A one-evening clean-up catches the obvious subscriptions and stops. Spreading the work over four short weekly sessions catches more, because usage shows up over time and you notice which tools you really reach for. Each session takes 30 to 60 minutes. By the end you have a complete list, a decision on every tool, and a new monthly total to use as your baseline.
The figures in the example below are invented, so you can see how the worksheet ends up. Your savings depend on what you pay for today.
The plan at a glance
| Week | Goal | You end with |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Find everything | A full inventory and a total |
| 2 | Test real usage | Cancel candidates marked |
| 3 | Remove overlap, shrink plans | One tool per job, smaller tiers |
| 4 | Decide and act | Cancellations done, new baseline |
Before you start
Gather three months of card and bank statements, and search your email for receipts and renewal notices. Open a spreadsheet with these columns:
| Tool | What it does | Monthly cost | Billing cycle | Renewal date | Who uses it | Last used | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One row per tool | |||||||
Week 1: build the inventory
- List everything you pay for, including small charges, annual plans and things billed to another card.
- Convert yearly prices to a monthly figure by dividing by 12.
- Add up the total. Do not cancel anything yet.
The point of this week is to see the full picture, which is often larger than expected. If you want a method for finding hidden charges, how much are you spending on SaaS covers it step by step.
Week 2: test real usage
- For each tool, find out when you last used it. Most products show recent activity in their dashboard.
- Mark anything unused for 30 days as a cancel candidate, and anything unused for 90 days as a strong one.
- For team tools, compare the seats in use with the seats you pay for.
Week 3: find overlap and oversized plans
- Look for tools that do the same job: two note apps, two project boards, two file-storage services, or a video-calling app when another tool already includes calls.
- Pick one and move the work across.
- Check the plan on everything you keep. A smaller tier often covers what you really use.
Week 4: decide, act and set a baseline
- Mark every row keep, downgrade or cancel.
- Cancel where you signed up, save the confirmation, and note the last day of access. How to cancel unused subscriptions for good covers services that make it hard.
- Record your new monthly total. That is your baseline for future reviews.
An example (invented numbers)
An invented list for a small design business shows how the worksheet ends up.
| Tool | Monthly cost | Decision | New cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design suite | $45 | Keep | $45 |
| Project tool A | $30 | Downgrade | $12 |
| Project tool B | $20 | Cancel (overlaps A) | $0 |
| Video calls | $16 | Keep | $16 |
| Cloud storage | $10 | Keep | $10 |
| Email marketing | $39 | Downgrade | $25 |
| Stock photos | $29 | Downgrade | $19 |
| Password manager | $5 | Keep | $5 |
| Total | $194 | $132 |
The bill drops by $62, about a third (194 minus 132). The savings came from one cancelled duplicate and three smaller plans, not a dramatic overhaul.
Questions to ask about every tool
- What job does this do that nothing else I pay for already does?
- When did I last use it, and what for?
- Who else depends on it, and have I asked them?
- Is there a free or cheaper plan that covers my real usage?
- What would I lose if it disappeared tomorrow, and could I export it first?
Special cases
- Annual plans. If you are mid-term on a plan you no longer need, check the refund terms, then cancel so it does not renew. You usually keep access until the paid period ends.
- Shared logins. Find out who shares an account before you cancel. A quick message to the team avoids a surprise.
- Free trials. Add each trial to the list with its end date, not the first billing date.
- Tools you use rarely but need. Some are only used at tax time or in a yearly project. Keep them, but note why, so you do not question the same tool every quarter.
Running it with a team
If several people buy software, one person cannot see everything. Ask each team member to list the tools they pay for or use, and compare that with the company card statements. Expect to find tools only one person knows about. Give every tool a named owner, so someone decides at renewal time, and share the final list so nobody is surprised when a tool disappears.
Keeping the savings
Add every new subscription to the list on the day you sign up, with its renewal date, and set reminders about a month before annual renewals. Review the list every quarter with the same three questions: did I use it, would I miss it, is there a cheaper plan?
A spreadsheet works if you keep it up. If you would rather have reminders, YoTrackr can hold the list: import your spreadsheet as a CSV file, then set up renewal alerts. The Free plan holds up to 10 items. For other options, see the best subscription tracker apps.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I expect to save? It varies widely. People with overlapping tools and forgotten plans save the most, and people with a lean stack save less.
What should I cancel first? Anything unused for 30 days, then duplicates, then oversized plans.
Should I cancel annual plans early? Check the refund terms first. Often it is better to cancel so the plan does not renew.
How often should I repeat this? A short review every quarter is enough once the first audit is done.
Do I need a tracker for this? No. A spreadsheet is enough for the first audit. The harder part is keeping it current.
Related reading
- How Much Are You Spending on SaaS? A Step-by-Step Audit
- Managing 20+ SaaS Subscriptions: A Guide for Indie Devs
- Audit and Cancel Forgotten Streaming Subscriptions
- Help center: Add an item, every field explained
- SaaS Costs for Indian Freelancers and the Dollar Problem (2026)
- Spending analytics and savings ideas
- Reports and exports
- Saved views and smart lists
- How Small Agencies Lose Money on Forgotten Subscriptions
- 5 Signs Your Agency Needs a Shared Subscription Dashboard