Ayup! It’s been a long time coming (thanks to Adobe), but I’m finally subscription free. When I realised I was paying out around £140 per month on things I’d never own, it was time to switch mindsets.
The rollercoaster ride of self-employment had previously offered a taster of zero subscriptions. 2024 and the start of 2025 were eerily quiet, to the point of inducing an extreme financial overhaul. All non-essentials were eliminated from my personal and business outgoings.
As soon as things were back on track, however, the odd subscription here and there quickly mounted up. Amazon Prime? Yeah, why not. Apple Music, TV and Arcade bundled into one convenient monthly payment? Sign me up! Then there’s the worst offender of them all, Creative Cloud.
The proliferation of subscription offerings can burden consumers with multiple monthly fees and the complexity of managing numerous accounts. The variety of subscriptions can make it challenging to keep track of expenses and fully utilize the services or products. This can lead users to question the value they are getting from their subscriptions and potentially even cause disengagement.
Wait a minute…
Realisation 1 – £140 x 12 = £1,680. Hmmmm? That’s a decent chunk of change each year. Surely this could go towards something a lot more productive or fun than renting software or media.
Realisation 2 – None of the subscription services I signed up for actually make life any better. In fact, they often extrude enjoyment and deteriorate concentration. Listening to music being one example.
The global subscription market is set to reach £91.99 billion by 2033. Businesses want us to rely on the convenience. Ultimately, they’re conditioning consumers to reframe their eternal payments as necessary and non-negotiable, rather than a nice-to-have.
Companies can’t assume that they will secure a guaranteed revenue stream just by charging customers monthly. In fact, they can just as easily lose great customers in the process.
Subscription fatigue
Subscription fatigue is a thing. We all know this. We’ve probably all felt it at one stage or another. It seems pretty obvious, but if it’s affecting you, there’s one quick and easy solution. Cancel or drastically minimise your ongoing services. You’ll be surprised how little you need them when you start to break free.
Research indicates that despite an appetite for content, tools, and goods, a significant portion of consumers don’t want to subscribe to any more services. They feel as though they already have enough—or perhaps even too many— subscription services under their belt.
Workarounds
Here are a few of my workarounds. There should be no compromise on your quality of life. We’re not about to start sitting in a quiet room with nothing to watch or listen to. Although, that’s also quite nice, sometimes.
As mentioned above, these changes can actually lead to a more rewarding experience. Less mindless, half-arsed consumption, more mindful, meaningful purchases.
- Music – Swapping streaming for CDs and digital downloads was one of the best things I’ve ever done.
- TV & Film – DVDs (films and box sets) keep me entertained most of the time. I also watch some of the ad-supported streaming channels and intend on taking the occasional month of Netflix/Apple TV, etc. when a film or series that I want to watch is released. The new Peaky Blinders film being a prime example.
- Creative Cloud – Fully swapped for Affinity. Couldn’t be happier.
- Heated Car Seats – Sorry, what? That requires a subscription? No thanks. What else have you got? Shout out to my Škoda Citigo!
- Amazon – We don’t need same day or next day delivery, really. If there’s something I can buy locally instead, I’ll do that. If not, I’m happy to wait a few extra days.
- iCloud Storage – This is a sneaky one, as the entry point is only .99p a month. I initially thought I’d keep this subscription, but quickly realised I don’t need it. The free 5 GB is more than enough for my own personal needs.
- Banking – I bank with Monzo and absolutely love them and their app. I was suckered in to their premium banking with the offer of a free Greggs sausage roll each week. Of course, said sausage rolls were actually costing me £17 per month.
- WordPress Themes & Plugins – I’ll only buy WordPress products that offer a one-time payment now.
According to research, four-fifths (79%) of people are signed up to at least one subscription service, which works out to be around 42.4 million UK adults. However, another study found that nearly half of subscribers (45%) had cancelled a subscription due to price increases.
Freeeeeeeeeedom!
Wohoooo! The decision to live subscription free has brought about many changes. It’s been a long but exciting journey to reach this point. As I ticked off my cancellations, finally ending with Creative Cloud, a feeling of independence and self-determination arose.
Not in a going without sense, but, rather, the vast awareness of a preferable way of living. We’re sold convenience, but due to a number of factors (including the elusive enshitification of everything), it seems like pure madness to rent everything forever.
Life is better on the other side of never-ending membership fees. Alternative solutions are often more ethical, as well as cheaper in the long term. Is the bubble about to burst? Probably not, but while we still have the choice, making slower, conscious and calmer decisions is my preferred path.