Hello everyone! I'm Rei, an official Notion ambassador.
Suddenly, if someone were to ask you, "How much do you spend on subscriptions each month?" would you be able to answer immediately?
This time, I'll be introducing a method to manage your subscriptions using Notion!
I also wasn't entirely sure how much I was spending on subscriptions each month, but after creating a page in Notion to manage them, I was able to organize and review my subscriptions!
Some of you may already be feeling a bit of pain (laughs), but for those people, this is a highly recommended way to use Notion.
This time, I'll be explaining this template in detail, so please read to the end!
🎬 Director：Rei
✍🏻 Writer：Minokurumi
Why I organized my subscriptions in Notion.
Despite appearances, I'm actually quite careless and not very good at managing money.
So, previously, I thought, "Where is all this money going each month?" and tried to calculate my "outgoing money" for a month.
That's when I realized, "Oh, I'm spending more on subscriptions than I thought..." In fact, I was shocked to find that I was spending twice the amount I vaguely thought I was spending each month. (laughs)
Each subscription isn't that expensive, so it's surprisingly easy to sign up for them... and it's a bit difficult to keep track of what you're subscribed to.
Naturally, since each payment is debited separately and on different dates, the total amount is also hard to grasp.
So, when I created the page I'm introducing this time, it was very helpful not only for managing subscriptions but also for organizing and reviewing them.
📍
2. It's easy to review and organize by category.
3. It raises the bar for subscribing to new services.
I'll explain why Notion is recommended for subscription management later in this article.
How to manage subscriptions in Notion.
Now, I'll introduce the detailed contents of the subscription management page that I'm distributing this time, and how I actually organize my subscriptions.
1. List all your registered subscriptions.
First, let's list all the subscriptions you are currently registered for in the "Current Subscriptions" list.
Once you've listed them, select a genre such as "Music" or "Video" and enter the monthly fee. (Annual payments are also converted to monthly for clarity.)
As you enter the monthly fees, the total amount will appear at the bottom. This amount represents the total you spend on subscriptions each month.
Subscriptions are often inexpensive individually, so it's easy to sign up for them without much thought. But when you recalculate them like this, aren't you surprised by how much you actually pay each month?
After this, I'll also introduce a method to review your subscriptions using this table, so please try it out.
In addition to genre and amount, I've also added fields for these items:
- Payment method (card, direct debit, etc.)
- Payment card
- Payment bank
- Payment date
- Website
By taking this opportunity to organize your potentially confusing payment methods and sources of funds, you might be able to simplify your finances.
2. Review subscriptions by genre.
After listing your subscriptions, move to the "By Genre" tab.
There, your registered subscriptions will be displayed by genre, such as "Music" or "Video," which you selected earlier.
In this tab, let's review the subscriptions registered in each genre.
The advantage of reviewing by genre is that you can quickly see overlapping apps within that genre, making it easier to organize.
For example, if we look at the subscriptions registered in the image above, we might notice:
- There are three video subscriptions. Can't I reduce it by one?
- There are two photo editing apps, but can't I consolidate them into one?
Don't these thoughts give you a hint for organizing?
If you find an app here that you think you might not need, then your review was a great success.
3. Cancel unused subscriptions.
If you find an app that you think you might not need, go ahead and cancel it.
For cancelled items, uncheck the "Continuing" checkbox, and that item will automatically move to the "Cancelled Subscriptions" list.
It's also a good idea to make a note in the memo field about "why you canceled it" or similar, which makes it easier to look back on later.
What's convenient about using Notion.
Finally, I'll reiterate the benefits of managing subscriptions with Notion.
1. You can stop wasting money on subscriptions.
Above all, this is the main point. (laughs)
Organizing subscriptions can be a tedious task, and you might not always find the time to do it. When you finally get around to listing your subscriptions, you might be surprised at how much you've been spending each month.
By constantly managing what you pay for in Notion, you can avoid such surprises and eliminate wasteful spending on "unnecessary subscriptions."
Also, since you can review them anytime you want, it's recommended to set your own review timings, such as "once a year" or "when subscribing to a new service," and review them regularly.
2. It's easy to review and organize by category.
Even if you want to reduce your subscriptions, it can be difficult to cancel them, thinking, "This one has its merits too..."
When subscriptions are listed by genre, apps with overlapping functions or multiple apps in one genre become clear at a glance.
By organizing by genre, you can carefully select apps and likely reduce them to the bare minimum.
3. It raises the bar for subscribing to new services.
While this might sound like a slight drawback, isn't it actually a benefit when it comes to reducing unnecessary spending?
Once you've carefully selected your subscriptions, a feeling of "I don't want to add any more..." is sure to emerge.
Then, when you consider subscribing to a new service, you'll likely think more deeply: "Is it really necessary?" "Can another app serve the same purpose?" "Is this more necessary than the app I just canceled?"
Summary
That concludes the introduction to how to manage your subscriptions with Notion! How was it?
Please take this opportunity to organize your accumulating subscriptions!
Here's "Todotion," the ultimate task management template achievable with Notion!
The 2-hour "Notion Master Course" to learn Notion from scratch with videos is now available!
The book "Notion Life Hacks," which introduces 36 ways to use Notion, is also on sale now!
