Martin Lewis shares how to save thousands on bills in 2026

Households could save thousands in 2026 with just a few quick checks NewsUKHome NewsMartin Lewis shares how to save thousands on bills in 2026Households could save thousands in 2026 with just a few quick checksAlbert Toth Wednesday 18 February 2026 17:23 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverMartin Lewis warns these job titles could impact your car insurance priceYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreAs the high cost of living continues to bite for millions across the UK, many are looking for ways to bring household costs down. Slowing inflation in January means that prices are now rising less quickly – a trend economists hope will continue over the coming months – but household bills remain a massive expense after consecutive rises in recent years.Energy, water, broadband and council tax have all seen spikes since the Covid pandemic, and remain stubbornly high in 2026. At the same time, the number of households struggling with debt has reached record levels, according to recent analysis by Citizens Advice.While these costs are essential, they can be brought down in many cases. Money expert Martin Lewis has encouraged bill payers to undertake a “money makeover” to quickly check where they might be overpaying – and how to get a better deal.open image in galleryMartin Lewis has shared his top tips for cutting bills in 2026 (Getty Images)Writing on his Money Saving Expert website, Mr Lewis said: “Taking a day to cut your bills saves many people £1,000s over the year. And unless you earn £100,000s, doing a money makeover can be the next best way of putting some extra aside – something that's really important during this cost of living crisis.“So check your bills NOW and see if you can save £100s on broadband, mobiles, food and more by working through your finances one-by-one to ensure you've the best deal on everything.”Here are six of the expert’s top tips:Mobile contractThe cost of phone contracts can vary massively in the UK, meaning some may be paying as much as £200 more than others for a similar deal.An estimated 14 million people across the country are now out of contract, meaning they can leave their provider at any point and in most of these cases, are paying far more than they need to be.The quick way to find this out is to text “INFO” for free to 85075. Mobile providers must reply to this with information about the contract, including any early termination charge. If this is £0, then the contract has likely finished.Get a free fractional share worth up to £100.Capital at risk.Terms and conditions apply.Go to websiteADVERTISEMENTGet a free fractional share worth up to £100.Capital at risk.Terms and conditions apply.Go to websiteADVERTISEMENTFor those who are happy with their mobile device, Sim-only deals can be found for as little as £4 a month.One person told Money Saving Expert: "I took advantage of your deal with Lebara after disappointing service from my last provider. Saved £277 over the next year, get more data, better roaming, a month-by-month contract and keep my old phone number. Dead chuffed. Thanks."Subscription health checkTaking out a subscription is often a quick and easy process, so much so that they can become hard to keep track of.More than a quarter of people (27 per cent) have had a payment taken that they thought they’d cancelled, recent data from Compare the Market found, ranging from streaming services to fitness apps.The first step to track down unwanted subscriptions is for people to check the direct debit and standing orders on their bank account. Any regular outgoing that comes as a surprise should be tackled.open image in galleryMore than a quarter of people have had a payment taken that they thought they’d cancelled (Getty/iStock)While these can be easily cancelled through the bank, it’s wise for bill payers to contact the company first. They may still be in contract, and so cancelling payment would be a breach.There is a third form of payment called ‘Continuous Payment Authority’ which is less common and won’t show up in the same way as the other two. To be sure, savers can look through their