I Was Drowning in AI Tool Trials — So I Turned My Subscriptions Into a Gameboard in 2025
The Problem: Subscription Amnesia
I had:
- 7 free trials from AI tools I was “testing”
- 14+ monthly subscriptions I forgot I was paying for
- 1 annual charge that hit like a jump scare
And hours a week later trying to remember what needs to be cancelled for real this week before accumulating a HUGE invoice bill.
Every week felt like a financial whack-a-mole. I said 'nough' of that... I built a system — not a spreadsheet — that actually works.
It’s visual and automated. It’s kinda fun. And yes, it’s powered by AI and a corky chick that comes from tech.
The Goal: Control Without the Guilt Trip
This wasn’t about being perfectly frugal.
It was about:
- Knowing what I’m paying for
- Canceling what doesn’t serve me
- Actually using the tools I’m investing and interested in
- And never getting hit with a $99 “oops” "crap-ola" again when seeing the bill on the bank statement.
Step 1: I Turned My Subscriptions Into a Gameboard
Instead of a boring checklist, I built a “Tool Trial Dashboard” in Notion.
Each tool is a card with:
- Logo & link
- Plan (free, paid, trial)
- Start + due date
- Features I’m using or say AI model like 4o in ChatGPT
- Red/green rating: Worth keeping?
Bonus: I added emojis and icons to make it feel like Pokémon cards which my kid loves.
Catch ‘em all (or delete them fast and last).
Step 2: I Let ChatGPT Audit My Financial Drains
I pasted recent transactions into ChatGPT and asked:
“Which of these look like AI tools, trials, or subscriptions I might not be using?”
It flagged:
- Obscure app store renewals
- Unused Chrome extensions with monthly charges
- Two things I didn’t even know I was paying for (!)
Step 3: I Synced It All to Google Calendar With Mini Alerts
Instead of “Trial Ending Soon” spam emails I ignore, I made:
- 3-day alerts with: “Cancel or Upgrade?”
- 1-day alerts with: “Is this still worth it?”
- Recurring monthly nudges: “Still using [Tool Name]?”
I also used color-coded calendars:
- Red = risky renewals
- Green = tools I love
- Yellow = on-the-fence
- Fuchsia = for something that requires extensive research
Step 4: I Ask Claude Before I Renew
Before upgrading any trial, I ask Claude:
“Pretend you're my money coach. Should I pay $29/month for [Tool X] based on these features and how I use it?”
Sometimes I take a screenshot of that and throw it up into ChatGPT to analyze.
It’s weirdly amazing how useful this is - I really love the ability to throw an image at these AI tools and have it first pass analyze usage, costs and add it all up for sums.
Tools I Actually Use for This
- 🗃️ Notion – visual board + subscription tracker
- 🧠 ChatGPT – subscription audit + prioritization prompts
- 📆 Google Calendar – reminder system with smart phrasing
- 📥 Perplexity.ai – check if tools have lifetime or alt plans
- 💡 Zapier or Make – optional: auto-sync trial start → calendar
Bonus Ideas You Probably Haven’t Tried
- Use a “Subscription Mood Tracker” → emoji how each tool makes you feel - was the user experience smooth sailing and good? Did you enjoy it? Will you put your money where your experience is Meh?
- You can share your dashboard with household members, a friend → everyone swaps what’s worth it
- Frequently do a “Trial Battle Royale” → only keep the top 2 tools at the end of each month to keep the costs manageable.
- Create a “Tool ROI Leaderboard” → track which tools helped you earn/save most $$
End of the day some of these tools are the necessary "evil" in 2025 to keep afloat and are a "cost of doing business"!
Real Results
- I canceled 5 unnecessary tools = $62/month saved
- Found 2 AI tools I actually love (and upgraded guilt-free)
- Now I get excited to check my dashboard, not dread it
- Never been late on a cancellation since
Final Thoughts
Subscription chaos is real. But you can take back control with some creativity, a few AI prompts, and a system that feels more like a side quest than a chore.
https://www.youtube.com/@AIMomLab
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