How To Track and Cancel Subscription Services You Don't Use

Spring is in the air, and it’s the time of year to start spring cleaning. The biggest mess in your home and office isn't on your floors—it’s with the services you're subscribed to that you're probably not using. If you're like me, you're probably feeling "subscription fatigue." The streaming services that cost $10 in 2020 are now $18, they’ve added ads, and they’ve stopped you from sharing passwords with your family members. On top of that, there are the "free" trials you signed up for in 2024, the identity theft protection you "think" you have, and the cloud storage you keep upgrading because we’re too lazy to delete duplicate photos and videos. This "subscription creep" is a slow leak in your bank account, and for most of you, it’s costing hundreds of dollars a year. In this post, I’m going to show you how to conduct a 10-minute "subscription audit" that requires zero tech skills but can put real money back in your pocket. Here's what you need to know:

Check the "Secret Menus". The vast majority of your monthly bills are hiding right inside our phones. Both Apple and Google have made it too easy to subscribe, but they also have a handy central "hub" where everything is listed. To check it, do the following:

• On iPhone/iPad:

  1. Go to your Settings app.

  2. Tap your Name (your Apple ID) at the top.

  3. Tap Subscriptions.

• On Android:

  1. Open the Google Play Store app.

  2. Tap your Profile Icon (your picture) in the top right.

  3. Tap Payments & Subscriptions -> Subscriptions.

Scan the list. If you see an app you haven’t opened in the last 30 days, or a service you don’t love, hit "Cancel" immediately. Don't worry, they are always happy to take your money again later if you miss it.

Search Your Inbox. Not every subscription is billed through your app store (think of older Netflix accounts, Spotify, or your New York Times subscription). To catch these, you need to follow the paper trail—the digital paper trail. Open your email and go to the search bar. Copy and paste these "power words" one by one and scan the results:

• "Unsubscribe"

• "Renewal"

• "Statement"

• "Invoice"

• "Trial"

Scanning the results for "Thank you for your purchase" or "Your subscription renews soon" is often a shocking moment. You might find you're still paying for a "Premium" news site or a "Pro" photo editing tool you used exactly once.

Swap to the Free Alternative. This is where you can make major cuts. Ask yourself: "Am I getting value from this service, or am I just used to paying for it?" For almost every paid app, there is a incredible free (or "FAST"—Free Ad-Supported TV) version available.

The "Paid" Thing	The "Free" Version	The Benefit
Netflix/Max ($15+/mo)	Tubi, Pluto TV, Freevee	These services are free, legal, and have thousands of movies. You just have to watch a few commercials.
Audible ($15/mo)	Libby (or Hoopla)	With a free library card, you can borrow any audiobook or digital comic for free. This is the biggest hack in tech!
Microsoft Office 365 ($70/yr)	Google Docs / LibreOffice	Unless you are an Excel power-user, the free cloud-based options are identical for typing a letter or making a budget.
Spotify Premium ($12/mo)	Spotify (Free), Pandora, YouTube	Are commercial-free songs worth $144 a year? For many people, the free version is "good enough."

Master the "Binge & Bolt". One of the best money-saving habits to start is Seasonal Subscribing.

Stop paying for Netflix, Max, Hulu, Disney+, and Paramount+ all at once. The content isn't going anywhere. Instead, focus on one:

1. Subscribe to Service A (e.g., Netflix) only.

2. Watch all the specific shows you wanted to see.

3. Immediately hit "Cancel."

4. Switch to Service B (e.g., Disney+).

By "Binging & Bolting," you always have something to watch, but you're only paying $15/month instead of $75/month.

The "Threaten to Leave" Discount. If there is a service you truly use and don't want to cancel (like Adobe Creative Cloud or SiriusXM), you have power. Go to their website, log in, navigate to the settings, and click the "Cancel My Account" button. Wait for the prompt. Companies know that losing a customer is more expensive than giving them a discount. Almost 90% of services will offer you a "special, one-time" offer (like 50% off for 6 months) just to get you to stay. Accept the offer, set a calendar reminder for 6 months from now, and enjoy the savings.

Use Apps to Help. If the thought of scanning your email makes your eyes glaze over, there are apps designed specifically for a non-tech audience. They are safe, secure, and made to solve this exact problem:

• For the "Do it For Me" crowd: Rocket Money. You link your bank account, it lists your bills, and their premium version will even cancel the annoying subscriptions for you.

• For the "I Want Control" crowd: PocketGuard. It scans your accounts but focuses on showing you exactly what’s left in your budget after all your bills are paid. It gives you the "how-to" to cancel everything yourself.

When you take the time to cancel annoying subscriptions, you begin to free up money for you and your family, disabling the ability of big companies charging you for services you forgot about and don't use. Go to your settings right now and tell me in the comments: what’s the weirdest or most embarrassing subscription you forgot you were paying for? Let’s compare notes!

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