3471: 5 Google Calendar Tricks That Will Help You Save Money by Sarah Von Bargen of Yes and Yes on Budgeting Strategies

What It Covers

Sarah Von Bargen of yesandyes.org presents five Google Calendar reminder strategies that prevent costly oversights, covering free trials, unpaid invoices, bill negotiations, annual subscriptions, and client follow-ups to systematically protect personal finances.

Key Questions Answered

• •Free Trial Cancellations: Set calendar reminders several days before a free trial ends, not the day before, to create a buffer. If charged accidentally, contact the company within one to two days of the first payment to request a full refund with high success rates.
• •Annual Bill Price-Checking: Schedule one recurring annual reminder to audit every monthly bill, including internet and phone plans. Block two hours, research competitor pricing, and call providers directly. Retention costs companies three times more than acquisition, giving consumers significant negotiating leverage to reduce bills.
• •Annual Subscription Review: For any annually billed subscription, set a calendar reminder exactly 30 days before the renewal date. Use that window to evaluate actual usage frequency and check for overlapping platforms already in your existing subscriptions before the charge automatically processes.
• •Delayed Purchase Consideration: When an impulse to buy something arises, schedule a calendar reminder one to two days later rather than purchasing immediately. This cooling-off period creates space to evaluate genuine need versus impulse desire, and the purchase urge frequently disappears before the reminder triggers.