TabSalary calculator guide
Turn recurring charges into an annual decision
Small subscriptions are easy to evaluate one month at a time and hard to see as a portfolio. This tracker totals the list, ranks the largest annual charges, and estimates the future value of investing the same monthly cash flow instead. The goal is not to cancel everything; it is to make each renewal compete for a place in your budget.
Written by the TabSalary editorial team · Last reviewed July 21, 2026
How the calculation works
Annual cost = monthly total × 12; future value uses monthly contributions at an assumed 8% annual return
- Enter every recurring monthly charge, including annual plans converted to a monthly equivalent.
- Review the annual total and sort by annual cost to find the largest decisions first.
- Use the five-year cost for cash-flow planning and the ten-year projection only as a scenario.
- Cancel, downgrade, rotate, or keep each service based on actual use rather than price alone.
Worked example
Five subscriptions totaling $85 per month cost $1,020 per year before price increases. Removing a $20 service saves $240 in the first year. If the same $20 were invested every month, the future value would depend on returns and timing, so the calculator presents it as an opportunity-cost scenario rather than a promise.
What this estimate does not include
- The 8% return is a hypothetical assumption; real investments can lose value and returns are not guaranteed.
- Inflation, subscription price changes, taxes, fees, and annual billing discounts are not modeled.
- The tool does not store your list, so keep a separate record if you want to revisit the audit later.
Use the result as a planning estimate, not as personalized financial, tax, legal, or investment advice.