1. Gym Memberships
Let’s be honest—most of us sign up for a gym in January and ghost it by March. According to Zachary Crockett of The Hustle, around 63% of gym memberships go unused. Life gets busy, motivation dips, and the idea of working out at home or just going for a walk becomes way more appealing. But the autopay keeps doing its thing month after month.
The fitness industry banks on this behavior. Gyms often make cancellation intentionally inconvenient, requiring in-person visits or mailed letters. So people keep paying, thinking they’ll go back “next week.” Spoiler alert: next week rarely comes.
2. Magazine Subscriptions
Remember when magazines used to be exciting? Now they mostly pile up unread on the coffee table or go straight to the recycling bin. Yet tens of millions of Americans still subscribe, often through automatic renewals. Some don’t even realize they’re still being charged.
Many of these subscriptions start with a free trial or low introductory rate that quietly jumps after a few months. And unless you’re checking your statements closely, it’s easy to miss. Digital editions haven’t helped much either—most people don’t log in. They’re paying for content they could get free online anyway.
3. Meal Kit Services
Meal kits sound like the perfect solution: fresh ingredients, no grocery trips, and easy recipes, Jason Horn of Food & Wine says. But many users find them too time-consuming, repetitive, or just not worth the cost. A 2022 poll found that nearly half of meal kit subscribers canceled within the first six months. Still, some forget to cancel or keep them “paused” indefinitely, assuming that’s saving them money.
What often happens is boxes show up unannounced after an accidental reactivation. Others just let the subscription continue, planning to get back into cooking “soon.” In the meantime, the ingredients spoil in the fridge. And dinner ends up being takeout again.
4. Streaming Services No One Watches
With so many streaming platforms, it’s easy to lose track of what you’re actually using. According to Todd Spangler of Variety, the average American subscribes to way more streaming services than they actually use. That means millions are paying for Disney+, Hulu, or Paramount+ just to stream one show—or none at all. When that show ends, the subscription sticks around.
These services are masters of FOMO, launching shows staggered just enough to keep people subscribed. And the low monthly fees make them easy to ignore. But collectively, they can add up to hundreds a year. That’s a lot to pay for a login screen you haven’t seen in months.
5. Cloud Storage Plans
Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox—most people sign up because they run out of free space. But after that initial upgrade, the urgency fades. Users often forget what’s even stored there and rarely go back to clean it up. Yet those $2.99 to $9.99 charges keep coming monthly.
It’s also not uncommon for people to be paying for multiple storage platforms at once. And because cloud subscriptions are often tied to device backups, canceling feels risky. But if you’re not using the storage or even accessing those files, you’re just renting digital air. A hard drive might’ve been a better one-time investment.
6. Identity Theft Protection Services
These services market peace of mind, and they do provide value in certain cases. But the reality is, most banks and credit card companies already offer solid fraud protection for free. Many people sign up after a scare or during a breach news cycle, then forget they ever enrolled. Monthly fees can range from $10 to $30, even if you never check the reports.
Some services offer credit monitoring, but that too is available free from government-mandated annual reports or apps like Credit Karma. The alerts can become so frequent they start feeling meaningless. At that point, it’s more noise than security. If you’re not actively using the tools, it’s worth reconsidering the cost, according to Neal O’Farrell of CNET.
7. Online Learning Platforms
Sites like MasterClass, Coursera, and Skillshare sell inspiration and self-improvement. And they deliver—if you actually use them. But many subscribers watch a few videos and never return. A 2021 study found that over 85% of enrollees in online courses don’t finish them.
The platforms often bill annually, which makes it even easier to forget. You promise yourself you’ll dive in “next month,” but life has other plans. Meanwhile, that charge hits your card year after year. Knowledge may be power, but only if you actually click “play.”
8. Audiobook Subscriptions
Services like Audible have a loyal fanbase, but many users build up unused credits month after month. If you’re not commuting regularly or just not in an audiobook groove, those titles sit unredeemed. Audible in particular uses a monthly credit system, which sounds like a deal—until you’re stockpiling more than you’ll ever listen to. Yet people hesitate to cancel because they think they’ll catch up eventually.
What often happens is the subscription becomes guilt-inducing instead of enjoyable. And since books can be purchased outright or borrowed digitally for free from libraries, it’s not always cost-effective. But that monthly ding becomes easy to ignore. Especially when canceling means giving up future “potential listening time.”
9. Box Subscriptions (e.g., Beauty, Pet, or Snack Boxes)
Subscription boxes are fun at first—who doesn’t love a surprise in the mail? But the novelty fades fast, and soon you’re getting products you don’t use, don’t need, or already have. Think unused skincare samples, pet toys your dog ignores, or international snacks that go stale. Yet the boxes keep coming because canceling takes effort.
Many people keep them out of habit, thinking they’re getting a deal. But often, the value of what’s inside doesn’t match the monthly price. Worse, it adds clutter to your home. If your reaction is “meh” when the box arrives, it might be time to unsubscribe.
10. Mobile App Subscriptions
It’s incredibly easy to subscribe to an app—sometimes you do it by accident. Whether it’s a meditation app, workout planner, or photo editor, many users stop engaging within weeks. Apple and Google make it possible to manage subscriptions, but they also bury the settings a bit. And unless you get a billing reminder, it’s easy to forget.
Many apps default to annual renewals, so you don’t even see the charge often. By the time it comes around, you barely remember what the app did. And that one-time download now costs you $30 to $70 a year. That’s a steep price for something that’s just taking up storage.
11. Credit Monitoring or Score Tracker Apps
Credit tracking apps seem essential at first, especially when applying for loans or improving your score. But after the initial boost, most people rarely open the app again. There are free alternatives—Experian, Credit Karma, and others provide score tracking without a fee. Yet some users still pay monthly premiums for “advanced” alerts they never check.
These services often bundle features like “dark web scanning” to justify their costs. But unless you’re actively reviewing the data, those extras are just window dressing. Most changes to your score can be monitored passively and don’t need a paid tier. In most cases, you’re paying for reassurance, not results.
12. Legacy Newspaper Subscriptions
It’s easy to forget about that old digital subscription to The New York Times or The Washington Post. You signed up to read one article behind a paywall, and the billing quietly continued. Many users rarely revisit the site or rely on free news aggregators instead. But legacy media still pulls in millions in subscription revenue each year from these passive accounts.
The content is great—if you read it. But if you’re not opening the app or visiting the homepage weekly, that value disappears. News moves fast, and if you’re getting headlines from social media, you may be double-dipping. Canceling doesn’t mean you’re uninformed—it just means you’re being mindful.
