CFO Corner Week 14: Wait, I'm Paying for That?

Welcome back to CFO Corner! We're at Week 14, and this one is equal parts practical and satisfying. This week Maddie is walking you through what she calls the Unsubscribe and Cancel Audit - a simple exercise to find out exactly what you're paying for every month, cut what you're not using, and reclaim money that's been quietly slipping through the cracks.

Why now?

Two reasons. First, it's spring - and spring cleaning isn't just for your closet. It's the perfect time to look at your finances and ask what you're holding onto that you don't actually need. Second, the halfway point of the year is approaching. If you set any financial goals back in

January, now - not December - is the time to course correct.

And subscriptions are one of the sneakiest budget killers out there. 

The 4-Step Audit

Step 1: Pull your bank and credit card statements Go back 60–90 days and look for recurring charges - anything that shows up every month at the same amount. Go line by line. A laptop makes this easier.

Step 2: Make a list Write down every subscription you find: the name, the cost, and whether it's billed monthly or annually. Don't skip the small ones - a $2.99 charge is still $36 a year.

Step 3: Ask yourself three questions for each one

• Have I used this in the last 30 days?

• Would I notice if it was gone?

• Could I pause or find a free version of this?

If the answer to the first two is no - that's your sign.

Step 4: Cancel, downgrade, or pause Actually do the thing. Cancel what you don't use.

Downgrade if a cheaper tier meets your needs. Some services let you pause instead of cancel, which is worth knowing for seasonal subscriptions. And a little trick: many companies will offer you a discount when you try to cancel - sometimes it's worth taking, sometimes it's not, but it never hurts to let the process play out and see what happens.

Real talk

Maddie did this audit herself a few months ago and found she'd been paying for a photo

editing app she used exactly once - for a project back in 2022.

These services are designed to be easy to sign up for and frustrating to cancel - that's not an accident. But once you do the audit, you take back control.

This Week's CFO Corner Challenge

Set aside 20–30 minutes this week and do your subscription audit. Pull your statements, make your list, ask those three questions, and cancel at least one thing. Just one - though most people find it hard to stop there.

Then take it one step further: add up everything you cancelled and put that money somewhere with a purpose. Your savings account, your emergency fund, a debt balance.

Give those dollars a job.

Send Maddie a message and let her know how much you found - she'd love to hear.

🔗 Budget Blueprint Workshop