7 Ways to Reduce Your Cable Bill

Most Americans have cable.  One of the largest cable companies is Comcast was will be merged with Time Warner.  Comcast and a few other companies offer a triple-play bundle package that includes phone, cable and internet to help customers save money.  However, getting rid of a triple-play bundle may cost more because you will have to pay for each service separately; although in some cases it is cheaper to keep triple play.

It would be a smart alternative to ask if your cable company offers a two-play package because most companies don’t want to lose existing customers.  If you have been a customer for at least 2 years or more you have more negotiating power. If the price for a two-play bundle is higher than a triple play bundle ask to speak to a supervisor and ask about discounts and specials.  You can also remind them you have consistently paid your bill on time and are a loyal customer.

Since you can get basic cable for as little as $19.99 per month and cable plus internet for less than $40 per month, if you spend more than that on Netflix and Hulu or other digital programming then it is better to keep cable.

Since subscribers cannot get pay for only what you watch a-la-carte service, eliminating channels you don’t watch is a great alternative to cutting cable off completely because most people don’t watch all the channels offered on cable tv.  According to the News Tribune subscribers only watch 18% of the cable channels offered.

If you don’t watch premiums channels and other channels getting expanded basic service is a good option.  Prices range from $39.99 - $79.99 depending on the provider. You can save anywhere from 10% to 50% each month.

Basic cable can include up to 100 channels. Reducing your service to basic cable service is cheaper and could save you money. If the channels you regularly watch are included in basic cable service eliminating the channels you don’t watch can save a great deal of money. Here are some ways to reduce spending before getting rid of cable are:

1.      Get the cheapest cell phone plan possible

2.      Pay for only what you watch

3.      Eliminate channels you don’t watch

4.      Switch providers

5.      Ask about discounts and specials every 3-6 months

6.      Compare services and purchase a double-play or triple-play package

7.      Temporarily halt service, some companies may charge a fee

18 Techniques to Save Tons of Money on Your Cable Bill

                                                              

The average cable bill in the United States is $86 a month. According to the NPD Group, by 2020 the average monthly cable bill is expected to reach $200 although some subscribers are paying that now. On average, cable bills increase 6% each year supposedly because it is more expensive for cable companies to license programming.  In addition, DVD sales have decreased so content providers are charging more for their cable programming.

Other countries charge much less for phone, cable and internet service. In his new book, The Fine Print: How Big Companies Use 'Plain English' to Rob You Blind by David Cay Johnston highlights these surprising facts: Americans pay 4 times as much as the French for an internet triple-play package -phone, cable and Internet, an average of $160 per month versus $38 per month; the French get global free calling and worldwide live television and their internet is 10 times faster at downloading information and 20 times faster uploading; America has gone from #1 in internet speed to 29th in the world and continues to fall;  Bulgaria is among the countries with faster internet service and Americans pay 38 times as much as the Japanese for internet data.

Americans have been bamboozled into believing that having more competition would lower their phone bill but unfortunately their bills have increased.  In many instances cable subscribers don't take full advantage of packages or purchase packages that contain channels they do not want or watch for the sake of getting the channels they do want.

The biggest misleading package deal was been the triple-play steering subscribers to believe signing up for triple-play will save them money.  Unfortunately, in some instances subscribers have actually had to spend more money and still aren’t happy with the services they receive.

Another deal that was offered to subscribers by Comcast was the OnDemand feature which allows cable subscribers to stream the channels they are already paying for through mobile applications at no additional cost. Customers were led to believe this was an added feature but it was already included in their cable service.

1.      Ask. Ask if your bill can be reduced. If you are unable to get it lowered, ask for the cancelation department.

2.      Tell. Tell the company your current financial situation and ask about any free promotions.

3.      Refer to the competition. Refer to specials and discounts offered by competitors.

4.      Research. Do research on discounts and promotions the company may be offering through advertisements or on their website.

5.      Look for loopholes. Try negotiating a lower bill by talking to an online representative through chat. 

6.      Don’t make the first move. Let the company start negotiations and then decide if you will accept the offer or if you want to negotiate further.

7.      The basics. Get the cheapest plan possible; eliminate all premium channels, extra features such as DVR, HD service, sports packages, pay per view channels, etc.

8.      Check back often. Companies offer at least 10-20% discounts on pricing, coupons or specials that are not advertised.  Call every 3-6 months and ask about discounts.  Discounts usually last 6 months to 1 year.

9.      Use Wi-Fi. If you have Internet and Wi-Fi at home sign up for video services.

10.   Service. If you are not happy with the quality of service you are receiving inform the company. If you have paid your bills on time remind them of that as well. Let them know you would like to remain a customer but cannot afford the current pricing.

11.   Price Lock. Ask the company if they offer price locks. This will help you keep the price for at least 6 months to 2 years.

12.   Loyalty. Remind them how long you have been a customer and that you are considering switching to another company. 

13.   Bundle. If you have multiple services with the different companies bundle services which may save you money such as cable, phone and internet.

14.   Alternatives. Rent movies from Netflix, Redbox or the library. Use services such as Hulu or streaming services such as Zatto, SurftheChannel, Fancast, Hitbliss or streaming from TV stations such as ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox.

15.   What you need. Pay for only what you need or use. Don’t pay for more internet, cable or phone features than you use.  Review your statement every 3 months to see if you can reduce features to save money.

16.   Switch. Switch to another provider to save money.

17.   TV. Eliminate televisions in every room with a separate cable box.  Keep televisions with a cable box in common room areas only such as the living room, family room and basement to save money.

18.   Cancel. Cancel your cable and internet service. Access internet using Wi-Fi at public facilities or use the library.

10 Ways to Reduce Your Cable Bill

One expense that people don’t seem to complain about anymore is paying for cable television service. Cable prices have increased over the years so why do we pay it without complaint.

Over 100 million people have cable or satellite service. The average cable bill is $75 a month. The average cable bill increases 5% every year. The average cost for cable service has tripled over the past ten years.

The top two cable providers are Comcast and Time Warner. There are different prices for internet and cable service. Comcast has promotions available on a quarterly basis that are not publicized.

According to the New York Times, cable subscribers on average pay approximately y $100 a year for sports programming and it doesn’t matter how many games you watch or if you don’t watch any at all. You pay for just having the channel. Most of the money is paid to the NFL. As costs increase for the NFL, those costs will be passed on to the cable companies and then passed on to customers.

As cable company fees increase, the increase is passed on to customers. However, many customers have found alternatives by renting movies, using rental services such as Netflix or Redbox or watching shows on the internet for free.

Cable companies are able to raise prices due to the lack of competition in some areas. The ability of cable companies to raise rates and increase revenues, even with rising programming costs stems from their market power. Cable companies would not be able to raise prices if they did not have monopoly power.

Some cable companies claim the increase in prices is due to system upgrades and better quality. I am still waiting for the better quality. I had better service when television was analog. If you are tired of paying high cable costs here are 10 tips to lower your cable bill:

1. Ask. Asking to reduce my bill worked. I was amazed at how easy it was to get my bill lowered. If you are unable to get it lowered, ask for the cancelation department.
2. Be pleasant. Be pleasant, don’t argue, don’t be rude or raise your voice.
3. Refer to the competition. Refer to specials and discounts offered by competitors.
4. State the facts. Don’t get emotional, just state the facts.
5. Do your research. Do research on discounts and promotions the company may be offering through advertisements or on their website.
6. Look for loopholes. Try negotiating a lower bill by talking to an online representative through chat.
7. Don’t make the first move. Let the company start negotiations and then decide it you will accept the offer or want to negotiate further.
8. Read your contract. Read your cable contract. You may have to give 30 days’ notice before canceling your service.
9. Cancel. If you watch television 10 hours or less a week you should consider canceling your cable service since you have found other ways to spend your time.
10. Write. Write your congressman and demand competition among cable companies in your area to reduce monopolies, lower cable prices and provide quality cable service.