Case study · Fintech
Fintech cloud cost optimization: 32% lower monthly spend
32% lower monthly cloud spend in 90 days. How a UK fintech reduced cloud spend after migration by combining rightsizing, reserved capacity, and platform guardrails.
12 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
What is cloud cost optimization?
Cloud cost optimization is the process of reducing waste and improving unit economics in cloud environments through rightsizing, scheduling, purchasing commitments, architecture changes, and clear ownership of spend.
A UK fintech had completed an initial lift-and-shift to AWS. Reliability was acceptable, but the monthly bill climbed as product teams provisioned freely and dual-running leftovers remained. Leadership asked for proof, not another dashboard.
Challenge
- No consistent tagging or cost owners per product.
- Oversized always-on environments for non-prod.
- Data transfer patterns that inflated networking costs.
- Reserved capacity decisions delayed until usage was understood.
What we did
- Installed tagging standards and budget alerts in the first two weeks.
- Right-sized production and scheduled non-prod shutdowns.
- Removed orphaned volumes, snapshots, and idle load balancers.
- Introduced savings plans after 45 days of stable baselines.
- Paired FinOps rituals with platform guardrails so spend could not silently return.
Outcomes after 90 days
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cloud spend | Baseline | −32% |
| Untagged resources | High | Under 5% |
| Non-prod night/weekend waste | Always on | Scheduled off |
| Cost owners assigned | None | Per product team |
Why this matters for buyers
Transactional searchers looking for fintech cloud cost optimization want evidence that a consultancy can change the bill and the operating model. The win was not a one-off cleanup; it was ownership, guardrails, and a repeatable review cadence.
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