this post was submitted on 20 Nov 2023
44 points (81.4% liked)

Fuck Subscriptions

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Naming and shaming all "recurring spending models" where a one-time fee (or none at all) would be appropriate and logical.

Expect use of strong language.

Follow the basic rules of lemmy.world and common sense, and try to have fun if possible.

No flamewars or attacking other users, unless they're spineless corporate shills.

Note that not all subscriptions are awful. Supporting your favorite ~~camgirl~~ creator or Lemmy server on Patreon is fine. An airbag with subscription is irl Idiocracy-level dystopian bullshit.

New community rule: Shilling for cunty corporations, their subscriptions and other anti-customer practices may result in a 1-day ban. It's so you can think about what it's like when someone can randomly decide what you can and can't use, based on some arbitrary rules. Oh what, you didn't read this fine print? You should read what you're agreeing to.

==========

Some other groovy communities for those who wish to own their products, their data and their life:

Right to Repair/Ownership

Hedges Development

Privacy

Privacy Guides

DeGoogle Yourself

F-Droid

Stallman Was Right

Some other useful links:

FreeMediaHeckYeah

Louis Rossman's YouTube channel

Look at content hosted at Big Tech without most of the nonsense:

Piped

Invidious

Nitter

Teddit

 

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[–] [email protected] 26 points 11 months ago (2 children)

I know it's the title but I dislike clickbait.

I know it’s not just me who is suddenly living life as a smooth-brained subscriber. The average consumer spends $273 per month on subscriptions, according to a 2021 poll of 2,500 by digital services firm West Monroe, which found this spending was up 15 percent from 2018. Not a single person polled knew what his actual monthly spending was.

I only spend $17.38 a month on subscriptions. But that's because I share many family plans.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

I have rent, utility bills and stuff which total about C$2250 (1650 US) a month, then add food. The only other thing I have is Amazon for C$5.64/month (4.10 US) which I'm watching closely for them to raise the price on me. Everything else I pre-pay for between 6 to 24 months and never set to autopay. I used to have Mullvad VPN but I've let it lapse these last few months for now.

Idk if the article only considers the latter (5-20 dollars a month type of) subscriptions, or if it includes the subscriptions to keep me from being hungry, jobless and homeless, hahaha...

[–] [email protected] 20 points 11 months ago

Yeah, I do, I'm spending zero. When a site pops up a 'SUBSCRIBE', I click on my site-block extension. It's like a filter for all the bogus crap out there.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

Canceled netflix when I got a 4K tv and they automatically upgraded my account to a more expensive one “with 4 lines for the whole family” even though I only ever used one. The dumbest move they could have made. I was already sailing for years yet trying to be legit with them, YT premium, and amazon prime, but that flicked the first domino. Then every company decided to be their own subscription service and I was happy to already be out. Hard to believe that the old system of paying for cable tv was cheaper.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago

Funny thing I noticed when I got into higher level IT and started purchasing.

Two different companies, both very different in business practices. BOTH hated the idea of subscriptions.

"Yo, boss, check this requisition for $30/mo."

No.

"Yo, boss, check this requisition for a onetime $3,000."

Signed having barely looked at it.

Having said that, our AWS spend is stunning. $6M/yr. for ALL our software needs. But still, they're hesitant to add more and my mission now is to dial it in.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

What is a piracy subscription?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago
[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] odium 0 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

Too expensive. I think I'll stick to ublock.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

Off to the top of my head, no, I don't. But I have a label in YNAB specifically for subscriptions. So I could find out pretty quickly

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

At the moment: ~160$ Only for stuff like Bitwarden, Tutanota, various recurring donations, my music streaming service and my high quality newspaper.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

$1/mo for a website domain (superspruce.org) $1/mo for a game subscription my friend pressured me to get. It's billed annually. I won't be renewing it.

That's it. Unless you count my motorcycle insurance.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

i am only subscribed to amazon prime (because i save on shipment) which is 9€ a month, might cancel honestly. and my family has a collective spotify subscription. i think that's reasonable.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

At least in the US, you get free shipping on orders of $25 or more on Amazon. I cancelled prime student because I found I was only using Amazon once a month to buy things and never used the other crappy prime benefits.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

I don't have any subscriptions...

Closest I have is geoguessr which I prepay with giftcards.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

This inspired me to check.

Looks like I'm spending ~$20/month.
Spotify, Motortrend, Twitch Sub.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

I do but I'm planning to cancel it before renewal.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

The only subscription I have is Spotify.

PIRACY WILL NEVER DIE