How to Find Subscriptions You're Paying For but Don't Use

Why unused subscriptions are easy to miss

Monthly payments of a few pounds can slip past unnoticed, especially when they appear alongside essential bills. Annual renewals are even easier to forget because they charge only once a year, often months after you first signed up.

If you can look back a full year in your bank or credit card history, you may pick up on annual payments that auto-renew, such as travel insurance. [source]

Review your bank and credit card statements

The most reliable way to find forgotten subscriptions is to review your recent bank and credit card spending. Look for regular payments and check whether each one is something you routinely use. If not, it could be worth cutting back. [source]

For example, if you pay £9.99 a month for a music service you no longer use and £49 a year for cloud storage you no longer need, the two would cost £168.88 over a year if they kept renewing. These figures are hypothetical, not typical prices.

1. Download or view at least 12 months of statements
2. Highlight every recurring charge you do not immediately recognise
3. Check an unfamiliar charge with the provider or your card issuer before taking further action

Track renewal dates before they charge

Every subscription you sign up to will have a renewal date. Finding it and noting it in your diary or phone calendar means you can cancel before the next charge rather than after. [source]

Check your confirmation emails or your account with each service for the exact date. Set your own reminder rather than relying on one from the service.

1. Search your email inbox for the word 'subscription' or 'renewal'
2. Note each renewal date in your calendar with a reminder a week ahead
3. Review your list every few months to catch new sign-ups

Cancel subscriptions you no longer need

Once you decide a subscription is not worth keeping, contact the provider by phone, email or letter to cancel. Ask whether a refund is available, especially for magazine subscriptions. [source]

Watch out for any penalties if you try to leave a fixed-term contract early. Read the terms or ask the provider directly before confirming cancellation. [source]

1. Log into the service or find its support contact details
2. Request cancellation and ask about any refund
3. Keep a confirmation email or reference number as proof

Use your card issuer to stop recurring payments

For a recurring card payment, you can ask your card issuer to stop it. Once you have asked, the issuer must stop the payments, even if you have not contacted the business. [source]

Bear in mind that cancelling a recurring card payment does not necessarily end your contract with the business. You are still responsible for paying any money you owe under that contract, so check the terms before relying solely on this method. [source]

1. Contact your card issuer and request cancellation of the recurring card payment
2. Follow up with the provider to confirm your contract has ended
3. Monitor your statements to ensure charges have stopped

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a refund for a subscription I forgot to cancel?

You can ask the provider whether a refund is available. MoneyHelper specifically suggests asking about a refund for magazine subscriptions; it does not guarantee that one will be given. [source]

What happens if I cancel a recurring card payment but still owe money?

Cancelling a recurring card payment through your card issuer does not necessarily end your contract. You remain responsible for paying any money owed under that contract, so check the terms and contact the provider about the contract as well. [source]

How far back should I check my statements?

Looking back at least 12 months is helpful because it lets you spot annual renewals, such as travel insurance, that charge only once a year and are easy to forget. [source]