this post was submitted on 18 Jun 2023
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Fuck Subscriptions

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Naming and shaming all "recurring spending models" where a one-time fee (or none at all) would be appropriate and logical.

Expect use of strong language.

Follow the basic rules of lemmy.world and common sense, and try to have fun if possible.

No flamewars or attacking other users, unless they're spineless corporate shills.

Note that not all subscriptions are awful. Supporting your favorite ~~camgirl~~ creator or Lemmy server on Patreon is fine. An airbag with subscription is irl Idiocracy-level dystopian bullshit.

New community rule: Shilling for cunty corporations, their subscriptions and other anti-customer practices may result in a 1-day ban. It's so you can think about what it's like when someone can randomly decide what you can and can't use, based on some arbitrary rules. Oh what, you didn't read this fine print? You should read what you're agreeing to.

==========

Some other groovy communities for those who wish to own their products, their data and their life:

Right to Repair/Ownership

Hedges Development

Privacy

Privacy Guides

DeGoogle Yourself

F-Droid

Stallman Was Right

Some other useful links:

FreeMediaHeckYeah

Louis Rossman's YouTube channel

Look at content hosted at Big Tech without most of the nonsense:

Piped

Invidious

Nitter

Teddit

 

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submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by WhoRoger to c/fucksubscriptions
 

Why is everything a subscription?

Subscription services are everywhere effecting personal finance the average person is now spending $273 a month on subscriptions and at the same time less than one third of them could afford a $1,000 expense without going into debt…

This only includes software services like netflix, disney plus, hulu, spotify, adobe, apple music, xbox games pass and others. it does not include other recuring expenses like gym or club memberships.  

Service companies are doing this to attract venture capital investment. These investors favour subscription businesses because they provide consistent cash flows and can be scaled rapidly before being sold through a traditional IPO, a SPAC or to a private equity fund.

But these businesses are not always perfect and there are some products that just make more sense to sell through a one time direct sale.

So it’s time to Learn How Money Works to find out how everything became a subscription.

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[–] WhoRoger 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Isn't that always an option? Car companies push that kind of leasing like mad.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Not that I have seen. I have been offered packages that cover the drive train or something similar, but the maintenance is up to me, the insurance is up to me, and that makes for a hell of a car payment each month.

[–] Elgordofordo86 4 points 1 year ago

Volvo actually had this very program for a bit. They don't seem to now which tells you how it went...

[–] WhoRoger 2 points 1 year ago

Guess it's not such a global phenomenon as I thought then...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's common for fleet leasing but I haven't encountered widespread push for personal lease. It exists as a service but I don't know if I'd call it "pushed like mad".

Maybe I'm out of the loop though, especially globally. It's probably different from country to country.

[–] WhoRoger 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Well I live in the crappier side of Europe and in the last 10 or so years, this kind of car leasing have been more popular even for individuals. I was under the impressions the trend came from the west, cause I remember learning about it in high school when it wasn't much of a thing here yet.

[–] Sir_mittens2 2 points 1 year ago

Yeah same. I thought it started as an American thing. Lots of people lease now