By Jessica Walker
Communications and Campaigns Manager | Pou Whakahaere Whitiwhiti Kōrero, Kaupapa Whakatairanga
With some small adjustments to your spending habits, you could save thousands of dollars in 2026.
Save up to $1,680 by changing your car insurance provider
Switching your car insurance provider could save you as much as $1,680 a year.
Our 2025 car insurance survey found the difference between the highest and lowest premiums for a family was $140 a month – or $1,680 a year.
Car insurance premiums can vary wildly depending on the provider. It is worth taking the time to shop around to see how much you could save by switching your car insurance.
There are other steps you can take to bring down your car insurance costs. Increasing your excess can bring down your premiums. If you decide to do this, you should set the excess to an amount you could afford if you need to make an insurance claim.
Opting to pay your insurance premium in an annual lump sum, if you can afford to, is another way to save money.
Save $240 by dropping a streaming service
If you are paying for multiple streaming services, it could be time to review your subscriptions.
Streaming services are generally easy to start and stop. If you’re paying $20 a month for a service you’re hardly using, unsubscribing could save you $240 a year.
We recommend making a list of everything you want to watch on a particular service, then rotating through the different services following your list, rather than paying for multiple services each month.
Save up to $600 by tweaking your power usage
Small changes in how you use your power can lead to big savings.
For example, adjusting how you use your heat pump and washing machine, switching off appliances at the wall and cutting down shower times can save you hundreds of dollars each year.
Get the most out of your heat pump by setting it between 19 and 21 degrees and regularly removing the filters for a gentle clean with a vacuum. Your room should still be warm enough and you will save about $90 over the year.
Switching to a cold-water wash for your laundry could save you $50 a year. You only need to crank the temperature up if you’re tackling stains or a particularly filthy load.
Water heating accounts for about a third of household energy usage. Reducing the length of showers from 15 to 5 minutes could save up to $260 per person, per year.
Switching off appliances at the wall when they’re not in use can save up to $200 a year too.
Save up to $350 by changing your power company
In 2025, power prices soared. Switching to a cheaper plan could save you hundreds of dollars in 2026.
Consumer’s free and independent power plan comparison site, Powerswitch, helps you to compare options and find the best deal for your needs.
Almost 95% of Powerswitch users find they can save money, with average savings of about $350 a year. It’s a quick and easy way to check that you’re not overpaying for electricity.
Are you paying too much for power?
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