3 proven methods to uncover every recurring charge across all your accounts — including forgotten trials and zombie subscriptions. This guide applies specifically to Wall Street Journal ($4-$39.99/mo) subscribers in Illinois, citing applicable state and federal law.
Illinois's Automatic Contract Renewal Act (815 ILCS 601) gives you specific protections when dealing with Wall Street Journal subscriptions:
Penalties: Renewal is void if notice requirements not met
Applied to Wall Street Journal (Phone only) in Illinois
Download 3 months of bank and card statements
Get PDF or CSV statements from every bank account and credit card. Most banks let you download from online banking. Go back at least 90 days to catch quarterly billing cycles.
Illinois note: 815 ILCS 601 requires Wall Street Journal to provide an easy cancellation mechanism.
Search for recurring amounts
Highlight every charge that appears at the same dollar amount each month. Patterns: $9.99, $14.99, $19.99, $49.99. Annual charges show up once — look back 13 months to catch them.
Check app store subscriptions
iPhone: Settings → [Your Name] → Subscriptions. Android: Play Store → Payments & subscriptions. These are managed separately and often forgotten.
Search email for billing receipts
Search Gmail or Outlook for 'receipt', 'subscription', 'renewal', 'billing', 'your plan'. Filter by the last 12 months. This catches services billed via PayPal or gift cards.
Check PayPal and Venmo recurring payments
Log into PayPal → Settings → Payments → Manage automatic payments. Venmo: Settings → Payment methods. Many users have 2–5 forgotten subscriptions here.
Method: Phone only · Difficulty: hard
Wall Street Journal-specific tips
No refund for current period.
Under 815 ILCS 601, you may be entitled to a full refund if Wall Street Journal didn't properly disclose auto-renewal terms at signup.
These apply to Wall Street Journal in every state, including Illinois:
SubScrub auto-cites 815 ILCS 601 + sends legally-backed letters