Subscriptions are like that one friend who always says, “it’s just five bucks,” until suddenly you’re broke and wondering how you got here. From streaming to snacks to software you opened once in 2021, these services have a way of quietly draining your bank account month after month.
Sure, they seem convenient at first. But once the trial ends or the novelty wears off, many stick around like digital leeches on your wallet. Here are 15 subscription services that might not be worth the money, no matter how slick their marketing sounds.
15. Boxed Meal Kits
They promise chef-level meals and convenience, but the price per serving adds up fast. Most weeks, you pay more than for takeout; you still have to cook and clean.
14. Niche Streaming Platforms
You signed up to watch one show your coworker wouldn’t stop discussing. Three months later, you haven’t logged in once, but the monthly charge still hits like clockwork.
13. Meditation and Mindfulness Apps
These apps swear they’ll change your life, but most features are locked behind a premium paywall. You could get the same results with a few deep breaths and a YouTube video.
12. Monthly Snack Boxes
Exotic treats from around the globe sound fun in theory. It’s overpriced candy you didn’t ask for, and half goes stale in your pantry.
11. Celebrity Fitness Apps
Paying to be virtually trained by a celebrity sounds glamorous until you realize it’s just a few recycled videos and basic workouts. YouTube has better options—for free.
10. Audio Book Services
If you’re not a power listener, you burn monthly credits. And once you cancel, say goodbye to those unused ones forever.
9. App Subscriptions for Photo Editing
You download it for one Instagram post and forget it’s charging you $4.99 monthly. Multiply that by three or four apps, and you have a sneaky little budget leak.
8. Cloud Storage Upgrades
Do you need that extra terabyte of cloud storage, or are you too lazy to delete blurry vacation photos from 2016? It’s the digital equivalent of a messy closet on which you keep paying rent.
7. Language Learning Apps
They start feeling productive and excited, but unless you’re committed, they become another thing you pay for and ignore. And no, opening the app once a week doesn’t mean you’re becoming fluent.
6. Digital Magazines and Newspapers
You subscribed to read one article behind a paywall and never canceled. Now you’re funding a media empire you forgot existed.
5. Fashion Rental Services
The concept is great until you realize you’re paying monthly to borrow clothes you barely wear. And don’t even get started on the late fees or “oops” charges.
4. Gaming Subscription Platforms
Unless you’re gaming like it’s your full-time job, those titles go untouched. But sure, keep paying to “own” access to games you’ll never play.
3. Pet Subscription Boxes
Your dog would probably be just as happy with a stick from the backyard. But instead, you’re forking over $40 a month for themed toys and treats they’ll destroy in ten minutes.
Read More: 15 Things Americans Spend WAY Too Much Money On
2. Sneaky subscription services
That fancy smart bike or rower has a “required” subscription to make it worthwhile. Without it, it’s just a very expensive clothes hanger with a screen.
Read More: 10 Sneaky Business Tactics That Make You Overspend
1. Auto-Renewing Free Trials
This is the king of sneaky subscriptions. They bank on you forgetting, and by the time you notice, you’ve paid for three months of something you never used once.
