You know that smug little voice that lives in your head? The one that whispers, “You’re not like the others—you haven’t fallen into lifestyle inflation. You’ve kept things simple.”
Yeah. That voice got humbled recently.
It started, as these things often do, with a nosey little scroll through my bank statements. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular—just doing a victory lap of my frugal genius. I’d convinced myself I was basically living like a minimalist monk with a spreadsheet. No fluff, no extras.
And then… the scroll kept scrolling.
And the smugness? It left the chat.
Why Do a Subscription Audit Challenge Anyway?
I’m the sort of person who loves a challenge—not the kind with medals or hashtags, but the slow, quietly satisfying kind. The ones that make me a little better. 1% freer. 1% less wasteful. A single clean drawer in the mental clutter cabinet.
And if you’re working towards Financial Independence (FI), those little 1% changes stack.
Every £100 you don’t spend mindlessly on subscriptions? That’s £30,000 less you need to save to fund it forever (if you’re thinking in 4% rule terms.)
So no, this challenge wasn’t about deprivation. I wasn’t going off-grid or turning into that person who insists everyone must cancel Netflix.
It was about clarity. What am I actually using? What’s just a ghost charge haunting my bank statement?
The Audit Begins: A Cold, Slightly Sniffly Realisation
This all kicked off during a particularly grey week in winter. I’d been hit with a mild cold and hadn’t been to the gym in weeks. You know the kind of week where you’re vaguely irritated at everything—including yourself?
Somewhere between the third cup of tea and the fourth “should I nap or work?” spiral, I opened my Monzo app. Mostly to distract myself.
And there it was: a whole lineup of regular payments I barely recognised.
A little graveyard of intentions. So I started the audit.
My Subscription Audit: What Got the Chop (and What Survived)
I didn’t use any fancy tools—just a bank statement and a mild grudge against my past self.
Here’s how it went:
- Spotify — Cut. I wasn’t listening that often, and silence is cheaper.
- Audible — Cut. Five unused credits? That’s not a library, that’s a guilt pile.
- Zombies, Run! — Cut. Fun concept, used it three times, couldn’t justify it.
- Gym membership — Cancelled. Not because I gave up, but because I was paying and not going. The guilt left with the direct debit.
- Monzo Plus — Kept. Free movie tickets and Greggs snacks. Yes please.
- Netflix — Kept. I need to know what happens in Bridgerton. Let me live.
- Amazon Prime — Kept. Not just for the shows—next-day delivery with a toddler is basically healthcare.
Some decisions were easy. Others felt more like a breakup:
“It’s not you, it’s me. And my bank balance.”
What Surprised Me Most
Honestly? The relief.
There was no drama in the cancellations, just a quiet satisfaction.
I felt lighter. Like deleting a thousand unread emails. Or finally giving away those jeans that never fit.
I wasn’t just saving money—I was removing little hooks of guilt and noise.
Subscriptions are sneaky like that. They feel small and harmless. But they take up more mental space than we think.
“Sometimes the clutter isn’t physical. It’s hidden behind monthly emails you don’t open and apps you don’t tap.”
And sure, I could’ve done this audit ages ago. But it happened now. That’s enough.
How It Ties to Financial Independence (and Sanity)
Look, I’m not trying to retire at 35 and live in a yurt (though I’m open to it).
But I am trying to build a life with more space, more peace, and fewer things draining energy or cash without a good reason.
This little audit moved me 1% closer to that.
I don’t miss the gym charges or the apps.
I do feel better having a little extra to throw into savings or a cheeky ISA top-up.
And when you think long-term, every £10/month you cut is another £120/year you can invest. Multiply that over a few years and it adds up faster than we think.
Try It Yourself: The Slow Burn Subscription Audit Prompt
No pressure. No shame spiral. Just a little check-in.
Here’s what I did:
- Opened my banking app and looked for regular charges.
- Made a quick list of monthly or annual subscriptions.
- Asked myself three things:
- Did I actually use this?
- Would I notice if it disappeared?
- Am I keeping this out of habit or joy?
If it felt like dead weight, it got the chop.
If it sparked joy (or Greggs), it stayed.
You don’t need to cancel everything. You just need to know what’s there—and why you’re paying for it.
Gentle Questions for the Road:
I don’t do this monthly, this will make any one go mad. But for now, I treat it like a little seasonal clean-up—usually sparked by panic or curiosity. It works.
Every time I do it, I feel a bit lighter. A bit less owned by the stuff I “own.”
So here are a few gentle questions for you, dear reader:
- What subscription have you kept out of pure habit — not joy or use?
- If you cancelled one today, what would you actually miss?
- How could 1% less spending make space for 1% more freedom?
Thanks for reading. No pressure to change anything.
But if something here sparked a little nudge in your brain… maybe it’s time for a scroll through the statement too.