An Adversion to Subscriptions

[That Jekka Gal]

Including but not limited to anything that requires one to enter one’s credit card details for a free month’s trial.


Did just that yesterday to an medication app and no sooner had I entered my details and clicked submit, Woosh- 50 pounds gone from my account.

Then, of course, no channel of communication to get my money back.

Eventually I did get a reply to a Tweet & I’ve been promised a refund but will take up to 10 days.

 

[That Jekka Gal]

Yes and also anything that doesn’t offer an easy route to cancellation.

Had a torrid time ridding myself free of the tentacles of Talk Talk a couple of years ago.

They just kept billing me even though I had cancelled my subscription.

And, get this (didn’t realise this before) even if you cancel your DD, it seems these ******** have the power to reinstate it

These days I never ever do anything which involves "free trial" but have to enter payment details unless I'm actually planning on paying anyhow and try to avoid paying for anything online that I can't use PayPal or similar for.

,

 

[That Jekka Gal]

Thing I find annoying is when I actually really just want to buy something, like I'm happy to hand over some cash, right now, to buy a product..... but I'm forced into a subscription. Does my head in.

Yes, exactly.

I've been given a new iPhone & I thought I would resurrect my old iTunes account. While I can still listen to tracks I've already purchased, it seems I can't purchase any new music without a subscription that will automatically bill my cellphone account every month (which I don't actually pay, so it's a non starter).

Why oh why can't I just buy an album and download it just like I used to be able to do in the days of my iPod?

 

[That Jekka Gal]

Firstly its an aversion and secondly, no, because if I don't want to subscribe to something I just don't subscribe. Most things are going subscription. Its expensive to run services and a steady income stream for service providers is the only way to run these things.

Yes, I know how to spell aversion. It was just a fat fingered typo & I can't edit the thread title

 

[That Jekka Gal]

Revolut has 1 time use cards for just this scenario. Don't load any cash onto it, use the card to sign up. If they try and take money there's nothing there for them to take.

Hmmm.......inneresting.

Will have to check if Wise offer this

 

[That Jekka Gal]

There are a lot of subscription services now but they have always been about. There are just more things now... My grandparents post war had most of their home appliances on rental until they had the financial footing to buy their own. Shops did layaway for big purchases, Christmas savings fund etc. Online subscriptions are 99% luxuries you do not need

Yes, but back then you'd have paid in cash every month.

My grumble is that once you've sigend up some of these providers attach themselves to you like a leach as did Talk Talk as I explained in my previous post.

Though unavoidable these days, I also have a stron aversion to direct debits. Yes, they largely work and are often a more economical way to pay but on a couple of occasions recently I've been stung.

Once by the council who overcharged my council tax by £200 - and in this case, the sods wouldn't even give me a refund, they just said they could only credit my account. If I'd been on the breadline, I'd have had serious cashflow problems that month.

Another time I was overcharged massively by British Gas but I don't even want to think about that.

I guess I just don't like 3rd parties having control of my money - even the use of credit cards isn't without risk -- I've had mine skimmed twice during the last 3 months.

I am more and more reverting to the use of cash wherever possible. Only risk there is that I drop it in the street or something, but that's on me.

As the saying goes, use it or lose it.