How to Keep Track of Bills and Subscriptions (Without a Spreadsheet)

Most of us could not say, off the top of our heads, exactly what leaves our bank account each month. Council tax, energy, phone, broadband, insurance, streaming, the gym, that app you signed up to for a free trial in March. It adds up, and the dates are scattered across the month.

You do not need a complicated spreadsheet to get on top of it. Here is a simple system that takes about half an hour to set up and a few minutes a month to keep going.

Step 1: Make one list of everything that goes out

Open your banking app and scroll back through the last two or three months. Write down every regular payment you find:

• Household bills: rent or mortgage, council tax, energy, water, broadband, phone
• Insurance: home, car, pet, life, phone
• Subscriptions: streaming, music, apps, cloud storage, magazines
• Memberships: gym, clubs, charities
• Yearly payments: car tax, TV licence, Amazon Prime, software renewals

Yearly payments are the ones that catch people out, so check further back for those, or search your email for "renewal".

Step 2: Add the amount and the date

For each one, note how much it is and when it leaves your account. Group them by the time of the month: early, middle and late. You will immediately see whether lots of payments land at once, which is useful if money is tight before payday.

Step 3: Spot what you do not need

Now look at the subscriptions with fresh eyes. For each one, ask:

• Have I used this in the last month?
• Would I sign up for it again today?
• Am I paying for two things that do the same job?

Cancel anything that does not pass. Many people find at least one or two subscriptions they had forgotten about. Before cancelling, check whether there is a cheaper plan, or whether you can pause rather than cancel.

Step 4: Set reminders for the ones that matter

You do not need a reminder for every direct debit. Focus on:

• Bills you pay manually, so they are never late
• Free trials, a few days before they turn into paid subscriptions
• Yearly renewals, a couple of weeks before, so you can shop around for a better price
• Fixed deals ending, like energy, broadband or mobile contracts, so you do not roll onto an expensive standard rate

Step 5: A five-minute monthly check

Once a month, ideally just after payday, spend five minutes looking at what has been paid and what is coming up. Tick off what has gone out and check nothing has changed unexpectedly. Prices creep up, and a quick look catches it early.

This fits neatly into a wider life admin routine. Our guide to staying on top of life admin shows how to batch these jobs so they do not take over your weekend.

Why not just use a spreadsheet?

You can, and some people love them. But a spreadsheet will not remind you about anything, and it lives separately from the rest of your life. Most people set one up with good intentions and forget to open it after the second month.

A bill tracker that sits alongside your daily tasks means the reminders come to you, on the day they matter.

How Lively helps

Lively has a Finances section for your bills and subscriptions, with amounts and due dates, so you can see what is paid and what is coming up at a glance. Payments that need your attention appear in My Day alongside your other tasks, so nothing sneaks past you.

It is free on iPhone, and you can try Essentials free for 14 days.