Five things to say to lower your TV, web, and phone bill


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Are you tired of paying too much for TV, Internet, and phone? Here are some things you can say to help you score a discount.

Whether it's switching providers, inserting a promo code online, or dropping premium cable channels, there are certainly things you can do to help you save money on your Internet, TV, and phone bill.

But, did you know you could also save money by simply using your chops and saying the right things?

Yep, you can talk your way into a lower digital services bill. Here's how?

Immediately Ask to Speak to the Customer Retention Department

When you're ready to score a discount from your TV or Internet company, don't waste your time talking to people who have no authority to give you a rate cut.

As soon as you get someone on the phone who can help you, explain that you can no longer afford to pay your bill, says David Bakke, editor at the financial fitness website, MoneyCrashers.com.

"Politely explain that you enjoy the service, but that you cannot afford the amount you are being charged and that you would like a discount," says Bakke.

Talk About How Long You've Been a Loyal Customer to the Company

If you've been with your cable/satellite provider for a while, chances are the company will listen to you when you ask for a discount.

"Even for consumers who have not been customers for very long, expressing their interest in remaining loyal may be helpful to get more for their money," according to Lal.

Bakke agrees, adding that "customer loyalty is important to cable providers, so you should use this to your advantage when requesting a discount."

How much can you save? It depends on the company, of course, but Lal says loyalty discounts can be up to $20 per month.

Say these Words: "I'm thinking of Switching to another Provider"

Nothing makes a cable or Internet provider stop and listen more than those magic words: "I'm thinking of switching," says Andrea Woroch, a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli, Inc.

 Companies want to keep your business, Woroch says, so telling them you're thinking about switching might be all you need to do to get that discount you're after.

Gather all necessary information about your current bill, what you're getting and why you're thinking about switching, says Woroch. That way you can tell the company exactly what you could get by switching to another company, but more importantly, what they'll need to offer in order to keep you.

Don't be Afraid to Bring up Competitor Prices and Promotions

Do you have more than one cable or satellite company offering service in your area? If so, you'll want to use that to your advantage - especially if other providers are offering lower prices than what you're receiving.

For example, if a provider in your area is offering a bundled price that includes Internet, premium channels, and home phone service at half the cost you're paying now for just your cable, bring it up, says Teri Gault, founder and CEO of The Grocery Game, a money-saving website.

"Tell your cable provider about the lower price and see if they would be willing to match that same price," Gault says.

However, in order for this strategy to work, you have to make sure to regularly look into the new deals so you don't miss anything that's out there, Gault says.

Remind Your Provider About What they Don't Offer

Chicago resident, Monica Witek, called her cable company after she realized she wasn't receiving a channel she enjoyed watching.

"I noticed when we lived in Downtown Chicago that we did not receive the Travel Channel, which we enjoyed watching and were able to watch when we were living in the suburbs," Witek says.

Her cable company's answer? They simply told her that the Travel Channel was not available in her area.

And since she didn't want to drop her service entirely, she called her provider and asked for the cheapest plan possible.

Because the cable company couldn't offer the channel Witek wanted, they agreed to let her switch to basic cable and to take advantage of movie channels for free for six months.

"Now I call my cable provider each month or every other month to take advantage of free promotions they are providing their customers," Witek says.

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The problem with cable in my town and most of the US is that there is usually one cable provider! I have Time Warner cable/Road Runner internet - both absolute garbage services. It's expensive and service is not reliable. $45 + $7 cable modem rental fee (**** that, I'm getting a modem) for 20 down/2 up. If it storms (rain, snow, even wind), then I'm SOL. To top that off, I only want local channels on cable so I can watch NFL games. Can you get just local channels? Nope! You used to be able to, but now you have to buy the $49 (promotion) package deal to get "digital" cable. I had this service a few years ago, and there's just nothing I want to watch on cable. I'm sticking with Netflix/OTA channels (which are very shoddy). 

 

No FIOS/other ISP's in town that are worthwhile. I can't do Dish/Direct TV, apartment complex doesn't permit installation/service. Every time I threaten to quit, they're more than happy to help me quit because they know I have no other alternatives. 

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This reminds me back in the day when I used AOL dial up, I swear every time you called them up to cancel, they would throw 2 or 3 free months at you... I kept this up for 2 years before switching to ISDN, mind you this was back in 1996

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