Presidents' Day Subscription Purge: Cancel Everything You Don't Use

February 14, 2026 · 6 min read

Presidents' Day 2026 falls on Monday, February 17th. You've got a day off. Instead of doomscrolling, spend 15 minutes doing something that'll save you hundreds of dollars this year: cancel the subscriptions you're not using.

The average American pays for 12 recurring subscriptions but actively uses only 7. That's 5 services silently draining your bank account every month — totaling $200-400/year in waste.

Why Presidents' Day Is Perfect for This

Three reasons this is the ideal day to purge subscriptions:

1. You're off work — No excuses about being too busy. You have time to actually sit on hold with the companies that make canceling hard.
2. Tax season context — You're already thinking about money. You may have just done your taxes and seen how much you spent last year. Channel that energy.
3. New Year's resolution check — It's been 6 weeks since January 1st. Those "I'll use this more" promises? Time to be honest about which ones stuck.

The Top 10 Subscriptions People Forget They're Paying For

Based on data from thousands of bank statement scans, these are the most commonly forgotten subscriptions:

1. Apple One / iCloud+ — $2.99-$32.95/mo (often bundled and forgotten)
2. YouTube Premium — $13.99/mo (started for one ad-free video, still paying)
3. Amazon Prime — $14.99/mo or $139/yr (do you actually use 2-day shipping enough?)
4. Adobe Creative Cloud — $54.99/mo (the king of hard-to-cancel, with 50% early termination fees)
5. Gym memberships — $10-60/mo (January enthusiasm → February guilt)
6. Paramount+ — $7.99/mo (signed up for one show, never watched another)
7. McAfee / Norton — $99-149/yr (Windows Defender is free and just as good)
8. LinkedIn Premium — $29.99-59.99/mo (when was the last time InMail got you a job?)
9. Grammarly Premium — $12/mo (the free version does 90% of what you need)
10. Headspace / Calm — $12.99-14.99/mo (downloaded it, used it twice)

Your Presidents' Day Purge Checklist

Here's your step-by-step plan. Block 30 minutes Monday morning:

Step 1: Find Everything (5 minutes)

Upload your bank statement to Just Cancel — we'll scan it and list every recurring charge with cancel links. Or manually check your bank's last 3 months of transactions.

Step 2: Sort Into 3 Piles (5 minutes)

• 🟢 Keep — You use it weekly and it's worth the price
• 🟡 Downgrade — You use it, but a cheaper plan would work
• 🔴 Cancel — You haven't used it in 30+ days

Step 3: Cancel the Red Pile (10-20 minutes)

Start with the easy ones. Most streaming services cancel in 2 clicks. Save the hard ones (gyms, Adobe, newspapers) for last — they may require calls. Check our 1,100+ cancel guides for step-by-step instructions on any service.

Step 4: Set Calendar Reminders

For any annual subscriptions, set a reminder 1 week before renewal. For free trials, set a reminder 2 days before they convert. Future you will thank present you.

Pro Tips for Hard-to-Cancel Services

• Gym memberships: Many require certified mail or in-person visits. Start the process Monday — full gym cancellation guide here.
• Adobe: Call and mention the early termination fee is unfair. They'll often waive it. Adobe cancellation guide with fee waiver scripts.
• Newspapers: The "cancel" button usually leads to a retention offer. Take it if it's 50%+ off, otherwise hold firm.
• Companies that won't cancel: You can always block the charge through your bank as a last resort.

Make It a Tradition

Financial experts recommend doing a subscription audit every quarter. Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and New Year's are perfect markers. Put it on your calendar now.

Your wallet will thank you. Happy Presidents' Day. 🇺🇸

Related: Subscription Spring Cleaning Guide · February Freeze Audit · Hardest Subscriptions to Cancel · Dark Patterns Hall of Shame