What are subscriptions that are worth it and subscriptions that are not?
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Nothing wrong with paying for biased journalism, as long as it's high quality.
New York times and walk street journal both publish a bunch of propaganda, but also have high quality stuff and I find it worth subscribing.
and I find it worth subscribing.
Tool mentality.
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Look at this fat cat with an ISP sub. I do everything through mobile data.
Me too.
4G speeds are actually pretty good.
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VPN and a private email provider like Protonmail?
Here's a good, free VPN https://riseup.net/en/vpn
Protonmail is already free, not sure why you would subscribe to it.
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I am not sure why people subscribe to Music streaming services. My ex said it was to discover new music, but I do that via YT and friends.
Other than that I just have 10 to 20 GB of music on my phone. No subscription, always available. Connects to all my devices.
I just don't get the point.
Maybe if I didn't have a PC it would be slightly more difficult to set up and add/remove music. But other than that?They don't want to admit they've been conditioned to waste their money on things they could be getting for free.
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What are some things you are subscribed to that make a service worthwhile in keeping?
I only have a few I can say is worth-it but worth it in a more conserving sense, like pumping-the-brakes kind of deal. Not something you would want on all of the time.,
- Amazon Prime.
People may be split on Amazon for activist reasons or what have you, but I find it difficult to argue against what benefits that is brought from it. I sparingly use Prime and get it only when I have things I want to shop for that will be best used with it. I don't personally use Video, Music or what have you.
- All Streaming Services (Only if you have a work-around)
Subscribing to any base streaming service plan with ads is worthless, but worth it if you use an HDMI cable from PC to TV or whatever configuration. Then watch through a browser that kills advertisements.
Worthless Subscriptions
Spotify
You're only paying for the privilege to skip songs which should be a basic right of usage. Podcasts still aren't exempt from advertisements. Features provided aren't really that exciting to use.
Sirius XM
I just re-subscribed to this for $1 and might be personal taste, but I listen to the comedy channels. I don't go anywhere else because I find that the music-based channels played things I don't typically like or can vibe with.
Discord Nitro
You're just paying for cosmetic junk which also all have separate price tags and other useless profile things that some of which, obstruct profiles so it is pointless. Only provides minor perks to video, audio and file capability. You also get to use emotes, that you can barely see anyways, in any server you're in (unless mobile).
All news-based ones
Why pay for journalism that is all but dead and biased these days?
X-Box Game Pass
Bit 50/50 on this one. On one hand, trying out so many games is a perk, but, it also works against itself because you could be isolated by choice and what limit you have to work with.
Gym Memberships
Very parasitic and predatory. They all lock you into contracts and pretend that they're like your car dealership or even your apartment landlord into these year-long subscription models. They prey on you not using their facility, they charge you annual fees and other fees you don't know about. The only way out of them is to pay the remaining balance of the subscription or other scheming means. Very few out there actually let you cancel.
Not worth it, but more or less needed:
- Rent (700€)
- Electricity (100€)
- Internet (60€)
- Hetzner Storage Box for Backups (25€)
- Domains (~10€)
- External IP addresses (16€)
- Donations to FOSS and content creators (idfk anymore)
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What are some things you are subscribed to that make a service worthwhile in keeping?
I only have a few I can say is worth-it but worth it in a more conserving sense, like pumping-the-brakes kind of deal. Not something you would want on all of the time.,
- Amazon Prime.
People may be split on Amazon for activist reasons or what have you, but I find it difficult to argue against what benefits that is brought from it. I sparingly use Prime and get it only when I have things I want to shop for that will be best used with it. I don't personally use Video, Music or what have you.
- All Streaming Services (Only if you have a work-around)
Subscribing to any base streaming service plan with ads is worthless, but worth it if you use an HDMI cable from PC to TV or whatever configuration. Then watch through a browser that kills advertisements.
Worthless Subscriptions
Spotify
You're only paying for the privilege to skip songs which should be a basic right of usage. Podcasts still aren't exempt from advertisements. Features provided aren't really that exciting to use.
Sirius XM
I just re-subscribed to this for $1 and might be personal taste, but I listen to the comedy channels. I don't go anywhere else because I find that the music-based channels played things I don't typically like or can vibe with.
Discord Nitro
You're just paying for cosmetic junk which also all have separate price tags and other useless profile things that some of which, obstruct profiles so it is pointless. Only provides minor perks to video, audio and file capability. You also get to use emotes, that you can barely see anyways, in any server you're in (unless mobile).
All news-based ones
Why pay for journalism that is all but dead and biased these days?
X-Box Game Pass
Bit 50/50 on this one. On one hand, trying out so many games is a perk, but, it also works against itself because you could be isolated by choice and what limit you have to work with.
Gym Memberships
Very parasitic and predatory. They all lock you into contracts and pretend that they're like your car dealership or even your apartment landlord into these year-long subscription models. They prey on you not using their facility, they charge you annual fees and other fees you don't know about. The only way out of them is to pay the remaining balance of the subscription or other scheming means. Very few out there actually let you cancel.
Password manager.
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What are some things you are subscribed to that make a service worthwhile in keeping?
I only have a few I can say is worth-it but worth it in a more conserving sense, like pumping-the-brakes kind of deal. Not something you would want on all of the time.,
- Amazon Prime.
People may be split on Amazon for activist reasons or what have you, but I find it difficult to argue against what benefits that is brought from it. I sparingly use Prime and get it only when I have things I want to shop for that will be best used with it. I don't personally use Video, Music or what have you.
- All Streaming Services (Only if you have a work-around)
Subscribing to any base streaming service plan with ads is worthless, but worth it if you use an HDMI cable from PC to TV or whatever configuration. Then watch through a browser that kills advertisements.
Worthless Subscriptions
Spotify
You're only paying for the privilege to skip songs which should be a basic right of usage. Podcasts still aren't exempt from advertisements. Features provided aren't really that exciting to use.
Sirius XM
I just re-subscribed to this for $1 and might be personal taste, but I listen to the comedy channels. I don't go anywhere else because I find that the music-based channels played things I don't typically like or can vibe with.
Discord Nitro
You're just paying for cosmetic junk which also all have separate price tags and other useless profile things that some of which, obstruct profiles so it is pointless. Only provides minor perks to video, audio and file capability. You also get to use emotes, that you can barely see anyways, in any server you're in (unless mobile).
All news-based ones
Why pay for journalism that is all but dead and biased these days?
X-Box Game Pass
Bit 50/50 on this one. On one hand, trying out so many games is a perk, but, it also works against itself because you could be isolated by choice and what limit you have to work with.
Gym Memberships
Very parasitic and predatory. They all lock you into contracts and pretend that they're like your car dealership or even your apartment landlord into these year-long subscription models. They prey on you not using their facility, they charge you annual fees and other fees you don't know about. The only way out of them is to pay the remaining balance of the subscription or other scheming means. Very few out there actually let you cancel.
I guess with the gym it depends on whether you use it or not. The one I joined got a lot of complaints about not letting you out of your contract, but I never tried to get out of my contract and I used it all the time. For me it was definitely worth it. They never charged me a fee on top of what they disclosed at the very beginning. That would’ve been aggravating.
For journalism, I pay for 404 media because it’s journalist-owned, but it’s pretty niche in its scope.
My issue with Amazon Prime other than hating Bezos is that it was too good at all the things that drew me to it in the first place. Keeping track of everything I like to buy and free shipping and a speaker that I could just talk to and order stuff made shopping so convenient! It led to a lot of overconsumption. I would just browse my recommendations out of boredom and if something caught my eye I’d hit the one-click button and it would be on my porch in a day or two. I started to accumulate piles of crap I didn’t need and hardly ever used. I decided that spending money ought to be a bit inconvenient.
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You can use Pandora for internet radio and youtube when you want to look up specific songs.
Spotify never had a use, but the useful idiots kept shilling it to each other so that's why it's popular.
On the phone it just works. I've loads of playlists going back years. The playlist creation features make it super easy, suggesting related songs to what you've got already. I've tonnes of vinyl and CDs and a media server, but for convenience, commonality and variety I have no regrets
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Counterpoint: Dropout.
1000%, dropout is fantastic and more than worth the $5/mo I pay
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What are some things you are subscribed to that make a service worthwhile in keeping?
I only have a few I can say is worth-it but worth it in a more conserving sense, like pumping-the-brakes kind of deal. Not something you would want on all of the time.,
- Amazon Prime.
People may be split on Amazon for activist reasons or what have you, but I find it difficult to argue against what benefits that is brought from it. I sparingly use Prime and get it only when I have things I want to shop for that will be best used with it. I don't personally use Video, Music or what have you.
- All Streaming Services (Only if you have a work-around)
Subscribing to any base streaming service plan with ads is worthless, but worth it if you use an HDMI cable from PC to TV or whatever configuration. Then watch through a browser that kills advertisements.
Worthless Subscriptions
Spotify
You're only paying for the privilege to skip songs which should be a basic right of usage. Podcasts still aren't exempt from advertisements. Features provided aren't really that exciting to use.
Sirius XM
I just re-subscribed to this for $1 and might be personal taste, but I listen to the comedy channels. I don't go anywhere else because I find that the music-based channels played things I don't typically like or can vibe with.
Discord Nitro
You're just paying for cosmetic junk which also all have separate price tags and other useless profile things that some of which, obstruct profiles so it is pointless. Only provides minor perks to video, audio and file capability. You also get to use emotes, that you can barely see anyways, in any server you're in (unless mobile).
All news-based ones
Why pay for journalism that is all but dead and biased these days?
X-Box Game Pass
Bit 50/50 on this one. On one hand, trying out so many games is a perk, but, it also works against itself because you could be isolated by choice and what limit you have to work with.
Gym Memberships
Very parasitic and predatory. They all lock you into contracts and pretend that they're like your car dealership or even your apartment landlord into these year-long subscription models. They prey on you not using their facility, they charge you annual fees and other fees you don't know about. The only way out of them is to pay the remaining balance of the subscription or other scheming means. Very few out there actually let you cancel.
I'm happy to be a direct supporter of creative people whose work I enjoy; think Patreon and similar setups.
I find that making small monthly payments to a handful of independent folks who do work I love and who directly appreciate my support to be far more satisfying and worth it than subscribing to a wealthy and powerful media conglomerate thing which feeds me a bunch of crap the majority of which I don't care about.
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What are some things you are subscribed to that make a service worthwhile in keeping?
I only have a few I can say is worth-it but worth it in a more conserving sense, like pumping-the-brakes kind of deal. Not something you would want on all of the time.,
- Amazon Prime.
People may be split on Amazon for activist reasons or what have you, but I find it difficult to argue against what benefits that is brought from it. I sparingly use Prime and get it only when I have things I want to shop for that will be best used with it. I don't personally use Video, Music or what have you.
- All Streaming Services (Only if you have a work-around)
Subscribing to any base streaming service plan with ads is worthless, but worth it if you use an HDMI cable from PC to TV or whatever configuration. Then watch through a browser that kills advertisements.
Worthless Subscriptions
Spotify
You're only paying for the privilege to skip songs which should be a basic right of usage. Podcasts still aren't exempt from advertisements. Features provided aren't really that exciting to use.
Sirius XM
I just re-subscribed to this for $1 and might be personal taste, but I listen to the comedy channels. I don't go anywhere else because I find that the music-based channels played things I don't typically like or can vibe with.
Discord Nitro
You're just paying for cosmetic junk which also all have separate price tags and other useless profile things that some of which, obstruct profiles so it is pointless. Only provides minor perks to video, audio and file capability. You also get to use emotes, that you can barely see anyways, in any server you're in (unless mobile).
All news-based ones
Why pay for journalism that is all but dead and biased these days?
X-Box Game Pass
Bit 50/50 on this one. On one hand, trying out so many games is a perk, but, it also works against itself because you could be isolated by choice and what limit you have to work with.
Gym Memberships
Very parasitic and predatory. They all lock you into contracts and pretend that they're like your car dealership or even your apartment landlord into these year-long subscription models. They prey on you not using their facility, they charge you annual fees and other fees you don't know about. The only way out of them is to pay the remaining balance of the subscription or other scheming means. Very few out there actually let you cancel.
Paying holly creeps for their slop is funding your enemies
Same thing music streaming
Cut it out and pirate it. If you really care a out the artists and then money direct. Cut out the corporate parasites where ever possible. They are the enemy.
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How are you gonna call someone an Apple shill when your first service listed as "worth it" is fucking Amazon? Lol.
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Looking at their site, doesn’t seem like that’s the case. Again, I agree with the Fuck Spotify sentiment. But there are still inaccurate points being made.
It will let you shuffle anything for free, but not let you play what you want, when you want.
Probably not supposed to work, but in a browser I have some of the premium features mentioned from playing whatever I want, changing the queue to creating playlists - all with a free account. I tried it with different browsers, different accounts and even without uBlock - just works. I still don't understand why and how. If it is a bug, I hope that they don't notice/fix it
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What are some things you are subscribed to that make a service worthwhile in keeping?
I only have a few I can say is worth-it but worth it in a more conserving sense, like pumping-the-brakes kind of deal. Not something you would want on all of the time.,
- Amazon Prime.
People may be split on Amazon for activist reasons or what have you, but I find it difficult to argue against what benefits that is brought from it. I sparingly use Prime and get it only when I have things I want to shop for that will be best used with it. I don't personally use Video, Music or what have you.
- All Streaming Services (Only if you have a work-around)
Subscribing to any base streaming service plan with ads is worthless, but worth it if you use an HDMI cable from PC to TV or whatever configuration. Then watch through a browser that kills advertisements.
Worthless Subscriptions
Spotify
You're only paying for the privilege to skip songs which should be a basic right of usage. Podcasts still aren't exempt from advertisements. Features provided aren't really that exciting to use.
Sirius XM
I just re-subscribed to this for $1 and might be personal taste, but I listen to the comedy channels. I don't go anywhere else because I find that the music-based channels played things I don't typically like or can vibe with.
Discord Nitro
You're just paying for cosmetic junk which also all have separate price tags and other useless profile things that some of which, obstruct profiles so it is pointless. Only provides minor perks to video, audio and file capability. You also get to use emotes, that you can barely see anyways, in any server you're in (unless mobile).
All news-based ones
Why pay for journalism that is all but dead and biased these days?
X-Box Game Pass
Bit 50/50 on this one. On one hand, trying out so many games is a perk, but, it also works against itself because you could be isolated by choice and what limit you have to work with.
Gym Memberships
Very parasitic and predatory. They all lock you into contracts and pretend that they're like your car dealership or even your apartment landlord into these year-long subscription models. They prey on you not using their facility, they charge you annual fees and other fees you don't know about. The only way out of them is to pay the remaining balance of the subscription or other scheming means. Very few out there actually let you cancel.
Everyone has their own opinions here. Here's my opinion on what's worth it and not:
Streaming services: Only if you're not getting ads bundled with your subscription and you're getting a lot of use each month from it, more than just renting each movie.
Amazon Prime: Again, only if you really need the frequent free shipping. I don't, so I'll eat $30 in shipping costs per year when I need something more urgently instead of paying $140 to avoid that.
Discord Nitro: Obviously not worth it but it's funny because I had it for a few months before their privacy policy shocker in 2023. I genuinely wanted to support them before then because it was feature rich but not as bloated and ad-free with a reasonable privacy policy before 2023.
News: High quality journalism deserve the support.
SiriusXM: Unless you're road tripping into the middle of nowhere, internet radio is free and has many more options.
Xbox game pass: I never saw the appeal because I'm a patient gamer.
Gym membership: I tried to get one a Planet Fitness a few weeks ago just for a month because the closer gym was revamping itself and was shocked to find that it wanted a downpayment. It tripled the price of a month of membership so I noped out, I'm not paying $50 for 8 trips to the gym that doesn't even have bench presses.
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I am not sure why people subscribe to Music streaming services. My ex said it was to discover new music, but I do that via YT and friends.
Other than that I just have 10 to 20 GB of music on my phone. No subscription, always available. Connects to all my devices.
I just don't get the point.
Maybe if I didn't have a PC it would be slightly more difficult to set up and add/remove music. But other than that?Because you have an enormous library of music, available on any device, instantly without having to download it and transfer it to the device you want to play it on. Also collaborative playlists are pretty sweet, and artist radios to help discover new music based on an artist you like. The vast majority of people don't want to get their PC out to do all this stuff manually.
Spotify completely stopped me pirating music, never looked back.
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What are some things you are subscribed to that make a service worthwhile in keeping?
I only have a few I can say is worth-it but worth it in a more conserving sense, like pumping-the-brakes kind of deal. Not something you would want on all of the time.,
- Amazon Prime.
People may be split on Amazon for activist reasons or what have you, but I find it difficult to argue against what benefits that is brought from it. I sparingly use Prime and get it only when I have things I want to shop for that will be best used with it. I don't personally use Video, Music or what have you.
- All Streaming Services (Only if you have a work-around)
Subscribing to any base streaming service plan with ads is worthless, but worth it if you use an HDMI cable from PC to TV or whatever configuration. Then watch through a browser that kills advertisements.
Worthless Subscriptions
Spotify
You're only paying for the privilege to skip songs which should be a basic right of usage. Podcasts still aren't exempt from advertisements. Features provided aren't really that exciting to use.
Sirius XM
I just re-subscribed to this for $1 and might be personal taste, but I listen to the comedy channels. I don't go anywhere else because I find that the music-based channels played things I don't typically like or can vibe with.
Discord Nitro
You're just paying for cosmetic junk which also all have separate price tags and other useless profile things that some of which, obstruct profiles so it is pointless. Only provides minor perks to video, audio and file capability. You also get to use emotes, that you can barely see anyways, in any server you're in (unless mobile).
All news-based ones
Why pay for journalism that is all but dead and biased these days?
X-Box Game Pass
Bit 50/50 on this one. On one hand, trying out so many games is a perk, but, it also works against itself because you could be isolated by choice and what limit you have to work with.
Gym Memberships
Very parasitic and predatory. They all lock you into contracts and pretend that they're like your car dealership or even your apartment landlord into these year-long subscription models. They prey on you not using their facility, they charge you annual fees and other fees you don't know about. The only way out of them is to pay the remaining balance of the subscription or other scheming means. Very few out there actually let you cancel.
wrote last edited by [email protected]German Train Ticket. Though the price increasing is horrendous
And News
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What are some things you are subscribed to that make a service worthwhile in keeping?
I only have a few I can say is worth-it but worth it in a more conserving sense, like pumping-the-brakes kind of deal. Not something you would want on all of the time.,
- Amazon Prime.
People may be split on Amazon for activist reasons or what have you, but I find it difficult to argue against what benefits that is brought from it. I sparingly use Prime and get it only when I have things I want to shop for that will be best used with it. I don't personally use Video, Music or what have you.
- All Streaming Services (Only if you have a work-around)
Subscribing to any base streaming service plan with ads is worthless, but worth it if you use an HDMI cable from PC to TV or whatever configuration. Then watch through a browser that kills advertisements.
Worthless Subscriptions
Spotify
You're only paying for the privilege to skip songs which should be a basic right of usage. Podcasts still aren't exempt from advertisements. Features provided aren't really that exciting to use.
Sirius XM
I just re-subscribed to this for $1 and might be personal taste, but I listen to the comedy channels. I don't go anywhere else because I find that the music-based channels played things I don't typically like or can vibe with.
Discord Nitro
You're just paying for cosmetic junk which also all have separate price tags and other useless profile things that some of which, obstruct profiles so it is pointless. Only provides minor perks to video, audio and file capability. You also get to use emotes, that you can barely see anyways, in any server you're in (unless mobile).
All news-based ones
Why pay for journalism that is all but dead and biased these days?
X-Box Game Pass
Bit 50/50 on this one. On one hand, trying out so many games is a perk, but, it also works against itself because you could be isolated by choice and what limit you have to work with.
Gym Memberships
Very parasitic and predatory. They all lock you into contracts and pretend that they're like your car dealership or even your apartment landlord into these year-long subscription models. They prey on you not using their facility, they charge you annual fees and other fees you don't know about. The only way out of them is to pay the remaining balance of the subscription or other scheming means. Very few out there actually let you cancel.
Drug Science. A campaign to improve drug literacy and advocate for novel therapy, harm reduction, decriminalisation and legalisation via podcasts, mass meetings and seminars by experts in neuroscience, psychopharmakinetics, pharmacology and related fields.
Wikipedia, duh. It works because it's free of advertising and corporate influence. That costs money and I am a happy subscriber.
Electronic Frontier Foundation. A campaign to defend our right to privacy and freedom from exploitation in the digital space.
Sustrans. A campaign to maintain, improve and extend the alternatives to using cars and make a humane and ecologically sustainable transport network.
