Every product or service comes at a certain cost, and while many low-income households would consider a TV or an internet subscription a luxury, they’re practically found in almost every household in America at this point.
However, there are dozens of providers that offer these services, and more often than not, people end up overpaying for them, with the average household spending more than $200 every month even though there are ways to avoid this.
You may be surprised to find out that there are a couple of tricks to saving a few extra dollars on these subscriptions, and if you begin utilizing them properly, you could be saving yourself hundreds of dollars every year.
From negotiating with your provider to finding the best deals that are obscured by the dozens of other, more advertised ones on the market, there are many ways you can begin saving money on TV and the internet.
How to start saving on TV and the internet
The first step to starting your battle against overpriced TV and internet services is to start taking inventory, and you should take note of every single service you’re paying for, as well as how much it costs you every month.
Some people aren’t even aware that they’re paying more than they should be for these services, and a deep dive into what your provider offers can often find more than a few channels that you’re paying extra for.
Usually, these are channels that you don’t even watch, which practically turns them into bottomless holes that will keep eating away at your finances until you’ve canceled them.
Essentially, you’ll be making budget cuts, and everything that’s unnecessary is probably going out, although there are a few common things you’ll want to look out for.
Most common budget busters
Oftentimes, the cable services you’re paying for have additional fees for some channels, and the amount you’re paying isn’t based only on the number of channels you’re getting, but also the tier of the channel that the cable provider offers.
As for internet services, their costs are often related to the download and upload speeds that the provider has to offer, but if your household doesn’t use multiple devices at the same time, there may be no need for incredibly fast (and expensive) internet.
Instead, you could make a schedule for when every member of the household can be using internet services, which could help you save a couple of dollars every month.
Finally, there’s the issue of the bundle services that a number of these providers offer, and this is where they usually sneak in the majority of the extra costs that people don’t know about.
Review your bills very carefully and make note of every single dollar you’re spending.
Compare plans and features
The second step to saving some extra money is comparing the services each provider has to offer, and you may find that shopping around for the most cost-effective option is incredibly easy.
Sure, it may be overwhelming when you’re presented with too many things to choose from, but when it comes to TV and internet services, comparing what each provider has to offer is as simple as you could imagine it to be, and if you’re not too big on the premium channels, the one thing you’ll want to look out for is the price of the package they offer.
There are more than a few online tools to compare different cable and internet providers, among which you’ll find websites like Cable Compare, Broadband Now, Whistle Out, and Consumer Reports, all of which will provide you with an insight into the services different providers offer you and how you could choose the one that’s perfect for your needs and nothing more.
Negotiating
Finally, if there aren’t any cuts to make, you could also negotiate the price of the service with your provider, as there are usually promotions that exist to retain customers.
One of the best things you can do to leverage a discount on the services is to mention that you’re considering switching over to a different provider.
Keeping a current customer is much easier and cheaper than attracting a new one, and most providers will try to offer you a much more favorable deal before letting you switch over to a different TV or internet service.
Final word
You can save money on a number of different things, including the TV and internet services that often come with several hidden fees and costs that you may not have even been aware of.
Every single dollar counts, and you’ll want to make budget cuts wherever you can if you’re going through financial hardships at the time.
It’s up to you to find the best deals and the most favorable options to keep your family’s financial security safe, and if you do, your future self will be thanking you.