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WEB-BASED SERVICE CANCELS UNWANTED SUBSCRIPTIONS TRIM IS NOT AN APP, but the website’s creators say it can track your spending; monitor and cancel your unwanted subscriptions; and negotiate
to lower your bills, including cable, phone, internet and even medical bills. Bank and medical bill negotiation isn’t available in Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, the District of Columbia,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont. You do have to link Trim to your bank account. If you want Trim to negotiate your cable, internet, landline phone or wireless bills, you’ll have to
associate those accounts as well. Trim analyzes your spending and tracks recurring charges. It will send you a message asking if you would like to cancel. COST: Mostly free. Trim keeps 15
percent of the first-year savings on any bill it negotiates, so if Trim reduces your cable bill to $100 from $150 a month, for example, the company will charge you $90 up front — $7.50 a
month x 12 months — but you’ll save $42.50 a month, for a total of $510 for the year. AN APP WITH A SEVEN-DAY FREE TRIAL TRUEBILL BUDGET AND BILL TRACKER says its “mission is to empower
people to live their best financial lives,” saving its 3.4 million customers more than $245 million. The app — available for both Apple and Android devices — will help you budget, manage
subscriptions, negotiate savings on bills and track your spending. You have to link your bank and credit card accounts. COST: Truebill is free to download, with a caveat: You get a seven-day
free trial. But when signing up, you’ll be asked to “pay what you think is fair” each month, either $7, $8 or $9. The request comes after you link your bank account and credit card
accounts, which some may find off-putting. WHAT’S BEST FOR YOU? Which service should you choose? C+R Research’s Blum says the answer will vary. “It’s going to depend on who the person is,”
she says. “There are [services] like Bobby, for example, that have some fun kind of game play. That’s probably very appealing to younger consumers. Older consumers might appreciate something
like Truebill or Trim, which feel a bit more traditional.” A LOWER-TECH ALTERNATIVE: If you like spreadsheets, type as much detail as you desire about your recurring subscriptions,
including once-a-year charges, into a blank document along with the due dates. Remember to add new listings as needed. Set a calendar reminder several days before each due date so you can
get the most out of your purchases before you think about canceling. Some services will stop on the day you notify them without allowing a refund, even if you’ve paid in advance.
