this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2026
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Mullvadvpn, Tuta email, Addy email alias, Notesnook.

[–] naught101@lemmy.world 82 points 1 week ago (2 children)
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[–] Lfrith@lemmy.ca 64 points 1 week ago (13 children)

Email to avoid email providers from companies like Google or Microsoft.

[–] python@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago

It's a great deal too! My own domain was 50€ for 10 years, and Purelymail hosting is 10 bucks per year.

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[–] ieGod@lemmy.zip 61 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Electricity has been a pretty good subscription. Zero sales or promos ever though.

[–] Valmond@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

What? We get sales, like every night.

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[–] NewNewAugustEast@lemmy.zip 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

It was an expensive service, so we started to self host. It's been pretty good since then.

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[–] remon@ani.social 44 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Nebula is pretty cool, though I have the lifetime pass. Or patreon.

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[–] lightnsfw@reddthat.com 28 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] SupraMario@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago

And if you want a double whammy, get keepsolid, it's a Ukrainian company. So you're supporting Ukraine and getting a good vpn provider.

[–] whaleross@lemmy.world 23 points 1 week ago (6 children)

I'm happy to give Qobuz my money for providing an excellent music library and be the best paying streaming service for the musicians that I listen to.

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[–] Perspectivist@feddit.uk 21 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (6 children)

Judging based on what I'm actually paying for myself I'd say Mullvad VPN, Protonmail and a nameless AI assistant.

Edit: I forgot I've got a website too, so hosting of that is another one.

[–] thatsnothowyoudoit@lemmy.ca 11 points 1 week ago

Mullvad is stellar. I’ve been a user for years and it’s never let me down.

I strongly disagree on proton mail. If you use a custom domain with a catchall it’s absolute trash. Also possibly the worst email search ever. Don’t even get me started on the proton bridge.

I lasted a few months (about 8) and then switched to fastmail. Worlds apart.

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Your own email domain + an account at a privacy respecting email service is more than worth it. Avoids the privacy nightmare that is using Google/Microsoft for your email, and gives you the flexibility to change email providers on a whim if your current one starts doing anything you don't like.

[–] homes@piefed.world 17 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Health insurance, if you can afford it

[–] naught101@lemmy.world 38 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Or, hear me out, tax that goes toward socialised healthcare.

[–] homes@piefed.world 18 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Lmao!

Better healthcare than I’ve ever had for a tiny fraction of the price? You’re insane!

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[–] akacastor@lemmy.world 14 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Kagi is a great search engine that I've found to be worth paying for.

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[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 14 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Internet and/or phone service.

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[–] john_lemmy@slrpnk.net 12 points 1 week ago

Dropout is one I enjoy and they do profit sharing internally, which is nice to see.

[–] Cherry@piefed.social 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

None. Other routes or methods exist for just out everything. Knowledge, services etc. stop buying into this concept created to part you with money. We did years with subscriptions not being a thing.

Take the slightly harder path and keep your money in your pocket. Learn how to get what you want without further enabling big tech and the greedy class. Sorry probs not the answer you want.

Only decent one is as above VPN!

[–] SoggySandwich@piefed.social 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

It's fine man. Just wanted to see people's thoughts and opinions. In fact I personally agree. Hell, I'm watching NBC right now through a third-party source.

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[–] aeronmelon@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Online backup. Because it will happen, eventually.

[–] mittyta@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago (3 children)

The worst advice IMHO. You can't cancel that types of subscription anytime, otherwise you lost your data. will you pay for it for the rest of your life? Will your grandchildren pay for it to keep granny's photos?

[–] four@lemmy.zip 10 points 1 week ago

I think the idea is to use paid online backup as another layer of safety. You still keep your data on your devices, but in case your entire house burns down, you have the online backup.

Online backups should be an absolute last resort in the case of something catastrophic like a house fire, not your only copy of important data. Losing them should just mean a little less redundancy in that regard.

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[–] 9point6@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago

A good VPN that values privacy is a pretty easy answer

Random one, but I get a lot of use out of a boardgamesarena premium membership. I've got a few mates that I can't see IRL as much any more, so it's nice to be able to jump on a video call and play some board games. Only one in the group needs a membership to unlock all the games and it's about £30 for the year. Easily better value than a few hours in a pub

I have other subscriptions I find varying levels of useful for me, but hard to argue for many of them being particularly good value.

[–] TheLeadenSea@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

The only thing I pay a monthly subscription for is domain/web hosting and medication

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[–] vane@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago

Internet, the shit show is 24/7 no need to pay more for anything.

[–] idunnololz@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago

Costco, Credit cards (assuming you can get your moneys worth).

On the nerdier side, Nabu casa, VPS.

And on the mundane, internet.

[–] eestileib@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 1 week ago

Mobile data.

[–] bridgeenjoyer@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 week ago (2 children)
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[–] klymilark@herbicide.fallcounty.omg.lol 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Email, Nebula, Dropout, Borgbase, a domain name.

I also have humble choice, but that's a bit of a tossup. I've found some great games through it that I still play, but most months it still feels worth it to me

Edit: Forgot Mullvad VPN! Love that thing, 15/10 would recommend. Reddit doesn't like it, but also I don't like reddit so whatever

[–] CathyBikesBook@piefed.zip 6 points 1 week ago

PBS Passport. Support your local PBS station

[–] meow@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 1 week ago

Mullvad, and a strong internet connection from the spyware company of your choice. With that you can pirate any media, and browse the internet. I have never needed more.

[–] slazer2au@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

None, you should but outright not lease forever with the chance of removing features or content.

[–] GenXLiberal@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

Libro.fm - Audiobooks but (unlike Audible) you can download drm-free audio files to listen however you want.

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