10 Calls To Make To Save Money
Many people often pay their bills while grumbling about how much they have to pay. It’s true that many services are very overpriced, but what most people don’t realize is that some of these services can easily be lowered. Sometimes all you have to do is make a phone call to the customer service department of the company. Here are some phone calls that you should make that have the potential of saving you a lot of money:
Lowering Your Cable Bill
It’s possible to save 50% or more on your cable bill with a phone call. Cable companies are increasingly worried about meeting their sales goals, mostly because many people are choosing to cancel their cable subscriptions in favor of streaming TV online. If you still prefer cable, you might be able to call your provider and haggle for a cheaper monthly fee. If haggling doesn’t work, let them know that you plan to cancel the subscription or that their competitors have better rates. Sometimes they’re eager enough for business that they’ll match the lower rate.
Negotiating a Lower Credit Card APR
This probably will only work if you have at least average credit. Credit card providers are less likely to negotiate rates for people with poor credit. Credit card companies are notorious for sending out new offers on a regular basis, and you can always use these competitor offers as a way to negotiate a lower APR with your current card. Like cable companies, credit card companies are also having a tough time in the economy and might be desperate to hold onto your business. There are plenty of credit cards to choose from.
Changing Your Car Insurance
If you’ve been driving for a while and have a pretty good record, you might be paying for insurance options that you don’t necessarily need. Sometimes car insurance providers will also keep on charging you fees that should have been removed after a certain period of time. It’s worth it to call and make sure your agent goes over – in detail – all the charges on your bill.
Bundling Your Insurance Policies
If you receive multiple forms of insurance – home, renter’s, auto, etc. – you should call your insurance company to see if you can bundle. Bundling is often cheaper than paying separately. many companies offer a cheaper deal if you have two or more items with them. Sometimes this is $50 off a monthly bill. Sometimes it cuts out 20% of your previous costs. And often, companies won’t acknowledge the bill because it costs them more to provide it. Making that call to learn about bundling opportunities might help you save a significant amount of money.
Lower Your Mortgage Interest Rate
If you have fairly good credit and your payments are generally on time, you might be able to negotiate a lower interest rate on your mortgage. Not all providers will accommodate your good behavior, but sometimes if you call and ask around, you might be able to swing a cheaper rate.
Getting a Refunded After An Item Goes On Sale
Have you ever bought a piece of clothing or a big-ticket item and watched in dismay as it appeared on sale a few days later? It’s an awful feeling, but how were you supposed to know? Instead of groaning about your bad luck, try calling the customer service line of the company. Many companies have a policy that allows them to refund the money you would have saved. The next time this happens to you, try calling the store to see if they’ll refund the money. It never hurt to ask.
Refunded Bank Fees
Sometimes an unexpected bank fee appears on your monthly statement. Or once every few years you happen to accidentally overdraw your account. Or you might have your credit or debit card lost or stolen. If your bank account is in good standing, you should call the bank’s customer service line and see if they can waive the fee. While banks make a lot of their money on fee collection, they’ll occasionally waive a fee. The thing is, most people don’t call and try this option, so they end up paying the fee instead. Why not try your luck at calling?
Call After Buying Online
For some products, whether it’s signing up for utilities online or renting a car, the website doesn’t offer the same deals that you’d get if your bought the product in person. After all, how many times have you seen an “In Store Only” sale? Shopping online is great, but it’s not always the cheapest option. Try calling the store after purchasing something online to see if you missed out on any deals or if they have any in-store promotions.
Inquire About Upcoming Deals
Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you can call a company to ask about any upcoming specials. Or, if you’ve reserved a hotel, rental car, or flight, you might be able to call the company’s customer service line to see if there’s any way to upgrade for free. This won’t always work, but it never hurts to try!
Cutting Your Cell Phone Bill
Cell phone companies are notorious for tacking on services and features that you don’t need. And because there are so many different phone companies out there, they’re all in competition with each other. Call a customer service rep to go over your bill. If you’re lucky, nice, and persuasive, they might lower your bill without cutting any of your services. On the other hand, they might be able to walk you through each line on your bill, letting you know what features you’re paying for that you really don’t need.
Chances are that if you fallow through with all of the above calls, you will knock several hundred dollars off your current bills and possibly save thousands of dollars this year. All it takes is a phone call. When it comes to saving money, there has never been more truth to the adage that it never hurts to ask.
(Photo courtesy of sagriffin305)
I’ve never understood why more people don’t do this. It’s one of the easiest ways to save money, but there seems to be a huge reluctance from a lot of people to make a simple phone call. Does any one know why you were so reluctant to do this?
All it is is a phone call. Sure, there are times when you won’t get the discount, but all it has taken is about 10 min. of your time. I think people would be really surprised if they took the time to make all the calls and how much money they would save.