Review your subscriptions before they renew

"First month free!"

Sounds like a great deal, right? That's exactly what companies are hoping you'll think. Free trials are designed to get you hooked, with the hope that you'll forget to cancel before the trial ends. 

 

You sign up for a writing assistant just to quickly edit a final paper, a music platform to listen to a new podcast or a streaming service so you don’t have to deal with ads while watching videos. At the time, each one feels like a small, reasonable expense.

Then school gets busier or maybe school ends for the summer and you forget about those subscriptions, still quietly charging your account.

Before you subscribe again, check:

• Recurring charges in your banking app.
• Streaming services you barely use.
• Free trials you forgot to cancel.
• Whether you're eligible for a student discount before paying full price.
• The Ontario Tech Software Portal to see if you already have access to the software.

Subscriptions can make life easier, but only if they're still working for you. Take a few minutes to review what you're paying for and make sure every subscription is one you actually want to keep.

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