6 Tips for Tracking and Managing Your Subscriptions
From streaming services to in-app purchases, recurring charges can add up quickly. Learning how to track and manage your subscriptions can help you avoid unexpected renewals and reduce unnecessary expenses.
Here are six tips for tracking and managing your subscriptions.
1. Review Your Recent Transactions
Take a close look at your account activity from the past few months and make a note of:
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The subscription
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The dates you’re being charged
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The amount being charged.
With this information, you can accurately build your subscriptions into your monthly budget. Plus, it will help you monitor any price changes over time.
2. Turn on Spending Alerts
Did you know you can enable Card Alerts in Apple FCU Digital Banking? These alerts can remind you when recurring payments are charged to your card, including subscriptions you may have forgotten about.
Enable Alerts by logging into Apple FCU Online, then navigating to Account Services > Manage Cards and selecting the Card you want to enable alerts for. You can also do this in Mobile App by selecting Cards from the bottom menu.
3. Watch for Upcoming Renewals
If a subscription renews once a year instead of once a month, it can be easy to forget about it until it's been posted. Take a few minutes to review any services set to renew in the coming months and decide whether you still use and value them.
4. Cancel What You Don't Use
One of the easiest ways to reduce monthly expenses is to cancel subscriptions you rarely use. Ask yourself when you last watched that streaming service, opened that app or used that membership benefit.
If you haven't used a service in several months, it may be time to pause or cancel it.
5. Make Subscription Reviews a Habit
Set a recurring reminder to review your subscriptions every few months. A regular check-in can help you stay aware of where your money is going and ensure you're only paying for services that continue to provide value.
6. Consider a Subscription Tracking App
If you manage multiple subscriptions, a dedicated budgeting or subscription-tracking app may help. These tools can identify recurring charges, estimate your monthly subscription spending and send reminders before upcoming renewals.
Take Control of Your Recurring Expenses
Tracking your subscriptions can help you catch price increases, prepare for upcoming renewals and eliminate charges you no longer need. A few minutes of review every couple of months could free up more room in your budget for the goals and experiences that matter most.
