Save on Subscription Services Without Giving Up the Ones You Love

Subscriptions have made life more convenient than ever. For one monthly or annual fee, you can watch movies, listen to music, read books, exercise, store photos or use software from almost anywhere.

The downside is that these small recurring charges add up. A few dollars here and there may not seem like much, but several subscriptions can easily cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year.

If you’re trying to trim the budget, you don’t necessarily have to cancel everything. With a few smart strategies, you can keep the services you value while spending much less.

Know Exactly What You’re Paying For

Many people underestimate how much they spend on subscriptions because the charges are spread throughout the month or year.

Make a list of every recurring subscription, including:

• Video streaming services
• Music streaming
• Audiobook memberships
• Digital newspaper or magazine subscriptions
• Cloud storage
• Fitness apps
• Gym memberships
• Software subscriptions
• Gaming memberships
• Meal planning or recipe apps
• Online learning platforms

Write down the monthly or annual cost and how often you actually use each one.

Seeing the total in one place often makes it much easier to decide what should stay and what can go.

Choose Annual Plans Only When They Save You Money

Annual subscriptions often cost less than paying month-to-month.

If it’s a service you know you’ll use all year, paying annually can produce meaningful savings.

However, annual plans aren’t always the best choice.

If you only use a service during certain seasons or your usage varies throughout the year, a monthly plan may actually cost less because you can pause or cancel when you don’t need it.

For example:

• Subscribe to a gardening app during the growing season.
• Pay for a sports streaming service only during your favorite league’s season.
• Pause an audiobook membership during months when you’re too busy to listen.

The best plan depends on how you actually use the service, not simply which option has the lowest monthly equivalent.

Don’t Automatically Renew Annual Plans

Automatic renewal is convenient, but it can also become expensive.

If the company allows it, turn off auto-renew after purchasing an annual subscription.

A reminder that your subscription is ending gives you the chance to ask a few important questions:

• Did I use this enough to justify the cost?
• Does switching to a monthly plan make sense?
• Is there a lower-priced plan that would meet my needs?
• Has the price increased, and if so, will I still get value at the higher price?
• Are there any other providers of this service I should consider switching to?

Plus, many people discover they forgot they even had some subscriptions until the renewal charge appears on their credit card.

TDS Tip: If you’re on the fence about keeping a service, consider canceling before renewal to see if the company offers you a discount or promotional pricing to encourage you to stay. While there’s no guarantee, it never hurts to see whether a retention offer is available and whether the lower rate may make the service worth keeping another year.

Review Monthly Subscriptions a Few Times Per Year

Monthly subscriptions can be just as easy to forget about as annual ones, especially when the charges are relatively small. Set aside a few minutes several times a year to review your recurring monthly subscriptions and decide whether each one is still worth the cost.

Your interests, schedule and priorities change over time. A streaming service you watched constantly last winter or a fitness app you used every day may no longer provide the same value. Regularly reviewing your subscriptions helps ensure you’re only paying for services that continue to earn a place in your budget.

Make Sure You’re Paying for the Right Tier

Many subscription services offer multiple pricing levels.

Take a close look at the features included with your plan.

Ask yourself:

• Do you actually use the premium features?
• Are you paying for additional users who no longer need access?
• Could you switch to an ad-supported plan without much inconvenience?
• Does your upper-tier gym membership include classes you rarely attend?
• Are you paying for an audiobook plan that includes more monthly credits than you use?

It’s common to upgrade when signing up and never revisit the decision.

Downgrading to a lower-priced tier may reduce your bill without affecting your experience very much.

Take Advantage of Included Benefits

Some subscriptions include perks that members forget to use.

For example, higher-tier audiobook memberships may include access to a catalog of titles that don’t require monthly credits. Gym memberships may include guest passes or online workouts. Warehouse club memberships may include pharmacy discounts, travel benefits or other savings.

Before upgrading or downgrading—or before deciding whether a subscription is worth renewing—make sure you’re taking advantage of everything that’s already included.

Rotate Streaming Services

Few families watch every streaming service equally throughout the year.

Instead of subscribing to several services year-round, rotate them.

For example, watch one service for a few months. Then cancel or pause it and switch to another service.

By the time you return, there will usually be plenty of new content to enjoy.