The Internet Ain’t Cheap. Here’s How to Save on That Monthly Bill

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If you haven’t had the pleasure of signing up for internet service lately, let me tell you about it.

I recently moved (yes, out of my parents’ home). And although I’ve paid my fair share of utility bills in the past, I was shocked when I found out how much internet and a simple cable package would cost.

It would be about $140 per month, the nice representative told me.

*Insert my audible gasp and an “Are you serious?” here.*

I asked about just internet.

“Just internet?” the nice representative repeats, likely rolling her eyes, because she’s already heard this question 100 times today. That’ll be $69.99 a month.

Still? I breathed into the phone.

How to Lower Your Internet Bill

Honestly, I felt defeated when I heard those price points.

I need internet like I need electricity and water. I work from home once a week, and, I mean, I could spend all my free time reading, but what about “The Real Housewives”?

I decided to go with the whole bundle — internet and cable. That brings my monthly bill to a whopping $116.

Thankfully, I found a few simple ways to cut down my bill — without sitting on hold for hours and hours and hours…

1. Let This App Haggle It Down for You

At this point, I’ve spent half my life on hold with my internet provider, and I’m over it.

That’s why I’m using Trim, a little bot that’ll negotiate your cable or internet bills down for you.

It works with Comcast, Time Warner, Charter and other providers.

You can sign up simply with Facebook. Then, connect your bank account and upload a PDF of your most recent bill, and Trim’s AI-powered system gets to work. If at first it doesn’t succeed, it’ll keep negotiating until it can save you some money.

Also, if you have any outages, Trim believes you deserve a credit, and it’ll handle that for you.

Trim keeps 25% of the savings tab — you get the rest.

I submitted my first bill shortly after moving in. Trim haggled with Spectrum and saved me $10 almost immediately!

I’m not alone. Here’s what others are saying about Trim:

@ask_trim I thought trim pulled a quick one on me. I was wrong! Trim saved me $200 on my Comcast bill! I simply cant believe it. Thank You! pic.twitter.com/xtPzY5oqsm — Schwifty (@Trmplstilskn00) October 20, 2017

@ask_trim thanks for saving me $28.97 for a one-day Comcast TV and internet outage! You are the best! — Kevin Zuchini (@puddlejumper83) October 18, 2017

#BelieveTheHype i just received a $100 comcast credit for no work. thanks .@ask_trim pic.twitter.com/URbRBxfLqV — Joshua Lory (@joshua_lory) October 18, 2017

I was very hesitant to give @ask_trim a try, but then it saved me $10 on my @comcast bill without me having to do anything. I approve. — Eric Farmer (@ericdfarmer) September 28, 2017

In addition to negotiating your cable and internet bill, Trim can also negotiate your cell phone bill, too.

2. Chat With a Representative (Without Waiting on Hold)

If you’re not comfortable uploading a PDF of your internet bill, you can also call your provider directly. Passive me isn’t great at this, but it’s worth a shot.

Let them know how long you’ve been a loyal customer, and ask them honestly if you’re getting the best deal. Then sit back and let the representative talk.

To save you time, Penny Hoarder contributor Chris Ronzio shared one of his favorite secrets: Fast Customer. It’s an app that sits on hold for you. Once a real person answers, you’ll get looped in. Until then, let a robot listen to that annoying hold music.

3. Scope out the Competitors

Sometimes companies are willing to match prices with their competitors, so start searching in your area to see if you could get a better deal with another company — then use that to your advantage.

Hop on Google, and see what kinds of quotes other internet providers are issuing. If they’re significantly lower, jot it down. Call up your existing internet provider and say, “Hey, I could be getting this with them. What can you do for me?”

4. Break out Your Membership Cards

Are you a warehouse club member or a AAA member? Get online and do some quick research on benefits — you could be missing out on some big savings.

For example, with an AAA membership, you can save up to $75 on Cox Communications services.

Dig into your memberships — even your credit cards — and see whether there’s a deal floating around for you. If all else fails, just ask a representative from your internet provider if your memberships will unlock any discounts.

Carson Kohler ([email protected]) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. Shoot her an email if you want to share your Trim success story!