Do you suffer from “Subscription Creep?” That’s the term for when you gradually accumulate many monthly subscriptions, including services you don’t even use anymore.
If this sounds like you, join the club.
Most of us have at least a few subscriptions. In fact, over half of all U.S. households subscribe to at least one service.
The only way to notice nuisances like subscriptions you aren’t using is to track your expenses.
But what do you do if keeping close track of your finances isn’t your strong suit? Or maybe you are mindful of your spending, but don’t exactly enjoy going through your budget regularly with a fine-toothed comb?
Enter Trim, the free personal finance assistant app that cancels unwanted subscription services. Trim also delivers cash back when you overpay for an item and negotiates for lower payments when they’re available.
Interested? A free app that saves money, secures overpayments and deposits them in my bank account piqued my interest too.
So I decided to try Trim’s service, see how it works and report on the findings.
What does Trim do and is it safe? Is it really free? Most importantly, is it worth it?
What Is Trim?
Trim describes themself as your “personal finance assistant.” Their primary goal is to save you money.
They offer several services (see below), but their bread and butter is going through your transactions and getting rid of subscriptions you no longer want.
The best part is it’s totally free.
When you sign up, the first thing you notice about Trim is it’s not an app. All communication comes to you via text or Messenger, whichever you choose. In many ways, it’s a chatbot, even though you do have an online dashboard you can access to get information.
Trim will identify your subscriptions and text you with all your subscriptions. If you no longer want a subscription, you can simply text back “Cancel ______” and enter the company’s name. Like a good assistant, Trim takes it from there and does the dirty work for you.
One reason why people (i.e. me!) put off canceling services is that companies purposely make it difficult to do so. It’s annoying, to say the least. Usually, you have to speak to a few different people whose primary duty is to keep you from canceling.
That’s why I like Trim. Text them a message to cancel an account and consider it done.
I found the simplicity of their service very refreshing. I get an alert of potential savings or an unwanted subscription, and I respond to it, usually with one click or tap.
I’m always looking for ways to save money and get money back. What’s nice about Trim is it helps you do both and it does all the work for you.
Trim Review: My Personal Experience with Trim
Signing up with Trim is really simple. The whole process took less than five minutes.
Register with your email address and password.
Choose your preferred method of communication, Facebook Messenger or text. I chose text.
Link your bank account and you’re set to go.
Is Trim Safe?
I usually pause when asked to give up bank information. It eased my mind to learn that Trim uses bank-level 256-bit encryption with read-only access and they never store your banking credentials.
So in this instance, I’m comfortable giving my information, but that is a personal decision you need to consider.
Trim Savings: Does It Really Save You Money?
Right away, Trim was able to extract a lot of info from my accounts. They alerted me to all my subscriptions, including one I had forgotten all about for HBO Now. I sent them a text and canceled four services. Immediately, I saved money.
Once you’re set up you can register as many accounts as you like and let Trim go to work to save you money.
Trim Features
When you log into your account, you see a lot of services offered by Trim.
The benefits of Trim extend beyond canceling unwanted subscription services. You can also do the following:
- Get money back from your Amazon purchases if the price drops.
- Get spending details to see where your money is going.
- Let Trim negotiate a lower cable or internet bill for you.
- Set spending limits.
- Keep tabs on your balance.
- Automate saving to a high-yield savings account.
- Receive special offers for $10 off at the grocery store or the movies and more.
Trim’s Bill Negotiator
Trim’s Bill Negotiator will work on your behalf to reduce your satellite/cable, internet service, and cell phone services by as much as 30%. That’s significant savings.
You can automatically deposit your savings into your savings account or use it to pay down debt. It’s a valuable tool to use if you’re trying to pay off credit card debt faster.
Here’s how it works:
- You connect to a service provider via their platform or send them a current bill for your service provider.
- Trim gets to work, contacting the service provider through their customer service chat.
- Trim lets you know if they save you money. If they do, they take 33% of your annualized savings for their part.
Keep in mind, service providers such as your cable company are notorious for raising your bill incrementally. The hike is so small you may not even notice it. But over time you could be paying hundreds of dollars extra each year.
The thing is, instead of wasting those extra dollars, I’d rather stash that money in savings or investments. How about you?
One thing that impresses me is that Trim will continue working on your behalf in the future with those same providers. So you can potentially save now and have some protection against the inevitable price hikes to come.
Trim works with all major and regional providers including, AT&T, Comcast, DirecTV, DishTV, Time Warner, T-Mobile and Verizon. According to their website, they are continuously adding to their roster. ADT and SiriusXM are mentioned as recent additions.
How Much Does Trim Cost?
Trim doesn’t charge any monthly fees to use their service. They also do not charge you any fees for their subscription cancellation service either.
So how does the company pay its bills and earn a profit?
When Trim negotiates a lower recurring bill with a service provider such as DirecTV or AT&T, they automatically take a percentage of the savings they generate.
They also make money from third-party partners when they find you a better insurance provider or credit card with a lower rate.
Is Trim a Scam or Legit?
In my experience, Trim provides a legitimate service and does what they say it does. No action is taken without you knowing and authorizing it first. For these reasons, I find Trim to be legit.
I’ve heard some people call it a scam because they do not like Trim keeping a percentage of the money they save you when they successfully lower one of your bills. Those concerns are understandable.
I don’t think it’s a scam, though, because they are very upfront about the percentage they keep. and you are not obligated to continue with them if you don’t like the terms.
It appears Trim did raise their commission from 25% to 33% which downgrades the service a bit for me. That said, it’s worth it to me as a time and hassle-saving way to cut needless expenses.
Is Trim Secure?
Anytime you put information on a server, it is potentially vulnerable. Even the world’s biggest financial corporations with all their resources have a tough time keeping data secure.
- Having said that, Trim checks all the boxes when it comes to security.
- They do not store your bank credentials.
- They promise bank-level security.
- Their website and server-side databases use 256-bit SSL encryption.
- You will use a lot of two-factor authentication, or OAuth, with Trim. It’s used whenever you register for a service and when you log in from a new device. You’ll also need it if your security token expires.
Trim states they do not sell or share your data with anyone without your permission. They promise not to use your information for any purposes other than for the services you authorize them to provide to save you money.
User Experience
Less really is more when it comes to this platform. Most of your communication is through SMS text or Messenger. And their site is not bogged down with widgets and pop-ups. It’s very streamlined and minimalistic.
When you get a text, a one-action reply takes care of it. If you’re on the website, you can do what you need to in a few clicks or less.
Trim Review: Personal Finance Assistant Tool
Product: Trim
Summary: Chatbot service that aims to save you money by lowering your bills.
- Automatically cancels unwanted subscriptions.
- Sends text alerts to help you keep track of spending.
- Negotiates lower recurring bills such as satellite/cable and cell phone service.
Price: 
Ease of Use:
Customer Service: 
Overall Grade = 4.83
Bottom Line: Is Trim Worth It?
Trim achieves its primary goal of saving you money without upfront or recurring charges.
Their system works because it has developed systemized processes for saving you money and depositing it into your account.
We need to be the exact same way with our personal finances. We need simple processes to automate savings and easy ways to apply those savings to our debts and investments. That’s how financial independence is created; through consistency and good habits.
The savings Trim offers are enough to make it worth it. Whether you’re canceling an unwanted subscription, getting money back from an Amazon purchase or lowering your cell bill, it all positively impacts your bottom line.
Be smart with your money and don’t pay for services you don’t want or pay too much for the services you do want. Get that money back and redirect it towards your financial future.
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Additional Trim App FAQ
Will Trim work with my bank?
Since Trim partners with over 15,000 financial institutions, the app will likely work with your bank or credit union.
Is Trim a free service?
It is free to open an account with Trim. When you sign up for a free Trim account, you will get access to your dashboard with your finances as well as other convenient features like subscription cancellations, bill reminders and savings suggestions and more. Note that Trim does take a fee off the top when they are able to secure savings on your behalf.
How does Trim lower bills?
Trim lowers your bills be negotiating for lower rates with your service providers. Through a feature called “Trim Bill Negotiator,” Trim contacts your providers (satellite/cable, internet, cell service, etc.) and negotiates with them to obtain a lower rate, which can save you as much as 30%.
Is the Trim App safe?
Yes. The site uses 256-bit SSL encryption, encrypted databases and two-factor authentication or OAuth to protect your data. Trim also pledges to never sell or share your data with third parties.