Take the reins from your runaway subscriptions.
In many ways, the rise of the subscription service has been freeing for consumers. It's allowed us conveniences like scheduled deliveries that we don't have to think about and cost savings like only paying for the channels we want instead of an entire cable package.
However, like any good thing, too much can cause problems. Lots of us are subscribed to so many services that bill us at different times, so it might be difficult to get a good idea of where our money is going each week/month/year.
Fear not friends! People smarter than me have come up with some creative solutions to deal with this problem, and I've decided to share some of the more interesting ideas with you. Of course, I'm sure many of you have some great ideas for managing your subscriptions too, so if there's something you're doing that I didn't mention, please let us know in the comments below.
How to stay on top of your subscriptions apps and services
The cheapest (and possibly the easiest?) way to stay on top of your subscriptions is to create a simple spreadsheet in your program/app of choice (Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers, etc). The setup doesn't have to be elaborate; you could simply have a few columns dedicated to the services/subscriptions, when they started, when payments are due (monthly/yearly, etc), what the fee per period is, when they are set to renew or if they are non-contract, and have column and row totals. The exact layout can be built to suit your preferences, and there are many examples and templates out there on the interwebs for you to follow. You could also do what I did and ask a hyper-organized friend!
Another good option is to purchase (or.... subscribe to) a subscription management app or web service. There are a lot of services like this, and many are dedicated to businesses and enterprise, but there are a lot of options out there for the ordinary consumer as well.
Some of the ones that I came across include Truebill, Trim, Billy, and Subby. These services have different payment options, but they all in some way allow you to securely connect your accounts, be able to view your subscriptions all in one place (and by category), and cancel or manage unwanted subscriptions more easily. They often provide other personal financial management tips and services too. It's worth testing out a few with free trials to see which works best for you.
How to stay on top of your subscriptions Alexa skills
I'm a big Alexa fan and Amazon Echo user, and I found at least one Alexa Skill that can help you manage your subscriptions through your voice via Amazon's smart voice assistant. My Subscriptions is a free Alexa Skill that allows you to do things like ask Alexa how much you spend on a service in a year, when your next payment is, or even have Alexa cancel a subscription for you.
Even if you don't enable a skill like My Subscriptions, you can often ascertain similar info in skills tied to specific services. For example, the Capital One and PayPal skills let you ask Alexa to check on your account balances and recent transactions.
Other Alexa skills let you subscribe to extended services directly through Alexa, like one of my favorite nighttime skills called Sleep Sounds (granted, this may compound your problem, but that ability is there).
How to stay on top of your subscriptions Amazon services
If you're anything like me, one of the biggest offenders of the subscription drain is Amazon itself. I'm personally subscribed to Prime, Music Unlimited, and Disney Plus (via Prime Video Channels).
If you want to get a better idea of what Amazon services that you are subscribed to, there's an easy way to check.
- Log in to your Amazon account (it's easier through a web browser).
- Click on Account & Lists in the top right of the webpage.
- Under Your Account, click on Memberships & Subscriptions.
- Now you can sort the view by Active Subscriptions, Canceled and Expired Subscriptions, or All Subscriptions.
- Under each Active Subscription, you can click on the blue link for Manage Subscription, which will let you change the payment method or go to that service's subscription settings to cancel or change the subscription.
At the bottom of this Memberships & Subscriptions page you will see a carousel of Amazon services that you can also subscribe to, including Prime Video Channels, Kindle Unlimited, Music, Kindle Newsstand, Subscribe and Save (for physical goods), Software subscriptions, Amazon Appstore subscriptions, Audible subscriptions, and physical Magazine subscriptions. So many services just through Amazon!
Prime time!
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime is the ultimate subscription service, offering access to free shipping, music, video, books, and more content and services for a low monthly price.
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