renewal dates

We all get emails letting us know our various subscriptions will soon renew. Do we even have such subscriptions? Must we renew them? 

Here's how I avoid uncertainty: when I first subscribe to a service, I make a note (company, amount) on my calendar on or before the date the term will be up. The next year when I get a renewal notice, I match it to the calendar note. Not only does that remind me the renewal is legit, it tells me if the price has changed, and prompts me to decide whether I still want that service. 

I offer the same advice for trial subscriptions. If you give a credit card in order to take advantage of a trial period, you can be sure your credit card will be charged if you don’t cancel your subscription in time. Make a note of that date as well. 

If you haven’t made such a note, you can always sign in to that company's website and look for “purchases," “payment history” or “subscriptions” to see when and what you've paid in the past. Then put a note on your calendar!