awareness and a bit of effort every now and then.
Step 6: Small Cuts, Big Wins
One person saved over $3,000 a year by cleaning up their subscriptions. That’s not small change. That’s a vacation. Or a few months of rent. Or, you know, not stressing over surprise bills.
Some services were canceled completely. Others were swapped for cheaper options. A few were simply downgraded.
Every bit helped.
Final Thoughts: Make Subscriptions Work for You
Subscriptions can be useful. They give us access to tools, entertainment, and services that make life easier or more fun. But only if we’re actually using them.
Taking control of your subscriptions doesn’t mean cutting everything. It means being more aware. It means choosing what you spend your money on, rather than letting old sign-ups choose for you.
Set aside an hour. Review your charges. Use a tracker. And don’t be afraid to get a little ruthless.
Because a few smart decisions today could save you hundreds—or even thousands—this year.
Let your money work for you, not for a forgotten app charging $12.99 a month for features you’ve never used.
Emily Roberts is a chartered accountant and financial advisor who specializes in income tax and small business compliance. She writes to simplify complex tax concepts for everyday readers.