Did you know the average American wastes $348 per year on forgotten subscriptions? From streaming services to fitness apps, these silent bank account drains add up fast. Here’s how to cancel 8 common subscriptions and put over $500 back in your pocket annually.
1. The Free Trial That Never Ended
You signed up for a 30-day free trial of a meal-kit service, a meditation app, or a premium news site—and then forgot to cancel. According to a 2023 survey by C+R Research, 42% of people have paid for a subscription they didn't use for at least three months. That’s an average of $21.99 per month, or $263.88 a year, down the drain.
Action Step:
Check your bank statements for the last six months. Look for recurring charges under $30 that you don’t recognize. Common culprits:
- Blue Apron ($11.99/week)
- Headspace ($12.99/month)
- The New York Times ($17.99/month after trial)
Cancel these immediately via your account settings or by calling customer service.
2. The Gym Membership You Haven’t Used Since January
Gym memberships are the #1 most forgotten subscription. The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association reports that 67% of gym members never actually go. At an average of $58 per month, that’s $696 a year for a treadmill you don’t run on.
Action Step:
Log into your gym’s portal or call them to cancel. Many gyms require a 30-day written notice, so do it now. If you’re worried about losing access, switch to a pay-per-visit plan (like ClassPass at $15/class) to save 70%.
3. The Streaming Service You Watch Once a Year
You have Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Apple TV+, Paramount+, and Peacock. But do you really need all seven? The average American pays $55.25 per month for streaming, per Deloitte’s 2024 Digital Media Trends report. That’s $663 annually—and most people watch only 2-3 services regularly.
Action Step:
Rotate your subscriptions. Cancel all but one or two, and re-subscribe only when a new season of your favorite show drops. Use a service like JustWatch to track releases. This can save you $400+ per year.
4. The Cloud Storage You Bought Once
You upgraded to iCloud+ (99¢ to $9.99/month), Google Drive (100GB for $1.99/month), or Dropbox (2TB for $11.99/month) for a school project and never downgraded. Many people pay for 2TB when they use less than 50GB.
Action Step:
Check your storage usage in your phone settings. If you’re under 50GB, downgrade to the free tier or the cheapest paid tier. For example, downgrading from Dropbox Plus ($11.99) to Dropbox Basic (free) saves $143.88 a year.
5. The App Subscriptions You Downloaded Once
Apps like Calm, Fabulous, or Strava charge monthly or yearly. A 2024 survey by West Monroe found that 84% of consumers underestimate their monthly app spending by $40. That’s $480 a year in forgotten fitness, productivity, and photo-editing apps.
Action Step:
Go to your phone’s subscription settings:
- iPhone: Settings > Your Name > Subscriptions
- Android: Google Play Store > Menu > Subscriptions
Cancel any app you haven’t opened in 30 days. For example, cancelling Calm ($14.99/month) saves $179.88 a year.
6. The Magazine or Newspaper Digital Subscription
You bought a one-year digital subscription to The Wall Street Journal ($38.99/month), The Atlantic ($7.99/month), or a niche trade magazine, and auto-renew kicked in. The Pew Research Center found that 55% of digital news subscribers forget to cancel after the introductory period, leading to an average overpayment of $64 per year.
Action Step:
Search your email inbox for “subscription renewal” or “auto-pay.” Cancel via the publication’s website or customer service. If you still want access, use your local library’s digital portal—most offer free access to major newspapers through apps like PressReader or Libby.
7. The Beauty or Grooming Box You Never Opened
Birchbox, Ipsy, Dollar Shave Club, or Harry’s—these monthly boxes seem like a steal at $10–$15, but they add up. According to a 2022 survey by Mckinsey, the average beauty box subscriber keeps three boxes unopened at any time, wasting $130 a year on products they don’t use.
Action Step:
Pause your subscription for 3 months. If you don’t miss it, cancel. For grooming products, buy in bulk at Costco or use a drugstore brand like Dollar Shave Club’s competitor—Gillette’s subscription is $6 per month for the same quality.
8. The Software You No Longer Need
Adobe Creative Cloud ($54.99/month), Microsoft 365 ($99.99/year), or a VPN like NordVPN ($11.99/month) are common culprits. Many people keep paying for software after they graduate, change jobs, or switch to free alternatives. A 2023 study by SoftwareOne found that businesses waste 30% of their software budget on unused licenses—and individuals are no different.
Action Step:
Check your bank statements for charges from Adobe, Microsoft, or any VPN provider. Switch to free alternatives:
- GIMP (free) instead of Photoshop
- Google Docs (free) instead of Microsoft Word
- ProtonVPN (free tier) instead of paid VPNs
Cancelling Adobe Creative Cloud alone saves $659.88 a year.
How to Prevent Future Subscription Leakage
Set a calendar reminder every three months to review all subscriptions. Use a free app like Rocket Money (formerly Truebill) to track and cancel subscriptions automatically—it can find an average of $200 in savings per user. Or, simply use a dedicated credit card for subscriptions only, making it easy to spot charges. By cancelling these 8 forgotten subscriptions, the average American can save $524 to $1,200 annually. That’s a vacation, an emergency fund boost, or a nice dinner out—every month.