Subscriptions are a regular part of life for most of us, whether you’re paying monthly for TV and music streaming services, gym memberships, or food and drink.
When used correctly, subscriptions can be beneficial as important purchases are automated and regular expenses fit into your budget easily.
However, there is a danger you could fall victim to “subscription creep” – continuing to pay for services you no longer use or building up lots of subscriptions and overspending without realising.
UK households waste an estimated £1.6 billion a year on “zombie subscriptions”
Once you set up a subscription, the payments leave your account automatically, so it’s easy to forget about them. With many services, when your annual contract ends, you are rolled onto a new one unless you actively opt out.
As a result, the payments keep coming out of your account, even if you no longer use the service and might not realise you still have it.
This results in zombie subscriptions – services that are being paid for but not used – which, according to ClearScore, cost UK households an estimated £1.6 billion a year. The average individual spends £168 a year on these unused subscriptions.
Saving and investing wealth you spend on unused subscriptions could generate significant returns
If you are spending money on unused subscriptions, you could be missing a valuable opportunity to boost your savings and investments without affecting your current standard of living.
For example, if you were to take the £168 average spend on unused subscriptions (£14 per month) and save it for 20 years instead, you’d set aside £3,360.
According to the HL compound returns calculator, if you were to invest £14 per month and generate annual returns of 5%, you would have a total of £5,704 after 20 years.
If you were to see more favourable returns of 8% a year, your pot would be worth £8,017.
These figures are for illustrative purposes only and are not a predictor of future growth. The outcome of your investment will depend on performance, the net effect of any charges and your individual circumstances.
This amount might not completely change your retirement lifestyle, but it could be a significant contribution towards a dream trip, a helping hand for grandchildren at university, or a lump sum to cover your funeral costs.
Naturally, you can’t guarantee this level of growth, and you always adopt some level of risk when investing. However, these figures demonstrate how you could benefit from investing funds that would otherwise be wasted on unused subscriptions.
3 ways to reduce subscription creep and build your savings
1. Set reminders for free trials and renewals
One of the key reasons people fall victim to subscription creep is that they fail to notice automatic renewals of services. In fact, ClearScore reports that 82% of people with an unused subscription account had been put on it automatically.
This might happen if you sign up for a free trial and it automatically transfers to a paid subscription, or if an existing annual plan rolls on to the next year. In some cases, the cost might increase without you realising.
To prevent this, you can set calendar reminders before renewal dates, so you can make a conscious decision about whether you want to continue with the service. Some accounts allow you to cancel automatic renewals, too.
As this is such a common issue, the government has announced changes to protect consumers, with a preliminary plan to introduce them in 2027.
2. Review your budget regularly
If you don’t check your outgoings regularly, it’s easy to let subscription payments slip by unnoticed for a long while. You may also fail to manage your overall spending effectively as costs gradually creep up and your expenses are higher than you realise.
As such, it’s important to review your budget regularly, check which subscriptions you’re paying for, and decide whether you want to continue with them.
3. Be strict about unused services
Some services might be completely unused, so cancelling them is a simple decision. However, you might also have subscriptions you use sporadically and may convince yourself that it’s worth keeping them, just in case.
If you want to save money, you need to be strict and have a specific rule. For instance, if you haven’t used a service for three months, cancel it.
Get in touch
If you are reviewing your budget and saving money on subscriptions, we can help you put those funds to good use.
Please give us a call on 01276 855717 or email info@braywealth.com today.
Please note
This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at individuals only.
All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.
The value of investments and any income from them can fall as well as rise and you may not get back the original amount invested.
Approved by the Openwork Partnership on 07/08/2026
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