Are we moving towards a world where no one owns anything?

Once upon a time, you bought a CD, a DVD box set, or a copy of Microsoft Office and that was it - you owned it. Now, most of what we use every day is rented through a monthly fee.

Spotify, Netflix, Adobe, Microsoft 365, Apple iCloud - even cars, clothes, and coffee machines are turning into subscriptions.

The 'subscription economy' has quietly changed how we spend, how we budget, and how we think about value.

From ownership to access

We used to think of ownership as the goal. Buy something once and use it as long as it lasts. Now, we pay monthly for access, whether that's music, movies, storage, software, even food deliveries.

There’s no denying that there's convenience in that - you always have the latest version, you can cancel anytime, and there’s no big upfront cost. However, over time, these small recurring payments can quietly add up.

The financial trade-off

A one-time purchase used to be an asset - you owned it outright. A subscription, on the other hand, is an ongoing cost. What looks affordable in isolation can become expensive in total.

For example:

• Microsoft Office once cost around £100 as a one-off. Microsoft 365 is about £60 a year.

• Spotify Premium is around £11 a month - that’s £132 a year.

• Add Netflix, cloud storage, gym memberships, apps, and streaming bundles… it’s easy to spend hundreds (or even thousands) a year on things you’ll never actually own.

  
  

That's not to say you should go ahead and cancel everything, it’s more about being conscious of what adds value and what doesn’t.

How to take control again

1. List every subscription you pay for - entertainment, software, storage, memberships, absolutely everything.

2. Add up the yearly cost - many people only look at the monthly number and forget how much it adds up to.

3. Ask yourself 'do I still use this?' - if not, cancel or pause it.

4. Decide what’s worth keeping - some subscriptions genuinely make life easier or help you earn more. Keep those.

5. Rebalance your spending - consider investing or saving what you’d otherwise spend on unused subscriptions.

   
   

The bigger picture

We’re not just changing how we spend, we’re changing how we think about money. Ownership gave us a sense of control and permanence. Subscriptions give us flexibility and access, but also dependency.

The key is finding some sort of balance - convenience is fine, as long as you stay in control of your cash flow. Next time you click 'subscribe,' ask yourself 'Am I paying for value, or just for access?'.

Need help with accounting, tax or something else? Contact a member of the team here.