The subscription audit: Four steps to find more money in your budget

Do you know where all your money goes?

If you’re like many people, some of it may be hiding in plain sight — tied up in recurring subscriptions you no longer use or even realize you’re still paying for. The good news? A quick subscription audit can help you uncover those hidden costs and free up money without giving up the things you enjoy.

Recurring charges for streaming services, premium apps, magazines and memberships can add up quickly — and they’re often easy to overlook. For example, canceling an unused subscription worth even $25 a month could free up $300 a year.¹ And trimming $50 a month could redirect $600 annually toward an emergency fund, debt payments or your retirement savings. 

If you can set aside about 30 minutes, these four steps can help you find extra room in your budget 

1. Gather your statements: Pull the last one to two months of credit card statements, app store purchase history and any PayPal or Venmo recurring charges.
2. Make a full list: Write down every subscription you find and group them by category to make review easier.
3. Assess usage and value: Ask yourself: Have I used this subscription in the last 30 days? Do I have similar or overlapping services? If I paused this for a month, would I miss it?
4. Refine instead of eliminating: If you enjoy a service and it adds value to you, keep it — just look for ways to trim costs. Consider downgrading premium tiers, rotating services, choosing bundles or family plans, or canceling any features you don’t use. You can also call providers to ask about discounts or unique promotions. Finally, set guardrails for what remains: cap your monthly spend, set calendar reminders for renewal dates and use budgeting apps to track recurring charges.

Why it matters

Every dollar matters. You work hard for your money — so finding extra room in your budget can support goals like building an emergency fund or strengthening your retirement plan. 

What’s next?

Now that you’ve found a little extra room in your budget, here are a few ways to put it to work:

1. Emergency fund (starting with a $500 goal)
2. Debt payoff (apply an extra payment toward high-interest debt)
3. Retirement savings (consider increasing your contribution by 1%)

A quick subscription audit may reveal money you can redirect toward your future. Keep what you love, trim what you don’t and automate your savings whenever possible. Revisiting your subscriptions and reviewing your budget regularly can help you stay engaged and feel more confident in your financial decisions.

Here’s an example of a subscription audit

Subscription list

What to look for:

• Streaming (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video)
• Music (Spotify, Apple Music)
• Cloud storage (Dropbox, Google Drive)
• Fitness apps and memberships
• Premium news or magazine apps
• Gaming subscriptions
• Meal kits
• Shopping memberships (Amazon Prime, warehouse clubs)
• Software upgrades
• Niche add-ons (sports, kids’ channels)

Pro tip: Write down all your subscriptions to get started and then group by category for clarity so you can assess.

Ready to take the next step?

Log in to your account and review your retirement contributions today.