🔍 30-Second Test

Open your credit card statement. Count the software charges. Now name what each one does without looking.

Couldn't name them all? You're wasting money.

The Shocking Average

I audited 50 small businesses last year. Here's what I found:

Average number of software subscriptions: 23
Average actually used regularly: 11
Average monthly waste: $847
Worst case I found: $3,200/month in unused tools

The Usual Suspects

1. The "Premium Plan" Scam

You're paying for:

Unlimited team members (you have 3)
Advanced analytics (you check monthly)
API access (you don't know what that is)
Priority support (you've never called)

Average waste: $200/month per "premium" plan

2. The Zombie Subscriptions

Still paying for:

That social media tool from 2019
The project management app nobody liked
The email verifier you used once
The "AI writer" that writes garbage

Average waste: $347/month in forgotten tools

3. The Duplicate Features

Paying twice for:

Email marketing (in 3 different tools)
Analytics (Google + 4 others)
Social posting (manual + 2 schedulers)
Customer chat (website + Facebook + WhatsApp)

Average waste: $300/month in overlaps

Your 10-Minute Audit Checklist

Step 1: The Credit Card Sweep (3 minutes)

Export last 3 months of charges
Search for these keywords: "subscription", "monthly", "recurring"
Highlight every software charge
Total them up (prepare to be shocked)

Step 2: The Usage Test (5 minutes)

For each subscription, answer:

When did I last log in? (Check browser history)
What specific feature do I use?
Could something else do this?
If it disappeared tomorrow, would I notice?

Can't answer? Cancel it.

Step 3: The Downgrade Dance (2 minutes)

For keepers, check if you can:

Drop to a lower plan
Switch to annual (usually 20% off)
Remove unused seats/users
Turn off add-ons

Real Examples From Real Businesses

Bakery in Illinois:

Paying $199/month for "advanced" POS features. Only used basic sales. Saved $150/month downgrading.

Online Boutique:

Had 5 email tools. Picked one. Saved $425/month.

Consulting Firm:

Paying for 25 Zoom licenses. Had 8 employees. Saved $300/month.

The "Must Keep" List

After auditing hundreds of businesses, these are the only subscriptions most actually need:

✅ Your e-commerce platform (Shopify/WooCommerce)
✅ Email marketing (just ONE)
✅ Accounting software
✅ Payment processing
✅ Google Workspace or Office 365
✅ One analytics tool
✅ Inventory management (if applicable)

Everything else? Probably waste.

The Instant Wins

Cancel these right now (nobody needs them):

🗑️ Stock photo subscriptions (use Unsplash free)
🗑️ Multiple analytics tools (Google Analytics is free)
🗑️ Social media "growth" tools (they don't work)
🗑️ SEO tools under $100/month (all garbage)
🗑️ Website monitoring beyond basic (overkill)

Your Savings Calculator

Number of subscriptions: _____ × $35 average = $_____/month wasted

Multiply by 12 = $______/year back in your pocket

Want a Professional Software Audit?

I'll review all your subscriptions, find the waste, negotiate better rates, and set up a system to prevent future bloat. Average client saves $1,200/month.

Book Software Audit ($297)See All Quick Fixes

Start Saving in 10 Minutes:

1. Open your credit card statement
2. List all software charges
3. Cancel anything you haven't used in 30 days
4. Downgrade everything else
5. Set calendar reminder to audit quarterly

Average savings from this 10-minute exercise: $847/month

Stop Paying for Features You Don't Use