So, I called our local cable provider a few weeks ago and asked if they could give me a discount. The agent first tried to talk me into getting my local phone service through them (this is what they say every time I call). However, after further probing on my part, the service agent agreed to lower my bill by $20 every month for the next 6 months. This more than covers the extra cost of cable and saves us $120.
Have you tried to make a call like this? If not, try it. You will be pleasantly surprised. I tried this once a few years ago when my husband was not going to have any income for a semester. I wasn’t trying to get a discount; I just asked to disconnect my service. The customer service agent wanted to keep me as a customer, so she offered me a significant discount for 6 months. She then told me that once the discount expires, the cable company asks that I pay full price for 3 to 6 more months before I ask for a discount again. Don’t feel guilty about asking for a discount. They are used to doing this. That is why they have a clearly stated policy.
You might want to expand further if you carry credit card balances and see if they would be willing to lower your interest rate. Nicely stating that you may switch to another card with a lower interest rate helps the negotiations. Try it. You’ll like the results!
Great idea!
Good job, I request discounts as well. I call and ask for the latest promotional discount. They always give me a discount. I do this with my direct TV and internet service. I keep track when it started and when the discount has ended, then I call again.
You have inspired me to look more closely at our regular bills and see if we can reduce them by a little each. It adds up. Good job!