At the moment you start any trial, introductory rate, or auto-renewing contract, put a reminder in your calendar a few days before it renews, with the cancellation link and the price it will jump to, because the business model counts on you forgetting.

How to do it

1. 1Do it before you close the sign-up tab. The intention to "remember later" is the thing that fails.
2. 2Set the reminder two to three days before the renewal or the end of the notice period, not on the day, and add a second one the day before. Check the terms: some contracts require notice 30 days or more ahead.
3. 3Put everything you will need into the reminder: the service name, the renewal price, the account email, and the direct link or phone number for cancelling.
4. 4Write the decision rule in advance: "cancel unless I used it at least four times this month". You will be deciding on evidence, not on a vague feeling that you might use it.
5. 5If the service allows it, turn off auto-renewal immediately after signing up. Many trials continue to the end date anyway.
6. 6Once a year, search your email and card statements for "renewal", "receipt", and "subscription" and calendar anything you missed.

When to use it

• •Free trials, introductory pricing, and "first three months half price" offers.
• •Annual renewals of insurance, software, domains, memberships, and warranties, where the renewal price is often higher than a new customer would pay.
• •Gym and club contracts with notice periods.
• •Any agreement with a deadline for disputing, returning, or opting out.

Counters

Evidence and how strong it is

DellaVigna & Malmendier (2006) analysed records from US health clubs and found that members on monthly contracts paid substantially more per visit than the pay-per-visit price, and let an average of more than two months pass between their last visit and cancelling; people are overconfident about both their future use and their future attention. Einav, Klopack & Mahoney (2023) found that subscription cancellations jump when a card replacement forces an active choice, implying many renewals are unattended. On the remedy, Karlan et al. (2016) showed in field experiments in three countries that simple reminders increased follow-through on savings commitments, and Gollwitzer (1999) reviews evidence that specific when-and-where plans are enacted far more reliably than intentions. Evidence strength: good observational and field-experimental evidence for the problem and for reminders and plans in general; calendar reminders for subscription cancellation specifically have not been trialled.

1. DellaVigna, S., & Malmendier, U. (2006). Paying Not to Go to the Gym. American Economic Review, 96(3), 694-719
   Evidence that gym members overpay relative to usage and delay cancelling for months, consistent with overconfidence about future behaviour.
2. Einav, L., Klopack, B., & Mahoney, N. (2023). Selling Subscriptions. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper
   Evidence that a large share of subscription renewals continue through inattention.
3. Karlan, D., McConnell, M., Mullainathan, S., & Zinman, J. (2016). Getting to the Top of Mind: How Reminders Increase Saving. Management Science, 62(12), 3393-3411
   Field experiments showing that simple reminders increase follow-through on intended actions.
4. Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation Intentions: Strong Effects of Simple Plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493-503
   Review showing that specific if-then plans are carried out more reliably than general intentions.