Are your monthly bills getting out of control? Is it becoming more difficult to pay for everything you need, while maintaining your standard of living? You may be overdue for a few bill negotiations. Though we are familiar with negotiations for certain things, like job offers, we tend to shy away from others, like negotiating our cable or medical bill. Yet, these things are just as worthy of negotiation, and can actually result in plenty of saved cash in the long run. Read on to discover 3 types of bills you didn’t know you could negotiate – but should.
Your Cable and Satellite Bill
Many people are given promotional pricing when they switch to a new cable or satellite provider. Then, over time, those introductory rates are eliminated in favor of a more expensive rate. Luckily, you can negotiate these bills, often by simply speaking to a representative. Call and tell them that the price is unsatisfactory and that you’d like to get the price down without changing your service. Avoid settling for plans that give you more channels for the same price. If there is nothing they can do to lower your bill costs, ask about paperless or automatic billing, which may skim a bit off the top of your monthly bills.
Your Streaming Subscription Bills
If you pay for access to streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and/or HBO, you know how much these small bills can add up. To reduce spend, first, ensure that you are using the services you pay for regularly. If you aren’t, cancel them. If you are and still would like to reduce your bills, do a bit of research to see where you can cut costs. For example, Hulu allows add-ons with Showtime and HBO, and the price is lower than if you were to subscribe separately. You can also leverage your account status with a representative. Streaming services value their customers and may be willing to give you a discount.
Your Medical Bills
Nearly half of Americans have some sort of outstanding medical debt. Yet, too many people are afraid or unsure of how to negotiate their medical bills. Start by verifying that your bills are accurate – according to one 2016 study, 8 in 10 medical bills have some sort of error. Once you have verified the amount owed, call the billing department of your hospital or medical provider. Ask them about discounts, no payment plans. You can also try to negotiate an upcoming elective procedure in advance. Some companies will offer discounts for upfront cash payments.
The team at White Rock Apartments in San Antonio, Texas finds it important that our residents lead healthy, well-informed lives. By presenting new ideas in our resident blog, we make it easy to stay up-to-date with the latest information on health, wellness, finances, and more