9 Subscription Services That Are Worth It
If you’re like me, you probably cringe at the thought of adding yet another subscription service and line item to the budget. Conventional personal finance advice would recommend you cut as many recurring expenses as possible. While I agree with that, there are some subscriptions that are worth it due to paying for themselves or improving your quality of life. Here are 9 subscriptions that are worth it:
Netflix
Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first. There really isn’t much I can add about Netflix other than they have invested billions of dollars into creating original programming, and it shows. There’s always something to watch, and in this age of cord-cutting, having so much commercial-free content available is great.
YNAB
Why bother to pay for budgeting software when there are plenty of free options available? I tried and failed at using free budgeting software and spreadsheets for YEARS and never managed to keep up with a budget. Several years ago, I read The Millionaire Next Door and learned that the wealthy are frugal in many areas but are willing to invest in certain things including personal finance.
My sister had been telling me about YNAB for years, and I was finally ready to jump into a $50/year paid budgeting subscription (the price has increased for new members but is still well worth it). I had always thought I was decent with money, but YNAB really helped take me to the next level. Instead of being reactive and just tracking where my money went, I’m now much more proactive with money planning upfront, and I’ve now been consistently using YNAB for over 5 years.
Ready to try out YNAB? Here’s my referral code for a free month.
Costco
While Costco has an image of being the playground of large suburban families, it actually has quite a lot to offer for singles, couples, and small families. Due to space constraints and expiration dates on perishables, not everything at Costco is appropriate for small households, but there is plenty at Costco that makes my membership worth it including:
Gas: the gas savings alone can earn you your regular membership fee back if you drive regularly.
Frozen foods: there are lots of convenient frozen foods available and they have a long shelf-life.
Produce: focus on produce that has a long shelf-life like bananas, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, apple etc. I eat a lot of produce and can get through Costco-sized quantities of many fruits and vegetables in a week.
Non-perishables: shelf-stable items such as non-dairy milk, snacks, and canned goods are high-quality and great value.
Paper products and cleaning products: if you have somewhere to store them, the bulk household products are very economical.
Electronics: Costco has some of the best deals around on electronics.
Vacations: great discounts on hotels, rental cars, and vacation packages.
Amazon Prime
Like many people, I have a love-hate relationship with Amazon. The convenience is unbeatable, but for a variety of reasons (ethical, customer service, an overwhelming amount of choices), shopping with Amazon is not always enjoyable. So why do I bother to keep it?
10% discount on sale items at Whole Foods.
Free 2-hour grocery delivery: the quality of the grocery delivery is hit-or-miss, but it is convenient.
Amazon Prime streaming: free High-quality original shows and movies plus random shows and movies that would only be available as paid options on other streaming services.
Prime shipping: sometimes you need what you need and you need it fast.
Headspace
I started having very vivid dreams and restless sleep during the pandemic, so I decided to take advantage of the free Headspace membership my former employer started offering. The daily meditations and sleepcasts made a world of difference in my stress levels and quality of sleep. They helped me clear my mind while falling asleep for the most restful sleep I’ve ever had.
Once my free membership ended, I tried to live without it for a while, but I couldn’t. At least in this season of uncertainty and stress, Headspace is a must for me. They often have sales of 20-30% off, so keep an eye out.
AAA
While many credit cards do come with roadside service assistance, the benefits may not be as robust as what is offered by AAA. They may limit the amount they will pay for each service event or require payment at a set rate for each service event. Check your credit card agreement to determine if it makes sense to supplement your credit card roadside assistance with a AAA membership.
In addition to roadside assistance benefits, AAA offers other benefits such as free or nominal fee passport photos, free travel accident insurance, free car travel interruption insurance, and tons of discounts on everything from dining and travel to prescriptions.
iCloud (or other cloud storage)
I only recently upgraded to a paid iCloud subscription when I got tired of constantly purging my photos and files on my phone and computer due to a lack of storage space. This subscription totally saved me when my MacBook was permanently water damaged due to a plumbing leak. Once I got my replacement laptop, it was easy to set up, and I hadn’t lost any of my files.
After this experience, I don’t know that I would ever go without some sort of cloud storage again. I love iCloud since I have tons of Apple products, but if you aren’t in the Apple ecosystem, another cloud storage provider might be a better alternative.
AMC A-List
When I joined the AMC A-List, it was a little over $20 a month. Considering one movie ticket was easily close to $20 (this is not an exaggeration for my preferred, assigned seat movie theater) it felt like a no-brainer. The A-List allows you to see up to 3 free movies a week. For those who like seeing movies in theaters, you will easily break even by seeing just one movie a month.
With my membership, I found that I saw a lot more movies and no longer felt the pressure of only having to see “good” movies to avoid wasting an expensive movie ticket. During times when I was cutting back in the budget, it was also nice to know that for ~$20/month, I would always have something to do.
My membership has been on pause due to the pandemic, but I can’t wait to re-activate once I feel comfortable in theaters again.
Delta SkyMiles Gold Card
Is a credit card annual fee really a subscription? That’s debatable, but I do get a lot of perks by having the Delta SkyMiles credit card. If you travel frequently, but not frequently enough to have status, it is worth it to pay the annual fee on the Delta SkyMiles card (or a credit card associated with your preferred airline). The perks of the Delta SkyMiles card beyond the standard premium credit card benefits include:
1 free checked bag each way: your annual fee will pay for itself after 2 round trips, if you check a bag each way
Main Cabin 1 priority boarding: if you prefer to carry-on, priority boarding is a must to stand a chance of getting overhead space
20% back on in-flight purchases
No foreign transaction fees
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