2 Smart Ways to Cut the Cost of Your Internet Bill

It’s confirmed. The price of internet is rising, and it’s only going to get higher. That means more of your hard-earned cash is going to be spent because let’s face it, who can live without Wi-Fi these days? Internet prices have already increased by 12% this year alone. The average customer now pays $66 per month just to surf the net and stream movies. So, how exactly can you fight back? We’ve already helped you with 5 ways to save money on your utility bills. Now, we’ve found two smart methods of cutting the cost of your internet bill.

Why is Internet So Expensive?

We need internet as much as we need water and electricity – and the internet providers know it. Lots of American households have decided to ditch cable TV and started using online streaming services instead, this means that cable companies are losing out on a lot of revenue. So, they provide internet services as well. To counteract the loss of cable, internet prices are rising to balance out the losses made by cutting the cord.

For example, internet-only users can expect to pay around $66 per month, but if you get your internet as part of a broadband and cable package, your internet is only $49 per month – but your total monthly costs for both will be around $140.

How to Lower Your Internet Bill

According to an article by The Consumerist, analysts predict that internet prices will hike, and companies will soon need to charge a monthly price of $80 to offset lost revenue from those who have ditched their cable subscriptions. So, what should you do?

1. Ask for a Discount

Don’t let this option intimidate you, there is money to be saved here and all you need to do is make a phone call. Don’t be put off by long periods on hold either, as the Fast Customer app will do the work for you. It’s an app that will call companies on your behalf and alerts you once someone answers.

Once you’ve reached a representative, say something along the lines of, “Hi, I’ve been a customer for [number of] years, and I want to make sure I’m getting the best deal on my service.” No need to grovel, simply asking for the best deal is the easiest way to get it. Companies often change their plans to attract new customers and often don’t let existing customers know about the best deals. It’s a case of ‘don’t ask, don’t get.’

2. Get Trim to Negotiate for You

If you’re not making progress on the phone, the Trim app can help. It’s a little bot that uses your Facebook messenger or your texts messages to negotiate your bills down. It currently works with Comcast, Time Warner, Charter and other providers. All you need to do is sign up using Facebook, then upload a PDF of your most recent bill and let Trim haggle the costs.

Even if it doesn’t succeed at first, Trim will keep negotiating until you save some money. There is just one small catch – Trim takes 25% of the saving, but this is a small price to pay as you can potentially save hundreds of dollars.