If you’re like me, you’ve probably noticed just how much subscriptions have crept into everyday life. While reading a question in
Thread 151957, I looked up the word “route” and ended up on the Macquarie Dictionary site — only to find that you can’t even do a basic word search without paying $99/year. I instantly regretted decluttering our old hard-copy dictionary, thinking this was freely available online!
Earlier this year, when I was injured, I tried to download a few free games on my phone — and found that nothing except Solitaire existed without paying.
Free products often mean there’s little investment behind them and limited real value. By contrast, quality products that come with a cost usually reflect a business that invests in their product, their people, and their operations — ensuring it remains reliable, accurate, and viable over the long term.
It appears that thoughts on how we purchase have changed too - these days there is a growing trend to hesitate at a one-off purchase, yet readily accept ongoing subscriptions that usually end up costing far more over time. It’s become as much psychological as financial. But the subscription-only mindset is now unavoidable, and it’s changed how people perceive value.
Let’s run a little social experiment — and it would really help if you also note your generational group when replying (e.g., Baby Boomer, Gen X, Millennial, Gen Y, Gen Z). I have a hunch there’s a generational divide when it comes to subscriptions versus one-time purchases.
We all have necessary bills and insurance premiums for homes, vehicles, education, and utilities — but beyond that, many other subscriptions have quietly crept into daily life, and they’re increasing fast.
Questions for you:
What
services have you found that were once “free” or one-off purchases, but are now subscription-based?
Which subscriptions outside of your profession have you chosen to keep paying for — and why?
These days, common subscriptions touch almost every category: Games, News, Audiobooks, Dictionaries, Music, Streaming
TV/Video, Cloud Storage, Software Tools, StarLink, Spot Tracker, AllTrails, TrailForks, Image/Video Editing (CapCut, Canva), Social Media Management (Sprout Social, Buzzsprout), Health/Fitness apps, ChatGPT/AI, LinkedIn, Google Workspace/Microsoft 365, Adblockers, Antivirus, Password Managers — plus gym memberships, meal kits, UberOne, and many more.
Keen to hear your thoughts!
Michelle