Updated 2026-11-10

The 30-Day Bill Audit: A Simple Plan to Cut Your Monthly Bills

Instead of trying to fix every bill in one weekend, do one small task a day. Each takes 10 to 20 minutes.

Week 1: See everything

  1. Day 1: List every bill and its due date (rent, utilities, phone, internet, insurance, loans, subscriptions).
  2. Day 2: Pull 90 days of bank and card statements.
  3. Day 3: Mark every recurring charge. Use our 15-minute subscription checklist.
  4. Day 4: Cancel anything you have not used in 30 days.
  5. Day 5: Check app-store subscriptions on your phone (Apple, Google Play).
  6. Day 6: Turn on autopay only for fixed bills you trust, and reminders for the rest.
  7. Day 7: Add up what you have cut so far and move it to savings.

Week 2: Call and ask

  1. Day 8: Internet. Use our word-for-word script.
  2. Day 9: Phone plan. See 5 ways to lower your phone bill.
  3. Day 10: TV or streaming. Try a streaming rotation.
  4. Day 11: Ask your bank about any monthly account fees and how to avoid them.
  5. Day 12: Check your credit cards for annual fees you no longer want.
  6. Day 13: Gym or club memberships: freeze, downgrade, or cancel.
  7. Day 14: Rest day. Write down what worked.

Week 3: Compare the big ones

  1. Day 15-17: Car insurance. Get two or three quotes for the same coverage and compare.
  2. Day 18-19: Renters or home insurance. Ask about bundling or a higher deductible, and make sure you understand the tradeoff.
  3. Day 20-21: Utilities. Ask your electric and gas providers about budget billing or free efficiency programs.

Week 4: Lock it in

  1. Day 22-25: Follow up on anything still pending and save written confirmations.
  2. Day 26-28: Set a monthly 10-minute check on the first of each month.
  3. Day 29-30: Add up your total monthly savings and set up an automatic transfer for that amount.

Want an app to find the subscriptions for you?

Rocket Money connects to your bank and card accounts and lists your recurring charges in one place, so you can see what you are still paying for. Its concierge can also try to negotiate some bills (check the app for current fees and terms).

See my subscriptions with Rocket Money

Affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you sign up, at no cost to you. Disclosure.

This article contains an affiliate link. We only recommend tools that fit the topic, and you can follow every step here without them.