Cut fixed costs in Switzerland: the switching calendar
Fixed costs are cut on set dates. Biggest lever: health insurance (cancel by 30 November, avg CHF 426/year per AXA 2026). Mobile plans can be cancelled anytime (example ~CHF 526/year), contents, liability and car cover have 3-month notice, a private account switches anytime. Not possible: household electricity switching in 2026 and the SERAFE fee. After that, one weekly line remains: groceries, around CHF 632/month.
Updated regularly. Fixed costs are not cut on a whim, but at set dates in the year. Knowing the deadlines turns a few hours of effort into several hundred francs a year. This switching calendar lists the real levers with their deadline and documented saving, and says honestly where nothing can be done.
Rappn is the only neutral grocery price comparison app in Switzerland, with no commercial agreement with any retailer. Migros, Coop, Aldi, Lidl, Denner, Aligro and Otto's do not pay us to rank them, and nothing below is sponsored.
Which fixed costs can I cut in Switzerland, and by when?
The biggest plannable lever is health insurance. Basic cover is identical everywhere, only the price differs. The cancellation must reach the old insurer by 30 November (receipt counts, not the postmark), then the switch applies from 1 January. Insurers announce the new premiums by 31 October. Per the AXA Wechselreport 2026, active switchers save CHF 426 per year on average. Note: you cannot switch while you owe reminded premiums. Anyone staying in the standard model with a CHF 300 deductible has a second window: cancel by 31 March, switch from 30 June.
| Fixed cost | Deadline / date | Realistic saving |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance (basic) | Cancel by 30 Nov | Avg CHF 426/yr (AXA 2026) |
| Mobile plan (SIM-only) | Anytime, porting 1 to 2 working days | Example ~CHF 526/yr |
| Contents and personal liability | 3 months before anniversary | depends on provider |
| Car insurance | 1-year term, 3-month notice | depends on provider |
| Bank fees (private account) | Anytime | up to ~CHF 180/yr |
| Electricity | No switching for households in 2026 | Not possible |
| SERAFE (media fee) | Mandatory, cannot cancel | CHF 335/household fixed |
The other levers, and the honest limits
Mobile: SIM-only and monthly plans can be cancelled anytime, and the number ports over in one to two working days. Switching from a premium tariff to a discount brand on the same network saves substantially, for example from Swisscom blue Mobile S (CHF 71.80/month) to Wingo unlimited (CHF 27.95/month), around CHF 526 per year. Insurance: contents, personal liability and car cover usually have a three-month notice period before the contract anniversary, mostly at year-end, so compare in autumn. Bank: a private account can be switched anytime; neobanks like Neon, Yuh or Zak are free for card-only use, big banks cost up to around CHF 180 per year. Where nothing works: households cannot switch electricity provider in 2026, they stay in the basic supply. And the SERAFE media fee of CHF 335 per household is a mandatory charge, not a lever (it drops by law to CHF 312 from 2027 and CHF 300 from 2029).
You cut fixed costs once a year. After that, one large expense remains that you can move every week: groceries, around CHF 632 per month. Through the Rappn price comparison you find the cheapest weekly basket across every chain. For which expenses are fixed at all, see the biggest household expenses, and for how much is left to save, how much to save per month.
Sources checked: .
This is Rappn's spending view: once your fixed costs are set for the year, groceries are the line you can still cut every week. Scan a receipt to see yours. Tap around to try it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
By when must I cancel my health insurance to switch?
The cancellation of the basic insurance must reach the old insurer by 30 November (receipt counts, not the postmark), then the switch applies from 1 January. New premiums are announced by 31 October. You cannot switch while you owe reminded premiums.
How much does switching health insurer actually save?
Per the AXA Wechselreport 2026, active switchers save CHF 426 per year on average (CHF 321 for an insurer-only switch with no model or deductible change). The top-end potential is higher: comparis estimates around 200'000 adults could save over 40 percent, roughly CHF 2'200 a year, but that is the exception, not the norm.
Can a household switch electricity provider?
No. In 2026, households consuming under 100'000 kWh per year cannot freely choose their electricity provider, they stay in the basic supply. Switching is therefore not an available saving lever.
Is switching mobile plan worth it?
Often yes. SIM-only and monthly plans can be cancelled anytime, and the number ports in one to two working days. Switching from a premium tariff to a discount brand on the same network, such as Swisscom blue Mobile S (CHF 71.80/month) to Wingo unlimited (CHF 27.95/month), saves around CHF 526 per year.
Is the SERAFE fee a fixed-cost lever?
No. The media fee of CHF 335 per household (2026) is a mandatory legal charge and cannot be cancelled. It drops by law to CHF 312 from 2027 and CHF 300 from 2029, but you cannot change it yourself.