The 5 Bills Middle-Class Retirees Should Cancel First — Even If It’s Begrudgingly
Written by
Jennifer Taylor
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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Living on a fixed income in retirement can be a challenge — especially in the current economy. If you’re spending more than you’d like each month, it’s time to start cutting back. To determine which bills to cancel, start by reviewing your expenses during the last quarter and establishing two main categories, intentional and unintentional, according to Kevin C. Feig, CFP, CPA/PFS, founder of Walk You to Wealth.
“Intentional spending means being aware and thoughtful about where your money is going, regardless of how it may seem to others,” he said. “Unintentional spending, on the other hand, consists of expenses that don’t provide sufficient benefit.”
He said to use your findings to eliminate unintentional spending that doesn’t add value to your lifestyle. As Feig noted, bills that might be considered frivolous to one person might be worthwhile for another. If you need a little help getting started, here’s a look at five bills retirees can consider canceling.
Wasted Memberships
If you have a membership you’re not actually using, it’s time to part ways with it. A few Feig said to consider are gym memberships, a Costco membership and subscriptions for excessive amounts of Google storage.
You may have signed up for these memberships with the best of intentions, but it’s time to be honest with yourself. If you’re not using these services, cancel them and put that money back in your pocket.
Unnecessary Food Delivery
Having restaurant fare delivered to your front door is undoubtedly amazing. However, it can add up fast. If you’ve become a bit too dependent on food delivery services, it’s time to seriously cut back — or commit to going cold-turkey.
“A client once eliminated close to $2,000 [per] month by discontinuing food delivery services like UberEats,” Feig said.
Spotify
The Spotify platform offers a wide variety of entertainment, but it adds up fast. A Spotify Premium individual membership costs $11.99 per month — which equates to about $144 per year.
Alvin Carlos, CFA, CFP, financial planner and managing partner at District Capital Management, said to cancel your premium membership and listen to podcasts at no cost through the free version of Spotify or Apple Podcast.
You can even create playlists and listen to them for free on Spotify. You’ll just have to get used to the accompanying ads.
Kindle Unlimited
If you’re an avid reader, Kindle Unlimited might be worth its $11.99 per month subscription fee. However, Carlos noted that you may have signed up for a free trial awhile ago and no longer actually use it.
Even if you do use your subscription, consider canceling it and using the Libby app instead. This allows you to use your library card to read e-books and audiobooks for free.
Premium Cable Packages
Now that you’re retired, having a premium cable package might feel like a must. However, Carlos said you can likely get your favorite news programs, sports and shows with a cheaper streaming bundle.
For example, YouTubeTV is $82.99 per month, offering a lineup of more than 100 channels. Another option, Tubi is a completely free streaming service supported by ads.
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