Things have changed so much over the last few years. Less and less people are actually going to stores to buy their groceries, toiletries, clothes, and even medicine. Instead, they’re trading those trips for subscription services. I don’t know about you, but I’ll take any chance I can get to skip crowded parking lots, screaming babies, and long lines. Not to mention I can get everything I need without having to put on actual pants.
I’ve tried quite a few subscription services and I’ll be honest, some I loved and some I hated. I want to share with you my top 5 favorites and why I’ll gladly continue being a member. Spoiler alert, the top reason is always “because I don’t have to put on real pants.”

HelloFresh
We recently just started HelloFresh and I was pretty apprehensive at first. I didn’t like the idea that I couldn’t choose my own produce and meats, and I wasn’t sure we’d even like the meals they had to offer. I was definitely wrong in my opinions. First off, the produce is super fresh and the meats are actually really good quality. I am gluten free, however, so with some meals I have to make a few substitutions. And the variety of meals is pretty stinkin’ awesome. In the last three weeks we have tried new foods we’ve never had and are really broadening our palette.
But my favorite thing of all is the amount of time I’ve freed up. I don’t have to spend a couple of hours planning meals and making grocery lists, shopping for all that stuff in a crowded store with crying babies, standing in line, dragging it all to the car, dragging it all inside the house, putting it away, forgetting things and having to go back, then getting it all back out again to cook. With Hello Fresh, my bff the UPS man brings me a big box every Friday and my meals are set for 60% of the week. The rest of the week we have salads, pasta, breakfast for dinner (my favorite!), and sandwiches.
If you want to give HelloFresh a try yourself, you can use my special link here to get $30 off your first box. If you try it and aren’t into it, you can always cancel after that first box. Canceling is super quick and easy. But I really, really suggest this one because it has freed up SO much time in the evenings and weekends.
StitchFix
This is another one I was apprehensive about. I’m super picky when it comes to clothes, and I don’t really buy them very often. I tried StitchFix for the first time last year when I needed an outfit to wear for an event I was speaking at. Knowing I needed something to wear for the event but not having a clue what it should be, I turned to the professional stylists at StitchFix. It sounds expensive and fancy to “hire” a professional stylist, but you actually don’t have to pay for them at all. It’s included in the service.
I hate shopping for clothes, and I’m not one to branch out and try something new. I’m also not going to try stuff on. I know I should, but I just never do. What I like about Stitch Fix is they look at your Pinterest boards you create with styles you like and curate a box of 5 things they suggest for you based on your personality and needs. You can also tell them if you have any special events coming up (like I did), what price range you want to stick with, and even what pieces of clothing you’d like to try.
Once the box arrives, you can try on the 5 pieces in your own house in front of your own mirror, do a little fashion show for your dog (come on, I’m not the only one that does this), and choose what you want to keep. Then you go online, buy the pieces you want (you get a discount if you keep them all) and mail back the ones you don’t want in a prepaid envelope. The best part is that you don’t even have to have a subscription. They do have monthly subscribe options, but I use the option where I can order a box whenever I want to. I don’t need new clothes monthly, so I usually get a box once every three months or so.
You can fill out the Style Profile and try your first Stitch Fix box here.
Related Post: Why You Can’t Find Anything To Wear In Your Closet
Amazon Prime
Good ol’ Amazon Prime. Can’t live without it. Nothing beats realizing I need a new shower curtain liner, popping it in my Amazon cart, and getting it in the mail two days later. Without even having to go anywhere. I’d say 80% of my shopping, aside from clothes and groceries, is done through Amazon because it’s just so easy. Has Amazon made me lazy? Maybe. Do I care, though? No ma’am.
Another thing I love about Amazon is the Kindle Unlimited program. I have been reading a lot more lately and I hate buying books. Especially since I’ll usually only read them once. I like this program because I can get all the books I want without paying out the you-know-what for them. Yes, I could use a library, but again, that requires real pants.
1-800-PetMeds
If you have pets, you need to look into 1-800-PetMeds for sure. I suck at remembering to buy flea and tick meds. I mean, really suck at it. It’s just not something I remember. Not until a flea jumps on my white shirt while I’m lying on the bed and I have a mini freak out session as I realize it’s been two months since I got my critters their meds. With the subscription plan 1-800-PetMeds offers, I don’t forget about their preventatives anymore, so that means no more flea problems. Ever. And no more bedtime freak outs.
You can get 15% off your purchase with my special link here.
Hum Nutrition
Another thing I always forget about buying is vitamins. I’ve really gotten into natural, clean supplements lately and I’m super careful about what I put in my body. I found Hum Nutrition a few months ago and I was hooked from the very first shipment. Aside from regular vitamins and supplements like Vitamin D and Melatonin (both of which I use daily) they also have plant extract supplements for mood boosting and hair/nail growth (which I also use daily.) *PS: The “Big Chill” makes me not want to run over pedestrians at 5pm or scream at the neighbors’ dog who barks all freaking day, so I highly suggest that one over anything else.
Overall, I have seven different supplements I take daily, and what I like about Hum is they schedule your shipments for you, so you never run out. But if you don’t take them every day and want to skip a month, it’s really easy to edit your cart. They are currently subscription only, so you can’t just buy one time, but if you try them and decide they aren’t for you, it’s really easy to contact them to cancel. And you can also push back your shipment date if you need an extra week to finish up what you’ve got.
You can get $10 off your first purchase from Hum Nutrition with my special referral code 14ECD8. Just pop that code in your checkout screen and you’ll save ten buckaroonies, just like that.
Your Turn!
Have you used subscriptions services? Which ones did you love? Which ones did you hate? Share your experiences and reviews in the comment section below to give others a head’s up on what to try and what to skip. I can’t wait to hear your suggestions!
**Note: I have personally tried all of the subscription services I shared and was not paid by the companies to advertise for them. I paid for my subscriptions out of pocket and share my suggestions because I love and use them. The links I shared are, however, referral links. If you sign up through my links, I may receive a discount on my next subscription price, at no extra cost to you. But bonus points, if you sign up, you get your own referral codes to share with friends and family so you can get discounts too!
Katie says
My favorite subscription service is Grove. I get all my favorite natural health and beauty and cleaning products delivered to my door! Free shipping if you become a VIP For $25 a month and they send 5-8 free gifts per year if you are a VIP (so it is well worth it!).
Lela Burris says
Oh I’ll have to check that one out! I haven’t heard of it yet. Thanks for the recommendation Katie!