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How to cut down on subscription costs

Subscription services can often be a good way to streamline costs and get some monthly comforts to make the start of every month a little more exciting. Still, subscription services can sometimes get out of hand and before you know it, a huge chunk of your pay check can disappear in the blink of an auto-renewal.


In our continued series of blog posts intended to help cut the cost of everyday living, we’ve put together some handy tips for managing your subscription services and finding ways to cut those annual payments back down to live.


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Switch out tv subscriptions


With Netflix no longer raining supreme as the only streaming service, it can be easy to get drawn in with Disney for your Marvel shows, Netflix for Stranger Things and HBO Max so you don’t miss the fiery premieres of House of The Dragon. Before you know it you’ve got three direct debits coming out each month and more tv than you could possible watch.


Thing is, most of these big premieres are usually spaced out, meaning you can always cancel whichever ones you aren’t currently using and resubscribe when the next big thing is released.

By simply keeping up with what you want to watch and making sure to cancel your direct debit, you could seriously reduce your subscription bill without having to miss out on the quality tv you actually care about rather than endlessly scrolling for something new.


Look for free trials and sign up offers


It can be easy to miss out on entire free trials, extra months, and discounts by going straight to the sign-up screen without shopping around.


But a simple half an hour of internet sleuthing could net you an extra three months trial, 20% off on a year subscript and other new user offers you could miss out on. These offers can come up at random or through specific retailers, such as a recent offer for Paramount Plus that nets users a free month for signing up or Disney Plus’ September sign up offer, that gets users a month for just £1.99.


You never know what deals you might be able to get but its always worth doing a search on coupon sites, through Honey or on sites like HotUkDeals to see what you can find.


If you don't ues it ... LOSE IT!


Look, we all want that perfect gym routine but if the last time you regularly got your sweat on was weeks ago, it might be time to admit it isn’t going to happen. It’s a well-known secret that gym’s make a large margin from people who never, or rarely, step through the doors and you don’t want to be one of them.


There are a lot of subscriptions like this, ones we’d like to use more or finally add to our weekly routine but if it’s not in use the only thing its doing is eating at your monthly budget! If you really feel guilty for cutting out the gym, there are plenty of free home workouts and going for a run around the park are good replacements.


Ask what's a luxury and what's essential


A monthly magazine, coffee or book subscription can be a real treat at the start of each month but sometimes you have to ask yourself, do I actually need it? Chances are 90% of the time a subscription is a luxury and something that can be cut when times are hard. Subscription services usually work by automating an element of your life at a premium, getting you to commit monthly to something you either don’t always need or could purchase separately as needed. This means that subscription services are almost always a luxury item that don’t always need month on month.


Of course, if this subscription feels essential to you, then keep it. With managing your budget its important to be realistic with yourself to ensure you stick to it and remain on budget rather than lapsing with spending. If you’re smart with your money and feel you have accommodated for that monthly premium coffee blend, then let it be. However, if your magazine subscriptions are pilling up unread, chances are you could do without it.

Ways to Save on Your Summer Holiday Flights

July 10, 2023
Thinking of jetting off somewhere warm this summer? Before you get hot under the collar at the sky-high price of flights, look at some of the tricks that can cut the cost of your plane ticket.

Cheap as Chips! Tasty Ideas for Packed Lunches

July 10, 2023
Making and taking a packed lunch to work, college, or a day out can seem like a bit of a faff. But, when you haven’t got a sausage and the chips are down (terrible, sorry), preparing your own food can be cheaper, healthier and, if you go about it the right way, a bit of fun. Rather than doing it once, getting bored and binning your Tupperware box, the secret is to rustle up packed lunches that are cost-effective, easy to make and a little bit different. If you buy great ingredients in bulk, you can do all your chopping, dicing and preparing in one go and keep enough for a week in an airtight container in the fridge.

Hot Tips to Cut the Cost of Cooking

July 10, 2023
If you’ve ever looked in your freezer and discovered a UFO (Unidentified Frozen Object), or defrosted a steak and kidney pie only to discover (after you’ve poured gravy on it) that it contains apple, then you might benefit from being a little more organised in the kitchen. Taking something out of the fridge or cupboard and sniffing it to see if it’s ok, is not what’s meant by food preparation. If you save just £1 a day by not chucking out or wasting food, that adds up to a tasty (!) £365 a year. Double that, save £2 a day and you’ve got … well, you do the maths.

Five tips for saving on your weekly shop

July 10, 2023
Doing the weekly food shop rarely comes with many surprises, but over the last few months, many got an unwelcome shock when their usual weekly shop came with an unusual price tag. Food bills are predicted to rise by £454 this year , higher than previous predictions. Back in April, researchers at Kantar estimated that the cost of an average annual shop would go up by £280. However, that previous estimate has risen to nearly £400. The current cost-of-living crisis is seeing inflation affect every aspect of life and that includes in the weekly shop. Luckily, United Insolvencyis here with another list of tips and tricks to help cut the receipts back down to size.

Benefits

July 10, 2023
It’s no secret that the benefits system in the UK can be quite confusing to those not in-the-know, especially considering that incoming governments bring with them new changes that can complicate things further. But the bottom line has always remained the same: you could be entitled to financial support depending on your personal circumstances. The benefits system in the UK is set up to aid those who are: Unemployed and actively looking for work On a low income Living with a disability Bringing up children Retired A carer Too ill to work

Can You Get Tax Credits Overpayment Written Off?

July 10, 2023
Tax credit overpayments can happen for a few different reasons – but, most commonly, they happen if your circumstances change but you don’t tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in time. If you’ve received tax credit payments but your entitlement has changed, you may end up with a tax credit debt. In this guide, we’ll look at tax credit debts in more detail – including: What kind of situations can lead to a tax credit debt Can a tax credit debt be appealed against or written off? What you should do if you’ve realised you’ve had tax credits overpayments Some helpful contact details for HMRC We’ll also answer a few commonly asked questions about overpaid tax credits, so you’ve got all the information you need to take your next steps.

How to manage your money in a recesion

By PAR002_123 • July 10, 2023
The ongoing cost of living crisis is being driven by high inflation and even higher costs. But with further price hikes expected and the economy on track to fall into a recession within a matter of months, you might be wondering what this means for your finances. It’s normal for the economy to experience extreme highs and lows from time to time, but by sitting back and waiting for a recession to blow over, you could be putting yourself and your finances at risk. In this blog, we’ll let you know how to manage your money before and during a recession so you can protect your pennies and avoid making minor money mistakes with major consequences.
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