Tips To Save On Internet Bill
There are over 4 billion internet users in the world. Almost everyone in the western world has wireless internet in their homes, and most of them aren’t getting the best deal they could. There are loads of ways to save money, you just need to know the tricks of the trade. Here’s how to save money on your internet bill.
1. Don’t Rent Your Router Or Modem
Most internet plans come with a router. Makes sense right? You can’t get a wireless internet connection with a router. The thing that people don’t know is that you can buy your own router. They cost anywhere from $20 to a few hundred dollars, depending on what you want from it. Whatever it costs, it will end up saving you money eventually, which is the important thing. The only difficult thing is that you need to set it up yourself. Most routers have YouTube videos that explain the process but it might be worth getting a professional in to help.
2. Choose Either Mobile Data Or Wi-Fi
A lot of people have wireless internet in their homes and mobile data on their smartphones. But is it really necessary? If you spend most of your time in places with Wi-Fi, you can probably get away with having a mobile plan without data (or with a minimal amount). This could save you $20 or more on your monthly bill.
3. See If You Qualify For A Subsidy
Not many people know about this, but it’s possible to qualify for a subsidy on your internet bill. This is something that changes depending on what provider you use and where you live. Some of the people that qualify are those on low-income (under $35,000), those that live in public housing, and those that participate in the National School Lunch Program. It’s not that easy to find information on subsidies, so it’s worth calling up your provider and asking what they can offer. You might get nothing, but it’s always worth a try.
4. Check Your Bill Carefully
It’s amazing how few people read their bills. If you’re the kind of person that just gets a bill, accepts it, and pays it, you could be wasting money every month. A lot of internet providers add on extra items that you don’t need. This is just an easy way for them to make extra money. Check your bill, find out what every line item is, and ask them to remove anything you don’t need.
5. Shop Around For The Best Deal
This takes a bit of time but it can save you a lot of money. You should get a quote from at least five different internet providers before you settle on the best deal. The most efficient way to do this is to create a spreadsheet with all the information you need (they all ask for the same details) and then list all of the prices. Either go with the lowest priced deal or the one that gives you the most for your money.
6. Negotiate The Best Price For You
Not many people are brave enough to negotiate with their internet provider. What they don’t know is that these companies are normally prepared for people to negotiate. If you stay on the phone long enough, they will probably drop the price considerably. In the U.S., internet bills tend to creep higher and higher every month. This could be because a promotional period has finished, the infrastructure prices have gone up, or just because they want to.
As a consumer, you’re in a strong position to get a better deal. You can threaten to stop paying, leave bad reviews on the internet, or move to an alternative provider. Just remember not to play all of your cards at once.
7. If You Can’t Negotiate, Get Someone To Do It For You
Not everyone is confident enough to negotiate a better price. Other people just don’t have the time. If you fall into either category, just get someone else to do it. You can either ask a confident friend and offer to pay them or trade a favor with them. Alternatively, you can get a professional bill negotiating company to do it. Look for a local one on Google or ask a national company like BillFixers.com.
8. Make The Most Of Your Internet
When we say make the most of your internet, we don’t mean to stay at home and browse the web all day long. We mean that you should cut out any extra costs that you don’t need anymore. For example, you probably don’t need to pay for cable TV if you can watch streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu. And, you don’t need to pay for a phone line if you don’t use the house phone anymore. Cutting out costs like this can significantly reduce your monthly bills.
