From streaming to gym memberships, monthly subscriptions are adding up for the average consumer.

Answer: $91 per month

Questions:

• Which subscription services do you think are essential, and which are luxuries?
• How should someone decide which subscription services to keep and which to cancel?
• What is the opportunity cost - what do people potentially give up by spending on subscriptions?

Here are the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day you can use in your classroom.

Behind the numbers (CNET): 

"Nearly three in five consumers said they proactively manage their subscription costs. The top strategies were to keep an eye out for deals or cheaper alternatives (31%), start and stop subscriptions as needed (24%) and subscription bundling (17%)."

"Inflation has led to price hikes across many sectors over the last few years, whether or not a company's operating costs have actually increased. Our survey found that 67% of respondents saw one or more of their subscription services increase prices in the past year."

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One way to avoid losing track of your subscriptions is to review your credit card statement. Here's the NGPF Activity - FINE PRINT: Credit Card Statement to teach your students how to interpret this statement.

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About the Author

Kathryn Dawson

Kathryn (she/her) is excited to join the NGPF team after 9 years of experience in education as a mentor, tutor, and special education teacher. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in policy analysis and management and has a master's degree in education from Brooklyn College. Kathryn is looking forward to bringing her passion for accessibility and educational justice into curriculum design at NGPF. During her free time, Kathryn loves embarking on cooking projects, walking around her Seattle neighborhood with her dog, or lounging in a hammock with a book.