Is it worth it? Must-have apps vs. the money drains

Seeing a charge come through for a streaming service you forgot you even subscribed to is a special kind of frustration.

This is bound to happen if you sign up for free trials but never set a reminder to cancel before you’re charged. Here are the simple steps to stop this from ever happening again.

Of course, a side hustle can help you pay for Netflix, Spotify and all the rest. Have a bunch of treasures lying around that you know you should sell? We put together a complete guide to starting your own online resell business.

Bringing in cash is great, but stop spending so much on app subscriptions. Here’s how.

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• Music, streaming and entertainment: I pay for Apple Music because I like the variety in genres. You might need a few streaming services to watch your shows, and even YouTube might be worth it if you don’t want to watch ads.
• Creative tools and software: Often necessary for editing videos or photos, creating digital work, editing grammar for professional writing, and more.
• Security and utility apps: You may need to pay for antivirus software, a VPN, a password manager, or others.
• Productivity: Task managers, calendar apps, project management tools, and similar apps fall into this category.
• Health and fitness: Depending on your lifestyle and goals, it might be worth it to pay for a specialized fitness, meditation, or nutrition app.
• Education and learning: Language lessons, professional and personal development, and others often cost after a free trial.

Ultimately, it comes down to the quality of the app, the value it adds to your life and your preferences. There is almost always a free version of whatever app you want.

Messenger and Facebook app logos are displayed on a mobile phone screen for illustration photo. Krakow, Poland on January 23, 2023.  (Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

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What’s not worth it?

• Open the Settings app, then tap your name.
• Tap Subscriptions > Choose the subscription you want.
• Tap Cancel Subscription. (You might need to scroll down.) If there’s no cancel button, the subscription is already canceled.

How to find your paid subscriptions for Android:

• Open the Settings app > Google.
• Select Manage your Google Account.
• At the top, tap Payments & Subscriptions.
• Tap Manage subscriptions. Click an item to see more details and cancel.

iPhone applications. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Find anything else you’re paying for

It’s also worth checking your bank statements for unusual or ongoing charges you don’t recognize. You may pinpoint a Hulu or Netflix subscription or a few app purchases you forgot about.

Sounds like too much work? For a commission fee, some companies will take care of the entire process for you. I’ve used Rocket Money, a podcast sponsor, and saved about $450 in about 5 minutes. (They didn’t pay me to include them here.)

Photo of someone accessing their Netflix account after the subscription service has cracked down on password sharing. (Fox News)

Keep your tech-know going 

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Listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for my last name, “Komando.”

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