How much can I realistically save per month after redundancy?

Most UK households find £150-£400 per month within an hour of looking. The first hour gets the easy savings (subscriptions, unused services). The second hour gets £20-£40 more (renegotiations on mobile, broadband, insurance). The third hour usually yields relatively little, so don't over-optimise. Aim for 30-60 minutes per session.

Should I cancel my pension contributions to save money?

Almost always no. Stopping pension contributions saves a small amount immediately and loses much larger amounts in compound growth over decades. If you must reduce contributions, drop to the minimum to keep any employer match (n/a if you're no longer employed) or to the lowest level that keeps the pension structure intact.

Should I cancel insurance to save money?

Be selective. Life insurance, home insurance, and (if you have dependents) income protection insurance are usually keepers. Travel insurance, gadget insurance, extended warranties, breakdown cover for an unused car, and pet insurance for older pets are commonly cut. The test: would the financial impact of the uninsured event be catastrophic or just unpleasant?

How do I cut food costs without hurting quality?

Three high-impact moves: shop weekly with a list (not daily and impulsive), shift one or two meals per week to cheaper protein (eggs, lentils, beans), and switch from premium-brand staples (rice, pasta, oils, basic veg) to own-brand. Most households reduce food spend 20-30% without noticing in 4-6 weeks.

Cutting Monthly Costs After Redundancy (UK 2026)

Category 1: subscriptions

The fastest wins. Streaming services (Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, NOW TV, Spotify, Apple Music), news subscriptions, software, gaming services, fitness apps, newsletters, audiobook subscriptions, cloud storage tiers beyond what you actually use. Cancel anything you haven’t opened in 60 days. Total typical savings: £30-£80 per month.

The detail matters. Subscriptions often auto-renew at higher tiers without notification, and free trials convert silently to paid. A 30-minute audit through your bank statements catches the ones you’ve forgotten. Many of these can be re-added later in seconds when you actually want them again.

Category 2: food and delivery

Food delivery is the second easy category. Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat often add £15-£40 to a £15-£25 meal once service fees, delivery fees, tips and the price markup are added. Cutting delivery to once a fortnight rather than once a week typically saves £80-£200 per month for a household that uses these regularly.

The supermarket shop has similar room. Weekly planned shops (one big shop, a list, fewer top-ups) cost roughly 20-30% less than equivalent ad-hoc shopping. Switching one or two meals per week to cheaper protein (eggs, lentils, beans rather than meat) and shifting basic ingredients (rice, pasta, oils, basic veg) to own-brand removes another 10-15%.

Category 3: mobile and broadband

UK mobile contracts often roll on at the original price long after the handset has been paid off. Check your bill for “airtime plan” and “device plan” as separate lines; if the device plan is finished, you’re paying for nothing. A SIM-only deal at the same data tier is usually £10-£20 per month, vs the £40-£60 most contracts auto-renew at. Typical saving: £20-£40 per month per phone.

Broadband is similar. Most providers offer significant discounts to keep customers who threaten to leave (this is called “retention pricing”); 5-10 minutes on the phone with your provider, including the words “I’m thinking of switching to BT” or similar, often drops £10-£20 from your monthly bill. If they don’t move, switching is usually viable; the new provider handles the changeover.

Category 4: energy

The UK energy market post-2022 is more complex than it was, but switching is still possible and the savings can be material. Use a price-comparison site (Uswitch, Compare the Market, Energyhelpline) or the Ofgem website’s comparison tool to see what’s available. Fixed-rate deals are often cheaper than the default variable tariff if you’re happy to lock in for 12-24 months. Typical saving: £20-£60 per month for a typical household.

The other lever is consumption. Cutting energy consumption (turning the heating down 1-2 degrees, washing at 30 not 40, avoiding the tumble dryer where possible) typically saves 10-20% of the bill. Smaller numbers individually but they compound, and they cost nothing.

Category 5: insurance and direct debits

Insurance renewal pricing in the UK is consistently higher than new-customer pricing for the same product. Get quotes on a price-comparison site for your car, home, gadget, and travel insurance every year; switching often saves £100- £400 per policy. The new insurer handles the transition.

While you’re looking at direct debits, cancel anything you’ve forgotten you’re paying for: charity subscriptions you signed up for years ago (totally fine to cancel temporarily during financial stress), magazine subscriptions you don’t read, club memberships you don’t use, breakdown cover for a car you no longer have, gym memberships you stopped using two years ago.

What not to cut

A few categories where cuts often look attractive but cost more long-term than they save. Pension contributions (the compound-growth cost is huge; only cut as a last resort, and stop temporarily rather than withdraw). Critical insurances (life if you have dependents; income protection if you can keep it as a contractor; home and contents). Health-related subscriptions you actually use (therapy, medication delivery, anything related to a chronic condition).

Frequently asked questions

How much can I realistically save per month after redundancy?: Most UK households find £150-£400 per month within an hour of looking. The first hour gets the easy savings (subscriptions, unused services). The second hour gets £20-£40 more (renegotiations on mobile, broadband, insurance). The third hour usually yields relatively little, so don't over-optimise. Aim for 30-60 minutes per session.
Should I cancel my pension contributions to save money?: Almost always no. Stopping pension contributions saves a small amount immediately and loses much larger amounts in compound growth over decades. If you must reduce contributions, drop to the minimum to keep any employer match (n/a if you're no longer employed) or to the lowest level that keeps the pension structure intact.
Should I cancel insurance to save money?: Be selective. Life insurance, home insurance, and (if you have dependents) income protection insurance are usually keepers. Travel insurance, gadget insurance, extended warranties, breakdown cover for an unused car, and pet insurance for older pets are commonly cut. The test: would the financial impact of the uninsured event be catastrophic or just unpleasant?
How do I cut food costs without hurting quality?: Three high-impact moves: shop weekly with a list (not daily and impulsive), shift one or two meals per week to cheaper protein (eggs, lentils, beans), and switch from premium-brand staples (rice, pasta, oils, basic veg) to own-brand. Most households reduce food spend 20-30% without noticing in 4-6 weeks.

General information about reducing monthly costs. For advice specific to your circumstances, contact MoneyHelper or StepChange for debt-related guidance.

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Cutting monthly costs after redundancy