Family Subscriptions Audit: A Fun Activity to Teach Kids About Hidden Costs

Subscriptions are everywhere these days: TV streaming, music services, game apps, meal kits, digital art tools, wellness apps, subscription boxes, etc. UK households now spend millions on these recurring costs. But many families aren’t aware of how much the total adds up, or which subscriptions they’re paying for but seldom using.

UK-2025 Subscription Landscape: Some Key Facts

Here are up-to-date figures to show why subscription audits are relevant in the UK now:

Statistic	What it tells us
The average Brit spends £58 a month on all subscription services. finder.com	That’s nearly £700 per year — a big chunk of a family budget.
Around 79% of UK adults are signed up for at least one subscription service. finder.com	Subscriptions are now very common. Many families accumulate several without realising.
Gen Z (13-28) spends an average of £305 per month on subscription services — much higher than older generations. Visa	Younger people tend to try more services, which means families with younger members may have many hidden or underused ones.
Only about 20% of consumers expect to reduce their subscription levels over the next 12 months. Clusters	Many households feel the services are essential, even when costs increase.

Also, streaming video has reached very high penetration: 85% of UK households use at least one paid video-on-demand service, with an average of 2.5 SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand) services per household. S&P Global+1

Plus, Netflix raised its UK prices in early 2025, e.g. its standard subscription without adverts increased by about £2/month to £12.99 per month. The Guardian

These facts show that subscription costs are rising, there are many services per household, and value for money becomes very relevant.

How to Do a Family Subscriptions Audit

Here’s a fun step-by-step plan to do this with kids:

1. Gather all subscription info

   • List all the recurring payments: streaming (TV/film), music, games/apps, wellness, gym memberships, subscription boxes, food delivery kits, digital tools (like photo editing, cloud storage), etc.

   • Check bank statements, credit card apps, direct debits. Some may be “hidden” because they were signed up some time ago and forgotten.

2. Make a Chart Together

   • Use a big sheet of paper, whiteboard, or digital (spreadsheet).

   • Columns: name of service, cost per month, cost per year, how often does the family use it, who uses it, is there a free or cheaper alternative.

   • Let the child fill out some parts: which ones they use, how often, whether they think it is worth the cost.

3. Define “Usage & Value” Criteria

   • For example: Is it used weekly or daily? Is it special or “nice to have”? Could something be shared instead of having multiple accounts?

   • Could some subscriptions be paused during months when they’re not used?

4. Spot Hidden Costs

   • Free trials that rolled into paid automatically.

   • Subscriptions with overlapping content (e.g. two streaming services that have similar shows).

   • Upgrades or premium features seldom used.

   • Subscription boxes delivered when nobody wants them.

5. Decide What to Keep, Cancel, or Replace

   • Rank services by how much value they bring vs their cost.

   • Maybe cancel something the family doesn’t use much, or replace with a cheaper option.

   • Negotiate better deals, e.g. a family plan instead of individual plans.

6. Track Savings

   • Show kids how much money is saved over one month, six months, one year.

   • Use that savings for something meaningful: family treat, education resources, or saving toward a goal.

7. Make It a Regular Habit

   • Repeat this audit every 6-12 months. Subscriptions change, prices increase, usage patterns shift.

   • Use this as a teaching moment about inflation, price rises, budget adjustments.

     
     

Example: What Families Might Find

Here are some examples of findings families often uncover (these could be adapted to UK context):

• Two or more streaming services have overlapping catalogues, e.g. sharing “premium sports content” or similar movie/TV series, so both paying for same content.

• A member who subscribed to a music or game app long ago, but hasn’t used it for months.

• Subscriptions tied to devices no longer owned or used.

• Hidden “add-on” costs: extra channels, device fees, “family plan” vs “individual plan” difference.

• Price increases (e.g. Netflix did raise plan fees) that push services from “nice” to “expensive”. The Guardian

  
  

Educational Benefits for Kids

Doing an audit isn’t just about saving money — it’s about building habits and skills:

• Numeracy: working with small numbers, percentages, sums over months/years.

• Decision making: weighing cost vs benefit.

• Critical thinking: questioning assumptions ("I need that service"), comparing alternatives.

• Awareness of inflation & rising costs.

• Budgeting skills: deciding where money is best spent.

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Tips & Tools

• Use budgeting apps that identify recurring payments (some bank apps have this).

• Use shared family accounts/family plans to reduce duplicate costs.

• Explore student, family, or bundle discounts.

• For digital subscriptions, check cancellation policies (some are easy, others not).

• For younger kids, turn this into a game: e.g. “subscription detective” or “hidden cost hunt”.

Sample Audit Checklist (UK-2025 Version)

Service	£/month	£/year	Use Frequency (weekly / monthly / rare)	Value Score*	Decision
Streaming TV Service A	£12.99	~£156	Daily	High	Keep
Music streaming	£9.99	~£120	Few times/week	Medium	Maybe replace / cheaper plan
Meal kit delivery box	£30.00	~£360	Once a week	Low	Cancel / reduce frequency
Game subscription (children’s apps)	£5.99	~£72	Rarely used	Low	Cancel
Wellness / Mindfulness app	£7.99	~£95	Used daily	High	Keep

* Value Score could be 1-10 based on “how useful / how much used / joy vs cost”.

Final Thoughts

A family subscriptions audit is more than a budget-cutting exercise. It’s a way to bring transparency, teach important financial skills, and engage children in real life decision-making. In a UK where subscription services are deeply woven into daily life, and prices are rising, learning to manage them is a superpower.

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