If you’ve signed up for a subscription, then totally forgotten about it, you’re not alone. 

But those sneaky ‘zombie subscriptions’ can quietly drain your wallet - whether it’s the ones you totally forgot about, the ones you thought you cancelled, or the free trials that morphed into paid plans without you noticing. But don’t worry, we’ve got a plan of attack.

The subscription explosion

Subscriptions have taken over. Instead of buying albums, we stream on Spotify. DVDs? Gone—hello Netflix, Neon, Disney+, Prime. You can even subscribe to receive regular avocados in the post!

It’s convenient and flexible, and businesses love it too. There is nothing like a predictable, recurring income stream, less physical stock, and loads of juicy information from purchasers to use to personalise their buying experience.

But while signing up is easy, cancelling can be much harder, and that’s how zombies thrive.

Your anti-zombie battle plan

1. Seek and destroy

Do a subscription audit. List every subscription and its renewal date. Comb through your bank statements - you’ll probably find a few you forgot about. Then use a spreadsheet to keep track of them and update it whenever you sign up for something new or cancel one.

Hot tip: Check Google Play, iOS settings, or search your inbox for ‘subscription’, ‘receipt’, or ‘renewal’ to help dig them out.

2. Sort the survivors

Ask: Do I use this subscription enough to justify it? If not, pause or cancel. Sometimes a pause helps you assess whether you really do need it.

3. Hunt for free or cheaper alternatives

Do you really need the premium version? Could a free or open-source option do the job?

4. Set renewal reminders

Before each auto-renewal, reassess. Has the price jumped? Still worth it?

5. Think before you click

Don’t hit ‘Buy Now’ for a subscription on impulse. Wait 24 hours and then look at it again. And only commit to annual plans if you’re sure you’ll use them.

6. Beware the ‘roach hotels’

Some sites make signing up easy, but escaping a nightmare. These ‘dark patterns’ (website design tactics that aim to deceive or mislead shoppers) can trap you in a confusing cancellation maze.

Consumer NZ found that 1 in 3 Kiwis spend more than intended online because of dark pattern tricks in general (there are all sorts), and nearly 1 in 4 keep subscriptions longer than they want.

“The implications are huge. It would be conservative to say that dark patterns cost New Zealanders millions. Unfortunately, these tactics often fall into a legal grey area –exposing a major regulatory gap,” says Chris Schulz, Consumer NZ’s senior investigative journalist.

Go zombie-free for the New Year
Start your audit now. Stay on top of your subscriptions and avoid ‘subscription fatigue’ to keep your financial lifeblood intact.

Written by: Sonia Speedy