Cancelling ‘zombie’ subscriptions could save Britons up to £400 a year, survey finds

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Shane HickeyJanuary 10, 2026 at 08:00 AM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

A recent Nationwide survey reveals that Britons could save up to £400 annually by cancelling unused subscription services, often referred to as "zombie" memberships. The survey found that 19% of subscribers don't fully utilize all their paid platforms, leading to wasted funds. With post-Christmas financial constraints, 31% of Britons plan to review and cancel these unused services. Experts recommend auditing bank statements to identify recurring subscription payments for TV, media, and other services, noting usage and costs. By identifying and canceling unnecessary subscriptions, individuals can better manage their spending and avoid overspending.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Severance 30% Wonka 30% Ted Lasso 30% Club Lloyds 40% NetVoucherCodes 40% Apple 40% Prime 40% Apple TV ×250% Mark Nalder 60% Rebecca Bebbington ×260% Nationwide ×270% Britons 80%

Keywords

subscription services 100% zombie subscriptions 90% cancelling subscriptions 80% personal finance 70% budgeting 60% spending audit 60% recurring charges 50% streaming services 50%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive

Score: 0.30

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Britons

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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subscription services zombie subscriptions cancelling subscriptions personal finance budgeting spending audit recurring charges streaming services

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