Key takeaways
- An audit is a 30-minute review of everything you pay for on repeat.
- Ask of each one: would I sign up again today, at this price?
- Before cancelling, check notice periods, fees and when access ends.
Before you start
Have these open:
- Your last three months of bank and card statements
- Your phone's subscription list (App Store or Google Play)
- Your email inbox, searched for "receipt" and "renewal"
The checklist
For each subscription, work through these questions:
- Do I still use it? Look at the last month honestly, not the month you hope to have.
- Would I sign up again today, at this price?
- Does another service already do this? Two music apps or two cloud storage plans is common.
- Is there a cheaper plan? A lower tier, a family plan or a student plan.
- Would yearly billing be cheaper? Only if you are confident you will use it all year.
- When does it renew next?
- Is there a contract, notice period or cancellation fee?
Sort into three piles
| Pile | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Keep | Used and worth it | Note the renewal date and set a reminder |
| Change | Wanted, but overpriced | Switch plan or billing cycle |
| Cancel | Rarely used or duplicated | Cancel now and note when access ends |
Cancelling safely
- Cancel through the service itself or your app store, not by blocking the card. Blocking a payment can leave a debt open.
- Screenshot the confirmation or keep the email.
- Note the end date. Many services let you keep using them until the period you paid for ends.
- Download anything you need first, such as photos or files from a storage service.
Stop the list growing again
- Add every new subscription to your list the day you start it.
- Set a reminder before every free trial ends.
- Repeat this checklist every three to six months.
Budash is built for exactly this: one list of every commitment, your monthly total, and a reminder before each renewal. The subscription audit lesson in Budash Academy goes through the method in more detail.