Spring cleaning your digital subscriptions – budgeting in general – might not be the most exciting task, but it is important. By taking stock of all of your subscriptions, and evaluating whether they’re worth the cost, you can save money and ensure that you’re only paying for services which you actually use and enjoy. CSA Online CANCEL The final phase of spring cleaning your digital subscriptions is to cancel any that you no longer need or use. Not all services make it easy to cancel. You may have to jump through some hoops. Here’s how to cancel services from which you’re not getting value: AUDIT Once you’ve discovered all of your subscriptions, it’s time to audit them. This phase involves taking a closer look at each subscription and evaluating whether it’s still worth the cost. Here are a few questions to ask yourself: CUT THE DIGITAL CLUTTER As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So now, we just need to avoid accumulating unnecessary subscriptions in the future. Here are a few tips to keep in mind: On the Website The easiest way to cancel a subscription should be through the service’s website. Reputable services will make the cancellation process clear and simple, but you may have to dig around to find a cancel option. Some services will try to hide the information which you need in order to cancel. In either case, a quick Google search for “how to cancel [service name]” will help. Contact Customer Support If cancelling a subscription via the website isn’t easy or possible, contact customer support. Many services offer chat or phone support and will be able to cancel your subscription for you. You may be offered discounts or other incentives to remain a customer. Just remember why you’re cancelling. Do a Chargeback This is an extreme step, only to be used when a service isn’t acting in good faith. If a user was tricked into signing up, if a service makes it impossible to cancel or if a customer is overcharged and the vendor won’t resolve the issue, the credit card company can step in. In the case of a chargeback, the credit card issuer will trigger a dispute resolution process between the customer and vendor, acting as a third party. You’ll need to explain what happened and you may need to provide documentation. Assuming that the chargeback request is legitimate, the credit card issuer can rescind a payment made to the vendor and return it to the cardholder. Do You Use It? For each subscription, think about how often you use it, and whether you’re getting your money’s worth. If you’re paying for a streaming service that you hardly ever use, or an online magazine that you only glance at once a month, it might be time to cancel. Are There Duplicates? You may find that you’re paying for multiple subscriptions which offer similar services. Do you really need subscriptions to Netflix, Disney+, Crave, Discovery+, etc., etc.? Can you choose the one or two that deliver the most value and cut the rest? Are There Alternatives? Sticking with streaming TV services, there are lower-cost, even free streaming services out there. Tubi (tubi.com), for example, has a deep well of TV and movies to stream on demand. Instead of a monthly fee, content is interrupted by commercial breaks. Annoying, yes, but nowhere near as frequent or as long as the ad interruptions on cable TV. Are Discounts Available? Many subscription services offer discounts if you pay annually, rather than monthly. If you’re happy with a particular service and it’s delivering value, it might be worth switching to an annual plan to save money in the long run. Set a Budget Budget subscriptions just like any other household item. This helps to stay on top of how much you’re spending on subscriptions each month and makes it easier to evaluate whether a given subscription is worth the cost. Think Before you Subscribe Consider subscriptions based on their usefulness, not on introductory or limited-time offers, discounts or other marketing tactics. That’s not to say don’t ever sign up for another digital service. Just take a moment to consider what value the service adds, and whether the cost is reasonable in that context. Consider Sharing If you have friends or family members who are subscribed to services in which you’re interested, consider sharing the cost. For example, you could split the cost of a family plan for a music streaming service. Assuming, of course, that sharing doesn’t violate the terms of service. Keep Track of Subscriptions Finally, make a habit of keeping track of your subscriptions on a regular basis. Set a reminder to review your subscriptions every so often, and evaluate whether they’re still worth the cost. CSANews | SPRING 2023 | 41
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzMzNzMx