How To Conduct A Personal Audit Of Your Subscription Spending

Subscription services such as Spotify, Netflix, and Hulu are more common than ever. 45% of people canceled a streaming subscription within the past 12 months because costs were too high, according to the Forbes November 2025 survey. And as subscription prices get more expensive, users are being more selective with their spending. If you, like many other Americans, are looking forward to cutting down your subscription spending in the new year. Here’s your guide on how to start!

It’s good to decide on your subscription budget before you begin the process. This way, you will not adapt your spending or make your budget more flexible to accommodate any subscriptions that are not necessary for you. In most budgeting strategies, subscriptions would go in your “wants” category.

The first step is finding the actual subscriptions. Check your bank statements, paying close attention to any repetitive transactions. A good place to look, in addition to bank statements, is your digital wallet statements as well. These include PayPal, Apple Pay, and even iTunes subscriptions. You can search through confirmation emails to find specific subscription purchases you may be curious about. Federal law requires receipts for all subscription charges.

There are several subscription tracking apps that have the ability to find companies you are subscribed to, such as RocketMoney and PocketGuard.

We suggest that before you assess the subscriptions you have, you make a list or spreadsheet of your subscriptions. Write down the day they renew, the price regardless of any discounts or free trials, and whether these charges occur monthly, bimonthly, quarterly, or annually. This gives you a clear picture of what you are spending your money on and how much of your budget subscriptions are currently taking up.

Many suggest getting rid of all subscriptions you have not used in the last 60 to 30 days, but this neglects large annual subscriptions. Be sure to get rid of any subscriptions you do not need —  making sure not to exceed the budget you’ve set for yourself. 

Ask yourself: 

• Does this subscription save me time or money?
• Does this subscription get used at least once a week?

If the answer to either of these questions is “no,” consider removing the subscription.

In the future, keeping an ongoing list of the subscriptions you pay for and promotional discounts you sign up for can allow you to stay on top of things.

1. Limit The Number Of Cards: Going forward, it might be easier to limit your subscription purchases and renewals to one card. This way, when searching for subscriptions, you know where to look.
2. Prepare For Renewals: Prepare for subscription renewals by keeping a record of when they renew. Once you have your list of necessary subscriptions, it is important to remain aware of the renewal dates. Include renewal dates in a list, spreadsheet, planner, or even set reminders a week ahead in your phone.
3. Review Your Subscriptions Regularly: Review your subscriptions monthly to make sure everything is in order. Remaining aware of what you are subscribed to helps prevent your number of subscriptions from getting overwhelming. Additionally, doing a quarterly reset to decide whether these apps still add value may be beneficial.

You can use subscription tracking tools for this, too, but be wary. Signing up for one of these apps does not replace the need to review your subscriptions; it only makes them easier to access and only helps if you check them frequently.

Remember, you purchase subscriptions because they are supposed to make life more enjoyable. If they’re draining your wallet, they may be hurting more than helping. Reviewing your subscriptions isn’t about switching to an extremely frugal lifestyle; it’s a small step in reclaiming money you may be unintentionally spending.