BUSINESS & AG LIFE
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020
THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD — 3B
Millennial Money: How we renegotiated our bills to cut monthly costs
know, I know. You’ve prob-
ably heard all about how you
should renegotiate your bills
to save money. But that’s easier
said than done, right?
I
COURTNEY
JESPERSEN
NERDWALLET
That’s why I tried it out. I
called up some of my service pro-
viders and attempted to cut the
cost of my bills.
Here’s how you can learn from
my successes — and improve
upon my failures.
Make a game plan
It’s a good idea to call your ser-
vice providers and subscription
services annually to negotiate a
better rate, ask about new promo-
tions or cancel unnecessary bills.
This is a powerful tool to save
money. These tactics can be used
for securing a better deal on cable,
internet, subscription services and
more.
First, review all of your recur-
ring payments by identifying
charges on your credit card and
bank account. Then, decide if you
really need those anymore.
Make a list of the bills you
would like to lower or cut out
entirely. On my list: Satellite
radio, cable, a clothing subscrip-
tion and a movie loyalty program.
Next, look up each compa-
ny’s website. You’ll usually fi nd
a variety of contacts, including
live chat, text messaging, email
and a phone number. While you’re
change your TV lineup, review
available channel packages online
to fi nd a slimmed-down option
that works for you. Or call and
talk to a representative.
Cut out what you don’t
need
Plus, they threw in a free month.
Threatening to cancel a service
can be a bargaining tactic. Here, it
was the truth — I was fully ready
and willing to cancel. And it got
me a better price.
Downgrade
Set aside a block of time and
work your way through the list.
My fi rst call was to our satel-
lite radio service provider. My
husband and I have a SiriusXM
subscription. But after months
of spotty reception in our car, I
decided it was time to cut the ser-
vice completely.
Instead, over the course of a
10-minute phone call, I asked
to cancel, then I was met with
a better offer. Before, we paid
$20.63 per month. Now, we pay
$6.06 a month for 12 months.
Be patient. There’s a time com-
mitment involved. Plus, things
don’t always work out.
I spent 45 minutes online chat-
ting, then talking on the phone
with DirecTV. But even after con-
sulting with two representatives,
my monthly payment remained
around $150.
I was told there weren’t any
discounts or promotions currently
available for my account. And
since I didn’t want to downgrade
my package, I’ll have to wait for
future offers. If you’re willing to
Renegotiating bills is per-
haps more important now, espe-
cially for those who are dealing
with fi nancial impacts related to
the coronavirus. Contact com-
panies proactively, and if you’ve
been laid off or otherwise affected
by the pandemic, be honest about
your situation.
searching online, gather informa-
tion about your current package
and pricing, as well as any new
promotions that can be used as
leverage.
Ask for help
About the Author
Courtney Jespersen is a writer
at NerdWallet, the personal
fi nance website, which provided
this column to The Associated
Press.
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