Is there anything more annoying than trying to cancel a subscription or recurring charge only to be met with a series of time-consuming hurdles? Rather than meeting customer demands to court retention, companies are relying on making it so difficult to escape that consumers decide it's easier to just keep paying the monthly fee rather than wasting hours (or more) on trying to cancel a subscription.
New government regulations promise to combat this terrible trend of stealing consumers' time and money through paperwork, extreme hold times, and needless aggravations. The premise of the new regulations is that ending subscriptions should be as easy as starting them. If you can click to subscribe, you should be able to click to unsubscribe.
Subscription fees can stack up as they accumulate, putting a serious dent in your monthly budget. Not everything needs to be subscription-based, and here are some useless subscriptions you can drop today to quickly boost your bank account.
If you’re over 50, take advantage of massive discounts and financial resources
Over 50? Join AARP today — because if you’re not a member you could be missing out on huge perks. When you start your membership today, you can get discounts on things like travel, meal deliveries, eyeglasses, prescriptions that aren’t covered by insurance and more.
How to become a member today:
- Go here, select your free gift, and click “Join Today”
- Create your account (important!) by answering a few simple questions
- Start enjoying your discounts and perks!
Important: Start your membership by creating an account here and filling in all of the information (Do not skip this step!) Doing so will allow you to take up 25% off your AARP membership, making it just $12 per year with auto-renewal.
Cable TV
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Most of us watch only a fraction of the channels that come with our cable TV plan. The good news is that there are many ways to enjoy television shows without paying for that subscription.
Some free shows are available on sites such as YouTube or on a TV network’s website. You might have to deal with commercials, but the savings are often worth the hassle.
Switching to a streaming service also might save you money.
Premium streaming services
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Yes, switching from traditional cable to a streaming service can sometimes save you money. But depending on your viewing habits, there are also a lot of streaming services that might not be worth the expense.
To cut the cost, look for streaming platforms that offer free entertainment or a lower cost for those who are willing to watch commercials.
Gym membership
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Gym memberships come with a monthly expense that can really add up over a year. Instead of opting for a workout at the gym, consider putting together an at-home gym on a budget.
Or if you’re a fan of cardio, try running or walking outside instead. You’ll get fresh air and save money at the same time. It’s a win-win.
Resolve $10,000 or more of your debt
Credit card debt is suffocating. It constantly weighs on your mind and controls every choice you make. You can end up emotionally and even physically drained from it. And even though you make regular payments, it feels like you can never make any progress because of the interest.
National Debt Relief could help you resolve your credit card debt with an affordable plan that works for you. Just tell them your situation, then find out your debt relief options.1
How to get National Debt Relief to help you resolve your debt: Sign up for a free debt assessment here. (Do not skip this step!) By signing up for a free assessment, National Debt Relief can assist you in settling your debt, but only if you schedule the assessment.
Music services
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Music streaming services can be a much less expensive way to enjoy tunes than buying CDs or vinyl records.
Many of these music services do come with a monthly subscription fee. But the good news is that you can often avoid this cost if you’re willing to deal with commercials.
Free shipping plans
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Services such as Amazon Prime and Walmart+ let you pay a flat monthly or annual fee for unlimited free shipping.
Such a plan can be an excellent choice if you regularly purchase from an online retailer. But if you don’t use them often, it might be time to cancel.
And if you do cancel, remember that you can often access free shipping as long as you spend a minimum amount on your order.
Meal kit plans
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The premise of meal kit plans is enticing: You can access home-cooked meals without menu planning or visiting the store.
However, the tradeoff is that you have to pay a monthly fee. If you are ready to commit to a weekly trip to the grocery store and a little meal planning, save money by canceling your meal kit subscription.
Online magazines and newspapers
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It’s admirable to support journalism. But if you need to save money, canceling or pausing your newspaper subscription might be worth it.
See if your favorite news source offers free access to a specific amount of articles each month. If not, you can likely find high-quality news and entertainment elsewhere online for free.
To access a specific news source or magazine without the cost of a subscription, check with your local library. It might have free access to a digital subscription for library patrons.
Warehouse club memberships
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Financial experts often tout warehouse club memberships as a way to save money on groceries and other expenses. However, it is important to evaluate if you are really saving money.
In many cases, you can save just as much cash at traditional grocery stores with a little strategic shopping and the use of coupons.
Pet services
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Pets deserve the best. But if you are ready to lower your monthly expenses, consider canceling your pet subscription box.
The good news is that your pet doesn’t know if its new toy came from a subscription box or the local store. There are other ways to spoil your furry friend without paying a monthly fee.
Earn cash back on everyday purchases with this rare account
Want to earn cash back on your everyday purchases without using a credit card? With the Discover®️ Cashback Debit Checking account (member FDIC), you can earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month!2
With no credit check to apply and no monthly fees to worry about, you can earn nearly passive income on purchases you’re making anyway — up to an extra $360 a year!
This rare checking account has other great perks too, like access to your paycheck up to 2 days early with Early Pay, no minimum deposit or monthly balance requirements, over 60K fee-free ATMs, and the ability to add cash to your account at Walmart stores nationwide.
Don’t leave money on the table — it only takes minutes to apply and it won’t impact your credit score.
Digital games
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Those who like playing games on their phone or online might have a monthly subscription to a digital-game service.
But if money is tight, it can make sense to cancel your subscription and find free versions of games instead.
Bottom line
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It’s essential to separate monthly subscriptions that are important from those you barely use. You might save hundreds of dollars each month dropping the unnecessary subscriptions.
Eliminating these extra costs is a great way to reduce your financial stress during trying times.
More from FinanceBuzz:
- 7 things to do if you’re barely scraping by financially.
- Do you owe the IRS >$10K? Ask this company to help you eliminate your late tax debt.
- 12 legit ways to earn extra cash.
- Learn how you can escape the paycheck-to-paycheck grind.
Lucrative, Flat-Rate Cash Rewards
FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Current Offer
$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Benefits
- Low spend threshold for its welcome offer — $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
- Cell phone protection benefit (subject to a $25 deductible)
- Can redeem rewards at an ATM for literal cash
Drawbacks
- Foreign transaction fee of 3%
- No bonus categories
- Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.