How to track subscriptions
Subscriptions are the silent budget killers — small amounts that add up to hundreds per month because you set them and forget them. Here’s how to track and manage them in Aspire.
Setting up a subscriptions category
On the Configuration tab, create a category:
- Name: “Subscriptions” (or split into “Software Subscriptions” and “Entertainment Subscriptions” if you want more granularity)
- Type: ✧ Reportable
- Monthly Amount: The total of all your active subscriptions
Finding all your subscriptions
Most people undercount their subscriptions. To find them all:
- Check your bank and credit card statements — search for recurring charges over the last 3 months
- Check your email — search for “receipt,” “renewal,” “subscription,” or “billing”
- Review app store subscriptions — iOS: Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. Android: Play Store → Payments & subscriptions
- Common ones people forget: cloud storage, password managers, domain renewals, gym memberships, annual SaaS tools, streaming services (music, video, audiobooks), news sites, meal kit services
Make a list with the name, amount, and billing frequency for each.
Logging subscriptions as they hit
When a subscription charge appears:
| Column | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Date | Date charged |
| Outflow | The charge amount. Leave Inflow blank. |
| Memo | Service name — “Netflix,” “Spotify,” “iCloud,” etc. |
| Account | Account or card it was charged to |
| Category | Subscriptions |
Calculating your Monthly Amount
Add up all subscriptions, converting non-monthly ones:
- Monthly: use the amount directly ($15.99)
- Quarterly: divide by 3 ($30/quarter = $10/month)
- Annual: divide by 12 ($120/year = $10/month)
Total them up and set that as your Monthly Amount. For annual subscriptions, you’re essentially using the category as a sinking fund — saving monthly so the money is there when the annual charge hits.
The annual subscription audit
Once a year (your annual budget review is a great time), do a subscription audit:
- Pull up your Spending Reports for the “Subscriptions” category
- List every subscription you paid for this year
- For each one, ask: Did I use this in the last 30 days? If not, cancel it or downgrade to free.
- Calculate how much you’d save by cutting unused subscriptions
- Update your Monthly Amount to reflect the new total
Most people find $20–$100/month in subscriptions they’re not actively using.
Alternative: One category per subscription
Some people prefer a separate category for each subscription (or at least for expensive ones):
- “Netflix” — $22.99/month
- “Gym” — $50/month
- “Adobe” — $55/month
- “Everything else” — $40/month
This gives you more granular control and makes it obvious in reports what each subscription costs. But it adds more categories to manage. Use your judgment based on how many subscriptions you have and how much you care about tracking them individually.
Tips
- Set a calendar reminder for annual subscription renewals 1 week before they hit. This gives you time to cancel or downgrade if you’ve stopped using the service.
- Use memos consistently. “Spotify” every month makes it easy to search your transaction history and see exactly how much you’ve spent on any service over time.
- Free trials: Log them in your calendar so you remember to cancel before the paid period starts.
- Shared subscriptions: If you split a service with someone (family Spotify, shared streaming), log only your portion.