How to Save on Your Cell Phone Bill
It’s time to stop leaving money on the table! We spent way too much money on our Rogers bill for way too long. “Back then” I didn’t know any better, so I am here today to share as a little kick in the ass to get you to go save yourself some money each month!! It won’t be fun, but it will be worth it!
Our Rogers bill used to be about $410 per month, and that was in 2017!. It seems so unbelievable to me today, but it is true! This was for two cell phones, internet (I don’t remember the speed, but it was not unlimited, I think we had 80G), home phone and cable. Yes, we were living in the dark ages with a home phone (and cable-but we are still living in those dark ages)! I know that there are options out there to cut the cable but I feel like because we are able to negotiate our bill and one of us would want access to stupid sports (can you tell it’s not me), that this is not actually costing us a whole lot more than multiple streaming services.
My #1 tip to save money and make your life a lot easier is to use Facebook messenger to communicate with your provider(s). Yes, that’s right, chances are pretty good that you don’t have to call someone and spend hours on the phone. Using FB messenger to communicate will save you time, but also give you a record to go back and review. That means that I can share with you where we started as far as our bill!
To show you exactly how much I have been able to save by negotiating each year, here are our numbers.
Before I started negotiation in 2017:
Cell phones (both is 5G of data): $105 + $55 + tax = $180.80
Cable/internet/home phone: $235.43 (with tax)
TOTAL BILL = $416.23
Here’s where we are now after my negotiation this week:
Cell phones (both with 6G of data): $45 x 2 + tax = $101.70
Cable/internet (Ignite 500-Unlimited): $142.36 (with tax)
TOTAL BILL = $244.06 (this is about $20 more than I was able to negotiate for last year)
For a monthly savings of $172.17 (or $2,066.04 annually)!!
This is something I have to do each year. It takes about 30 minutes of my actual time. A savings of over $2,000 for 30 minutes of my time, I’ll take it!
For full transparency, what we pay now is with phones that are paid for in full. The last time I bought a new phone (Dec 2019), I was told my plan was going to go from $55/month to $115/month for 2 years to include paying off the phone. I did a little quick math $115-$55 x 24 months = $1,440, and found that the increase in the phone plan is more than what it would be to buy a new phone. There was also the possibility of not getting back back to a $55 plan EVER (which I now was not true, but you never know). So, if you are currently paying off your phone, know that you will be able to lower your bill when it is paid off. I highly encourage you to crunch the numbers to see if it makes sense to pay your phone off early!
You’re convinced, but aren’t sure how to get started. Here is exactly what you need to know to get started!
It’s good to do a little prep work.
Are you open to a reduction in service (less data on your cell phones, cancellation of home phone, reduction in cable package)? If you are, know what items you are willing to adjust.
If you are willing to reduce a cable package, know what channels you want to keep as this is a key consideration.
Are you prepared to cancel your services if your current company isn’t willing to negotiate? This is important to decide on beforehand. For me, this is too much of a pain in the ass to consider. So I sometimes dangle the possibility if negotiations aren’t going in my favour, but don’t push it too far..
-It’s a good idea to look around at other service providers to know what options are out there.
- Other items to consider if you are considering going to another provider.
- Do you currently have a contract for any services? When does the contract end?
- Do you have a balance for any equipment (cell phones are the most common-you should be
Other tips:
o Kill them with kindness, remember, they are just doing their job. In my experience, the nicer you are to them, the more willing they are to help you out.
o If they aren’t able to reduce your bill to a number that you are happy with, ask for the retention department, or tell them that you would like to cancel your services (be prepared to follow through if necessary).
o Don’t take the first offer they give you, even if it’s a good offer, it never hurts to ask them if there is anything more, they can do for you.
o Get details on their offer, ask questions to get clarity. I always like to ask what the cost of my new bill, including taxes will be. This allows you to compare apples, to apples.
o Make sure you are clear on how long, what they are offering you is good for. Add a reminder to your calendar a month before the offer expires to contact them to negotiate again-don’t wait to see the cost increase before you act!
Happy negotiating!! Please let me know if you were able to successfully negotiate your bill!!
-Sherry
