By John
The average American household’s monthly cable bill is reckoned to be $75. With costs rising by at least 5% annually (outstripping inflation), it won’t be long before it reaches $100 per month. No wonder people who are already looking for ways to save money are increasingly wondering how to reduce their monthly cable bill. The trouble is, cable is mostly provided by a few big companies who to a large extent are able to dictate their own terms. They may say they are being squeezed by their partners but that is little comfort to us, the consumers.
Most people have a triple play cable package, comprising telephone, high-speed internet and TV services. Of these, TV is usually by far the most expensive component. This is obviously the main area where you should be looking for a reduction, and there are 3 ways to approach it that we recommend.
Ask For A Better Deal
The cable provision business is highly competitive and companies have devised multiple different plans, schemes, packages and promos to attract new customers. Having attracted customers they are keen to hold onto them. They have dedicated loyalty or retention departments devoted to this, whose staff have a wide degree of discretion over what reductions they may agree to. So if you call your cable company to ask for a better deal, make sure you get the right department. Before calling, be clear in your own mind what you want from them and what you are prepared to accept. For instance, can you drop some of your extra channels to reduce the bill, or would you accept an extra channel or two for free? (If you do, make sure you know how long the arrangement will last for.) Discuss your billing in detail, as there may be line items on there that you were not aware of and can do without.
Depending on how this works out, you may need to get a little tougher in your negotiating. Bear in mind that the company is possibly keener to keep you as a customer than you are to remain one. Ultimately, of course, you unleash your ultimate weapon – threaten to drop the TV component altogether (assuming that you are happy with the internet and phone service and want to continue these). If that doesn’t produce the solution you are seeking, then drop it. You have alternative options.
Shop Around
Ask your friends and family what they pay. Compare deals from other providers online – there are a few websites which will analyze your requirements and usage and find the best available deal for you. Detailed research like this will almost certainly throw up a better deal than the one you have and will result in a reduction of your monthly cable bill.
Still Not Happy?
Then it’s time to get out of cable TV altogether. You have a number of options:
- Streaming services. There are several available. This way you don’t pay for channels you don’t want, although you won’t get all the network shows you may be used to. It’s a monthly subscription and cheap to cancel, so you are not tied up to a long-term contract that is expensive to get out of. A streaming box costs around $100. You can combine this with one of these:
- HD TV Antenna, which costs around $20 and will pull in your local channels and other live broadcasts, for free.
- DVD by mail. This method will save you a lot of money in a month.
- Use your library. Cheap DVD rental, including new releases.
If you can’t negotiate a better deal with your cable company – and you are in quite a strong position – then go for an alternative. Either way you will achieve a significant reduction in your monthly cable bill.
Leave a Reply