Memberships & Subscriptions Cleanse

I don’t know aboout you but memberships and subscriptions have become an integral part of my life. From streaming services to gym memberships, they offer convenience and access to a range of services. However, over time (and when left unchecked), these recurring expenses add up and secretly suck more money than the value they add.

I started the year by conducting a memberships and subscriptions cleanse and saved ~$500+ from my yearly spend.

In this article, I walk you through the steps to review your current memberships and subscriptions and identify areas where you can cut costs.

Step 1: Getting the Lowdown

Alright, first things first. I grabbed my laptop and started digging up all those subscriptions – check your credit card statement, your apple store / google play subscriptions section where those once off yearly subscriptions hide.

Think – Netflix, Binge, Paramount, Spotify, Audible, newspapers, games, kids apps like Reading Eggs, Minecraft. What about the gym, fitness classes, sleep apps like Calm, Headspace. Oh and don’t forget the meal subscriptions like HelloFresh or Dinnerly! You name, there is a subscription service for it.

This first step is a real eye-opener – to see all your subscriptions in one place and maybe acknowledge it for the very first time.

Step 2: Sorting Things Out

With my list in hand, I categorized these subscriptions. You know, putting them into groups like “Must-Have,” “Nice-to-Have,” and “Do I Even Use This?”

Step 3: Playing the Value Game

Now, this was the juicy part. I started evaluating each subscription’s value to me. I asked myself: “Am I using it often enough to justify the cost?” If I was barely using it, well, that was a red flag right there.

Step 4: Picking Winners and Losers

After my assessment, I had a clearer picture of which subscriptions were truly worth the bucks. The winners got to stay; the losers, well, they were on the chopping block.

Step 5: The Snip-Snip Moment

Alright, I braced myself and began canceling those subscriptions that didn’t make the cut. It wasn’t as hard as I thought – just a few clicks here and there. There was something therapeutic about it – it felt good to know I was spending my hard earned money on those subscriptions that really added value. Oh, and the added bonus was unsubscribing from their pesky emails and decluttering my life!

Step 6: Rinse and Repeat

This cleanse isn’t a one-time deal. I realized that as time goes on, my priorities and needs change. So, I decided to do this review thing every few months to keep my subscriptions in check.

The Grand Finale

Long story short, diving into a memberships and subscriptions cleanse was like giving my wallet a breather. Sure, I didn’t axe all my subscriptions – I mean, I still need my weekend Netflix binges – but I managed to slice off some costs and redirect that money toward stuff I really care about.

So, if you’re up for a little adventure in financial housekeeping, give this cleanse a whirl. Your future self – and your wallet – will be sending you virtual high-fives!