Subscription services that make your life easier

Our lives are busy. Juggling work, friends, family, pets and other responsibilities means you have a lot to think about. Subscription or delivery services can help ease everyday stress. There are meal planning services that send ingredients and recipes to your doorstep, beauty boxes that send curated items for your self-care routine, and much more. Below you'll find an array of subscription services like these to help make your life easier.

What is a subscription service?

A subscription service is a business model in which a customer pays on a regular basis for automated access to a service or product. Some subscription services operate weekly, monthly, bi-monthly and even yearly, and you can typically choose what frequency works best for your needs.

One benefit of subscription services is how they can free you up from the planning and thinking these tasks would normally require. For instance, you might pay for a subscription service of shampoo and conditioner, so every three months two new bottles arrive on your doorstep without you even having to think about it.

Food subscription services to beat the heat in the kitchen

A big challenge for many people is cooking for themselves at home. When you have so much on your plate already (pun intended), it can be challenging to summon the motivation to plan meals, find recipes, get groceries and make dinner. Food subscription services can help ease the load when it comes to mealtime.

Meal subscription services

The meal delivery market has exploded in recent years as people have discovered the benefits of pro prep tips and meal planning help. The specifics of meal subscription services can vary from business to business, but generally you're able to choose your meals on a weekly basis from a variety of recipes and dishes.

There are usually recipes catering to all kinds of diets, including low-carb, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free. You can also choose the number of recipes that best suits you and your household. Then the ingredients and a recipe card — or the fully prepared dish — can be delivered right to your door. If you don't usually enjoy spending time in the kitchen or haven't often had much time to become familiar with cooking, you can choose recipes based on your skills and schedule. Some subscriptions even offer healthy snacks to munch on between meals. Some popular meal subscription services include Hello Fresh, Home Chef, Blue Apron and Green Chef.

Coffee subscription services

If there's one thing you don't want to be without, it's coffee. Having a coffee subscription service can be a good way to make sure your pantry is always stocked with fresh beans or grounds. Or, if you're a coffee connoisseur, it can be a fun way to try new flavors. Whether you're new to the daily grind or you've been a longtime drinker, there's a coffee subscription service out there for you. 

Another benefit to coffee subscription services is the information and background you can get about the coffee you receive. This usually includes information about sourcing, flavor, brewing tips and more. Some popular coffee subscription services include Trade, Atlas Coffee Club, Driftaway and Counter Culture.

Subscription services to make self-care a breeze

The good thing about subscription services is that they don't have to be all business. Convenience can be for more than just checking off tasks like buying groceries and planning meals. There is also an abundance of subscription services that cater to self-care and indulging in your hobbies.

Flower subscription services

Nothing brightens up a room like a bouquet of fresh flowers. To help keep your vases full, there are numerous flower subscription services. These services give you flexibility to choose the types of bouquets you want and how often you want them, and some allow you to choose based on your priorities and tastes. Some services focus on traditional bouquets, others on single-flower arrangements and still others on ethical sourcing and sustainable packaging. Popular flower subscription services include Urban Stems, Flowerbx, Farmgirl Flowers and Bloomsybox.

Book subscription services

If your bedtime routine includes cozying up with a good read, a book subscription service might be for you. No need to worry about letting a stranger (or algorithm) choose a book for you, because there are many types of book subscription services for every kind of reader. For those with e-readers, subscription services can operate like a cross between a library and a streaming service. You can borrow from thousands of digital books as you please while paying a monthly fee.

For people who like the feeling of a book in their hand, there are services for you too. Some operate like a book club within a chosen genre or theme, and everyone reads the same book and then discusses it in an online community. Or there's a subscription service that will suggest five books at the start of the month and then send you one of your choice. There are also book subscription services with specific themes like feminist books or brand-new releases. Some popular book subscription services include Book of the Month, Literati, Kindle Unlimited and Cratejoy.

Subscription services vs. streaming services

A subscription service could be confused with a streaming service, but there's a difference. A streaming service delivers digital movies, podcasts and audio books and more multimedia to your device. Streaming services often operate with a subscription model, where you pay a fee on a certain schedule (often monthly) and receive access to the media. On the other hand, a subscription service is colloquially associated with receiving something physical in the mail.

Streaming subscription services to make entertaining easier

There are plenty of uses for streaming subscription services to make your life easier. You can host a movie night with access to the vast film libraries of Netflix, Hulu or HBO Max. With a variety of choices, you'll have the best chance of finding something that everyone in the group will like. If you're having friends over for a party, using Spotify Premium or Apple Music gives you millions of songs to listen to. It's also great for long road trips, since you'll have access to plenty of podcasts to help pass the time.

What's more

No matter what you're looking for to make your life a little bit easier, there's a good chance there's a subscription service out there for you. Whether you need help in the kitchen, want a new book recommendation, or just like to keep fresh flowers in the house, subscription services can help you accomplish your goals.