Beyond Subscriptions: 5 Other Recurring Bills You Should Be Tracking

At SubBuddy, we're obsessed with helping you manage your digital subscriptions. But the truth is, the same “set it and forget it” danger that applies to your streaming services also applies to much larger, more significant recurring expenses. True financial control comes from having a complete picture of where your money goes every month.

While you can already track these in SubBuddy (just add them under the 'Utilities' or 'Other' category!), shining a light on them is the first step. Here are five of the most common recurring bills you should start tracking today.

1. Insurance Premiums (Car, Home, Health)

Insurance is the ultimate “set it and forget it” expense. You need it, you pay for it, and you probably don't think about it until you have to make a claim. However, loyalty rarely pays off in the insurance world. Your rate can creep up year after year, and competitors are always offering introductory deals.

Actionable Tip: One month before your insurance policies are set to renew, add a reminder to your calendar. Spend one hour shopping for quotes from at least three other providers. You could save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars a year.

2. Household Utilities (Internet, Mobile Phone)

How long have you been with your current internet or mobile phone provider? If it's been more than two years, you are likely overpaying. Companies offer the best deals to new customers, while long-term clients often get stuck on outdated, more expensive plans.

Tracking these bills helps you notice price hikes and reminds you to periodically check for better offers. A quick call to your provider to ask about new plans or mention a competitor's offer can often result in a lower bill.

Actionable Tip: Review your internet and phone bills once every six months. Check your provider's website for new customer deals and use that information to negotiate a better rate for yourself.

3. Loan & Debt Repayments

This category includes your mortgage/rent, car loan, student loans, and credit card payments. While some of these (like rent) are fixed, others (like credit cards) can vary. More importantly, tracking them isn't just about knowing the payment amount—it's about strategy.

When you see all your debts in one place, you can make smarter decisions. For example, you might realize that making an extra payment on your highest-interest loan is a better use of your money than overpaying a lower-interest one. It provides clarity on your path to becoming debt-free.

Actionable Tip: Add your major loans to SubBuddy. Use the 'Notes' feature to record the interest rate for each one. This will help you prioritize which debts to pay off first.

4. Annual Memberships & Fees

These are the cousins of monthly subscriptions. Think Amazon Prime, warehouse club memberships (Costco, Sam's Club), and credit card annual fees. Because they only charge you once a year, they are incredibly easy to forget about until the charge hits your account.

Do you still get enough value from that warehouse membership to justify the fee? Is the rewards program on your credit card worth the annual cost? Tracking these forces you to ask these important questions *before* you're charged.

Actionable Tip: When you sign up for any service with an annual fee, immediately add it to your SubBuddy calendar with a renewal date set for one year away. This way, you'll get a reminder and can evaluate if it's worth keeping.

5. Home & Local Services

This category covers recurring services like lawn care, pest control, gym memberships, and home security systems. These services often become part of the background noise of our monthly budget, but their costs can be surprisingly flexible.

Are you using that gym membership enough to justify the cost? Could you switch to a cheaper pest control service? Sometimes, a simple phone call to ask about current promotions is all it takes to lower your monthly payment.

Actionable Tip: Pick one local service you pay for. Call them and ask, "I'm reviewing my budget and wanted to see if I'm on the best possible rate." You might be surprised by the result.

Bringing It All Together in SubBuddy

The power of SubBuddy is in centralization. By adding these larger, non-digital bills alongside your regular subscriptions, you create a single, powerful dashboard for your entire recurring financial life. This complete view is what allows you to move from simply tracking expenses to actively optimizing them.

So, open up your dashboard today. Pick one bill from this list and add it. It's the first step toward gaining total control over your money.