Is it worth it? The essential applications against money loss

Seeing charges for a streaming service you even forgot to subscribe to is a particular frustration.

This is unavoidable if you sign up for free trials but never set a reminder to cancel before being charged. Here are the simple steps to prevent this from happening again.

Sure, a side hustle can help you pay for Netflix, Spotify, and everything in between. Got a bunch of treasures lying around that you know you should sell? We’ve put together a comprehensive guide to starting your own online reselling business.

Bringing cash is fine, but stop spending so much on app subscriptions. Here’s how.

I CHECKED THE CREEPY PEOPLE SEARCH SITES, AND YOU CAN TOO

What is your money worth?

The short answer: It depends on what matters to you. Do you hate watching or listening to commercials? Do you value your privacy enough to pay a premium? Do you have a job or hobby that requires specialized software?

Here is a quick list to get you thinking. Not all are suitable for everyone, and you may decide not to pay for apps.

• Music, streaming and entertainment: I pay for Apple Music because I like the variety of genres. You might need a few streaming services to watch your shows, and even YouTube might be worth it if you don’t want to watch ads.
• Creative tools and software: Often needed for editing videos or photos, creating digital works, editing grammar for professional writing, etc.
• Security applications and utilities: You may need to pay for antivirus software, VPN, password manager or others.
• Productivity: Task managers, calendar apps, project management tools, and similar apps fall into this category.
• Health and fitness: Depending on your lifestyle and goals, it may be worth paying for a specialized fitness, meditation, or nutrition app.
• Education and learning: Language courses, professional and personal development and the like often cost after a free trial.

Ultimately, it depends on the quality of the app, the value it adds to your life, and your preferences. There’s almost always a free version of the app you want.

Free tech intelligence in your inbox: My daily emails are trusted by 400,000 people. I bet this will be your favorite read of the day.

What is not worth it?

It’s also subjective, but a few rules apply to almost everyone.

• Don’t pay for a third-party app if your phone already has a built-in feature. The caveat is that the paid app does this in a better way than it’s worth it for you. But a paying flashlight, a QR code or a PDF reader? Certainly not.
• File and storage managers are often garbage that just consumes more space. The Google Files app is excellent for cleaning up junk files on an Android, and Apple does it automatically.
• Paying for a few versions of similar software is a waste of money.
• Don’t jump on the bandwagon and pay for any viral app that everyone is using to make AI photos or whatever.
• Paying for an app you never use? Give yourself a week. If you still don’t open it, cancel. You can always re-register.

DO YOU HAVE A SPY ON YOUR PHONE? TAKE ACTION NOW!

How to find all the apps you pay for

To check the subscriptions you pay for in the Apple App Store:

• Open the Settings appthen touch your name.
• Faucet Subscriptions > Choose the subscription you want.
• Faucet unsubscribe. (You may need to scroll down.) If there is no cancel button, the subscription is already canceled.

How to find your paid subscriptions for Android:

• Open the Settings app > Google.
• Select Manage your Google Account.
• At the top, tap Payments and subscriptions.
• Faucet Manage subscriptions. Click on an item to see more details and cancel.

iPhone app. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Find everything you pay for

It’s also worth checking your bank statements for unusual or common charges that you don’t recognize. You may identify a Hulu or Netflix subscription or a few app purchases that you forgot.

You can get bank statements from your online banking portal, and it’s a good idea to check them at least once a month. Print your statements and review the charges line by line. If you find something you want to cancel, contact the company immediately to close the account. Otherwise, you may end up paying for another month of unnecessary services due to your account cancellation policy.

Also quickly check your email. It’s common for current purchase receipts to arrive in your inbox, and they don’t always appear in your main email folder either. You should also check your spam or trash folders.

An app can do it for you

Sounds like too much work? For a commission fee, some companies will handle the whole process for you. I used Rocket Money, a podcast sponsor, and saved about $450 in about 5 minutes. (They didn’t pay me to include them here.)

Photo of a person accessing their Netflix account after the subscription service cracked down on password sharing. (FoxNews)

Keep your technological know-how

My popular podcast is called “Kim Komando Today”. It’s a solid 30 minutes of tech news, tips, and callers with tech questions like you from across the country. Look for it wherever you get your podcasts. For your convenience, click the link below for a recent episode.

PODCAST CHOICE: Plane crash for YouTube views, VR headset and Apple laptop expiration dates

Also, is your information safe with Amazon Clinic? I tell you why it is forbidden to privacy. In addition, I give my advice to a real estate agent who is facing an influx of unwanted calls. A sneaky USPS jobs scam, big dreams for Zuck’s dead metaverse, and five ways to spot legitimate-looking scam websites.

Check out my “Kim Komando Today” podcast on Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast player.

Listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for my last name, “Komando”.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Sound like a tech pro, even if you’re not! Popular award-winning host Kim Komando is your secret weapon. Listen to over 425 radio stations or get the podcast. And join over 400,000 people who receive his free daily 5-minute email newsletter.