💸 The "ADHD Tax" Series: My War Against Zombie Subscriptions

4d (edited) • 🧠 ADHD

We talk a lot about "investing" in our businesses, but we rarely talk about the "ADHD Tax"—the literal cost of the administrative mazes designed to keep us stuck.

I’m starting a series on this because I think we need to air out the receipts to remove the shame.

Exhibit A: My War Against "Zombie Subscriptions" 🧟‍♂️ Thanks

@Rex Loyer

for the idea and inspired by

@Rebecca Bautista

from her courageous conversations about finance.

I’ve spent the last few months fighting a war on three fronts just to stop paying for things I don't use. It wasn't because I was lazy; it was because the systems were broken.

1. The "Ghost" Company: I wrote to one company months ago to cancel. Their excuse? They were "so busy growing" they hadn't gotten around to processing my cancellation. (Yet they had plenty of time to process my payment).

2. The Login Loop: For two cloud services, I couldn't log in. Support said they couldn't help me unless I logged in. A perfect, maddening Catch-22.

3. The Premium Trap: Another group plan literally refused to let me delete the accounts.

My Solution? The Nuclear Option. ☢️

I stopped trying to "follow the rules." I called my credit card company and blocked the automatic payments entirely.

It felt messy. It felt like I "should" have been able to solve it the "polite" way. But honestly? Protecting my resources was more important than being polite to a broken system. See more about this practice and Click-To-Cancel Rule https://www.arnoldporter.com/en/perspectives/advisories/2026/02/ftc-and-state-ags-continue-to-scrutinize-subscription-practices

This is a shame-free zone. The energy we spend beating ourselves up over these $20 or $50 charges is often more expensive than the money itself.

👇 Tell me one "Zombie Subscription" you’ve fought (or are fighting) recently.

Is it a tool you can't find the password for?

A free trial you forgot to cancel?

The gym membership that requires a handwritten letter to quit?

3 votes

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