I am here to tell you that companies are actually getting more from you when you subscribe to their services. Why? First of all, for some reasons we humans tend to subscribe to something and then forget about it immediately. How many subscriptions have you forgotten to cancel?
When you don't have so much money to spend so I don't usually subscribe to services I don't really need. It is common to have a free or trial version of some products which can be tested before a subscription. Before subscribing I ensure that it will be helpful and I will use the services.
Second, when you are subscribed to something in a certain amount of time you might not really use it as much as you thought you would. You might be too comfortable that the service is just there and easily accessible therefore not really making the most out of it. Like in a gym membership where you pay for the whole month but you only go for a few times.
Since the gym management didn't stop you from using it, then it's your fault. Before subscribing to any service, you should make necessary plans to maximise it.
Third, subscriptions are usually in bundles. There is no real transparency and you are not really getting a real breakdown of the costs. But we pay anyway. Are they actually worth it or we just do not have a choice anymore in a world where everything has to be subscribed to?
Some services are monopolised by some firms. But I don't get the value for my money after using a service, so the subscriptions will not be renewed. I would have to seek an alternative.