Okay folks, grab your coffee, ’cause today I actually tried something kinda different. You know how everyone scrolls past those monthly horoscope money tips? Yeah, me too. But this month’s Virgo bit caught my eye – “Re-evaluate small recurring costs.” Simple, right? Figured, why not give it a real, honest shot? Here’s exactly how it went down.
The Morning Deep Dive (Spoiler: It Hurt)
Sat down after breakfast, phone and laptop open. Pulled up my bank app – always a fun way to start a Tuesday. Started scrolling back through the last month, line by line. Man, that auto-renewal stuff sneaks up on you. Saw my usual suspects:
- Gym membership ($39.99)
- Streaming service #1 ($14.99)
- Streaming service #2 ($9.99)… wait, do I even remember what show I signed up for on this one?
- Cloud storage upgrade ($2.99)
- That random meditation app subscription ($8.99) I used twice after the free trial ended.
Added it up quick in my head. Roughly eighty bucks! Just floating out there every single month, mostly forgotten. Honestly laughed my ass off at how predictable this is.
Action Stations: The Cancel Button Is Your Friend
Alright, time for phase two. Wasn’t gonna overthink it. Went straight for the low-hanging fruit. That meditation app? Haven’t opened it since January. Found the account page online, hunted down the scary “Cancel Subscription” link (they always bury it, right?), clicked it, confirmed through two pop-ups trying to offer me discounts. Done. Felt weirdly satisfying.
Next, that second streaming service. Logged in. Couldn’t remember the last thing I watched there. Searched my email – signed up last November for one specific documentary. Account page > Subscription > Manage > Cancel. Boom. Another $9.99 back in the fight. Already feeling slightly less stupid.
Checked the cloud storage. Realized I’m barely using half the free tier! Downgraded that instantly – didn’t need the paid stuff at all. Another few bucks saved.
The Tricky Bit (And A Reality Check)
Now, the gym membership… yeah, that’s tougher. Paying but not going enough is peak me. But cancelling felt too drastic. The horoscope didn’t say “cancel everything you need,” just “re-evaluate.” So instead, I committed to actually going twice this week. Baby steps. We’ll see how that works out.
The Unexpected Bonus Round
While poking around, I spotted that coffee shop charge from yesterday – $7.50 for a latte and a pastry. Then remembered three other similar charges this month. Didn’t need to see the math – it hit me. That’s practically another subscription draining cash! So, here’s the new plan: making coffee at home more often. Got myself a decent travel mug ready to go for tomorrow. Figure that alone could save fifty bucks this month if I stick with it.
Final Tally & The Real Takeaway
End result of one hour’s work?
- Meditation App: $8.99/month gone
- Streaming Service #2: $9.99/month gone
- Cloud Storage Downgrade: $2.99/month saved
That’s $21.97 back monthly. Plus, potentially $50+ less spent on impulse coffee runs.
Real talk: Not exactly retiring early on this windfall. But honestly? It felt good. Not magical, but practical. Like finally cleaning out a junk drawer. I ignored some flashy investment advice and just focused on those annoying, recurring drips of money leaving. Feels more manageable now, less like drowning. Still kinda broke, but hey, at least I’m fifteen bucks richer every month for stuff that actually matters. Worth the dusty bank login. Maybe the stars were onto something simple this time.
