The Subscription Crisis Is Worse Than You Think

Hey friend,

When was the last time you actually looked at all your recurring charges? Go ahead, minimize this email and check your bank app's recurring payments tab. We'll wait.

Find any you didn’t recognize?

You’re not alone. That’s what today’s episode is all about.

🎧 New Episode: The Subscription Crisis Is Worse Than You Think

Here's what we uncovered: 74% of people underestimate their subscription spending by over $100, and 42% have forgotten a subscription they're still paying for.

That's not an accident. That's by design.

Companies have figured out that subscriptions are predictable revenue. Instead of convincing you to buy over and over, they convince you to buy once and let you forget.

The average person is spending over $140 per month on subscriptions. And many of them are intentionally hard to cancel.

Here's the part that made us furious: On February 12, 2026, the FTC halted the "click to cancel" rule that would've made canceling as easy as signing up. Those consumer protections won't take effect.

The subscription model is still built to keep charging you until you actively stop it. Which is why we walk you through exactly how to do a subscription audit in this episode.

💰 Here are Some Subscriptions You Can Actually Optimize

Speaking of recurring monthly expenses, let's talk about some recurring expenses that are unavoidable but lowerable.

Lower Your Rate Before You Borrow

If you're planning a car loan, home loan, or refinance this year, your credit score is the most important number in the room. A stronger score can mean a lower rate — and over the life of a loan, that difference can be thousands of dollars.

That's why we like SmartCredit. For example, one of their features, ScoreBoost™ tells you how much to pay, and when, to gain the most points fastest (users see an average 34-point increase!).

And you can take actions directly from their dashboard to address negative and late payments with the push of a button.

More Affordable Health Care Coverage

We both use healthcare sharing but one thing we miss is an HSA.

HSA For America solves that problem. It’s not insurance, it’s a healthcare sharing plan that typically costs 40% to 50% less than unsubsidized traditional health insurance.

Here's how it works: Instead of paying an insurance company, you join a community that shares medical costs.

The HSA Secure plan combines this low-cost healthsharing with HSA tax benefits, so you can contribute pre-tax dollars to a Health Savings Account while paying way less monthly than traditional insurance.

For a family of four, traditional insurance without a subsidy averages around $1,872 per month. Healthcare sharing could save you $936 per month or more. That's over $11,000 in annual savings.

This isn't right for everyone but if you don't qualify for ACA subsidies and you're tired of paying outrageous premiums, this could be a game-changer.

We hope this episode helps you take back control from the subscription economy. Your money should work for you, not sit on autopilot draining your account month after month.

💗
Jen + Jill

P.S. After you do your subscription audit, go to the library. They have audiobooks, movies, museum passes, classes, and so many other things you're probably paying subscriptions for.

**Means this is a sponsored or affiliate section. We may earn a small fee or commission when you choose to try one of our sponsor or affiliate partners. But opinions are still 1000% our own.