How can shared accounts save money?

In the 2026 economic landscape, the “sharing economy” is no longer a trend, but a necessity for many households. With continued pressure on the housing market and rising costs for energy and services, more and more people are looking for ways to optimize their fixed costs. One of the most effective methods to create immediate financial breathing space is sharing accounts. Whether it concerns students in a student home, young professionals in a co-living concept or partners who are going to live together; pooling financial resources offers economies of scale that are simply unattainable at an individual level.

However, sharing accounts goes beyond simply splitting the rent. It is a strategic approach to reduce the “foothold” of daily life. In this article, we explore how shared accounts will provide significant savings in 2026 and where to make the biggest profit.

Economies of scale for fixed utilities

The most immediate savings with shared accounts are in the fixed costs of utilities. Every energy or water contract in the Netherlands consists of two parts: consumption costs and fixed duty costs (delivery costs).

• Fixed duty and connection costs: Regardless of whether you use 10 or 1000 kWh, you pay a fixed amount per month for connection and administration. By distributing these costs among several people, the individual price per person drops drastically. By 2026, the total fixed duty costs for electricity, gas and water could reach €600 per year. So in a household of four, you're already saving €450 per year compared to someone who lives alone.
• More efficient consumption: A refrigerator consumes almost the same amount of energy whether it is full for one person or three. The same goes for heating a living room. By sharing spaces and appliances, the energy efficiency per person is significantly higher, resulting in a lower overall energy bill.

The impact of subscriptions and digital services

In 2026, “subscription fatigue” will be a familiar phenomenon. Almost every service, from entertainment to software, works with a subscription model. Shared accounts offer the ultimate solution here via family subscriptions and group bundles.

Many streaming services, music platforms, and even newspaper subscriptions offer “Family Plans”. Although they are often slightly more expensive than an individual subscription, the price per user is often 50% to 70% lower. Also consider shared cloud storage or software licenses for working from home. By centrally managing these services and splitting costs via a shared account, households can save tens of euros a month in 2026 without sacrificing their digital lifestyle.

Purchasing advantage for groceries and household items

One of the biggest variables in the monthly budget is the supermarket. Shared accounts make “bulk purchasing” possible, which is a crucial strategy against food inflation in 2026.

• Bulk packages: The price per unit (liter or kilo) is often 20% to 30% lower for large packages than for small packages. For a single-person household, a package of 5 kilos of rice or a discount pack of detergent is often impractical due to its shelf life or storage space. For a shared household, this is the standard.
• Less waste: Shared meals mean that ingredients are used more efficiently. Where a single person often has to throw away half of a cauliflower or eat the same thing for three days in a row, a shared kitchen ensures a higher turnover rate for fresh products.

Shared insurance and municipal taxes

In the Netherlands, certain taxes and insurances are linked to the address or household, not to the individual person.

• Waste tax and sewer law: In 2026, many municipalities will use a rate per household or make a limited distinction between single and multi-person households. The difference in tax between one resident and three residents is often surprisingly small. By sharing these attacks, you reduce the annual costs per capita by hundreds of euros.
• Property and liability insurance: Household insurance covers items at a specific address. By taking out one policy for the entire household, you save on the monthly premium and administrative costs that you would have with multiple individual policies.

Sharing transport and mobility

Although cars are often privately owned, we will see a strong rise in shared mobility costs within residential groups and families in 2026.

By jointly owning one car or using a car-sharing subscription via a shared account, the enormous fixed costs of car ownership (insurance, road tax, depreciation) do not fall on one person's shoulders. The costs per kilometer are distributed fairly based on consumption, while the “downtime costs” are split. For city dwellers who only need a car occasionally, this is one of the most effective ways to free up hundreds of dollars a month.

The psychology of transparency and apps

The reason shared accounts are so successful in 2026 is the technology. Expense splitting apps and joint bank accounts with automatic reports put an end to the social inconvenience of asking for money.

When everyone has insight into the common pot, collective responsibility arises. Residents will unconsciously encourage each other to be more economical with energy or to pay attention to offers. This behavioral change, supported by the actual savings in fixed duty and purchasing, makes the shared account a powerful financial instrument. The result is not only more money in the bank, but also a lower carbon footprint per person.