7-Day Financial Reset – Day 1: Cancel Subscriptions You Don’t Need
Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
Written by
Senior Writer & Content Strategist 
Edited by
Managing Editor Welcome to the 7-Day Financial Reset, a weeklong challenge designed to help you start the new year off strong. We’ll guide you through one practical money task each day, so you can build habits that make your finances work better for you.
You’ve probably noticed that subscriptions are getting more expensive. Netflix, HBO Max and Disney+ all raised prices in 2025.
If you’re signed up for multiple subscriptions, that’s a solid chunk of cash you’re already committing to spend this year. The cheapest monthly plans for just those three streaming services add up to more than $350 a year. And that’s assuming the prices don’t increase again.
It’s not just movies and TV. There are subscriptions for music streaming, audiobooks, retailers, food delivery, fitness and so on. How many services are you paying for? Are they all must-haves? Probably not.
That’s why we’ve decided to make canceling unnecessary subscriptions this week’s first money challenge.
Here’s how to do it:
- Make a list of your subscriptions. Check your credit card charges to find all of the services you have and how much they cost. If you’re an Apple user, you can also manage subscriptions on your iPhone or iPad.
- Decide which services aren’t worth keeping. Maybe Netflix isn’t so appealing now that you’ve finished “Stranger Things,” or your freezer’s overflowing with steaks that you can’t use up fast enough.
- Sever those subscriptions. Log in to your online account for each membership and look for a cancel option. You can Google “cancel [service name]” to find instructions. You can also use the NerdWallet app’s subscription and bills feature to view and cancel subscriptions.
Once you’ve trimmed subscriptions, think about how you might put the money you’ll save to better use. Pay down some holiday debt. Pad your emergency fund. Start saving for something else. The choice is yours.
Come back tomorrow for the next 7-Day Financial Reset challenge.
Article sources
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary,
trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed
studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with
industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness
and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high
standards for journalism by reading our
editorial guidelines.
