To some, it may seem that the subscription economy is a recent phenomenon that has changed the way that businesses provide services and how consumers consume. However, subscription actually predates modern day technology. In fact, according to archives, the first use of publishing subscription was for a rare book collection by John Brown in 1617 .
Since 2010, there has been a huge growth in the subscription market, and now you can get just about anything through subscription. Thanks to this growth in popularity, 80 per cent of people now have at least one subscription service, with companies like Netflix, which was actually founded in 1997, and Spotify, being some of the more popular subscription-based businesses.
I challenged myself to live for a week on subscriptions, and here's what happened...
Getting ready for work
Waking up at 5.30am, I go for a run, shower, shave, eat my breakfast, brush my teeth and then I'm out the door. A fairly normal routine.
Except for each stage of my 'getting ready' process I use products that I have subscribed to for the week; everything down to the toothpaste that I brush my teeth with. I start my morning off with some morning vitamins from VITL followed by some freshly delivered bacon, delivered to me by Cure + Simple. My shaving cream (and aftershave) I receive from Bevel and my toothpaste comes from Boka.
I'm all set and now I'm waiting for my ride. I've signed up to the Zipcar service; a car club that gives you access to a vehicle whenever you need one. I get into my Audi A3 and off I go.
Lunchtime
I'm a big fan of a cheese toasty, so imagine the excitement when I found the company Cheese Posties. All the ingredients sent to me, to put together and toast in the work toaster. I also have some of yesterday's Graze snack box so I finish that off too.
Coffee at three
Without coffee, I'm fairly broken by the time mid-afternoon comes around. Bewleys Coffee Project offers up some really interesting blends of coffee, so on a monthly basis they send you a selection of coffee to drink.
Getting home
Finishing up at seven, I get another Zipcar back home to find that my new socks from London Sock Company have arrived as well as my wife's Naked Wine delivery! We sit down, crack open a bottle of ethically-grown Rioja and get stuck into The Crown on Netflix.
For dinner, we have a Gousto box; a mild tomato fish curry with dill rice. There are a number of different recipes to choose from and it allows you to be a bit more creative with your weekly meals.
What's it really like?
Living life on subscription is incredibly convenient. You can effectively plan an entire week of your life "necessities" without having to really lift a finger. You can do just about anything through subscription services.
Subscription-based living offers variety to a daily regime. It allows people to try different foods, grooming products, films and even cars that they otherwise wouldn't have access to. Subscription isn't just about an on-demand lifestyle; it's a lifestyle of much more extensive access.