Finding ways to save money....

Due to the economy and change in income levels we are looking for ways to cut our budget on a monthly basis. Some of the cuts I have found don't even effect our daily living and we are still getting what we have always had, but at a cheaper price. I called our cell phone provider a few weeks ago and told them I wanted to review my plan, I had noticed on our monthly bill that we had a plan that had way more minutes in it, than what we were using each month, so we were paying for minutes every month that we weren't even using. So we cut the plan minutes back. Also we had Internet access on 2 phones and it turned out we were only using the service on one of the phones ,so again we were paying for something that we didn't use. So we also removed Internet service off of one of the phones. 2 simple changes that didn't effect us at all or cause us to lose anything! We saved $60.00 a month for 2 simple changes.



Onto the home phone and Internet service. We get both services from the same provider. Again I noticed in our monthly bill that they had a flier for Internet service at 19.99 a month. I thought what the heck we are paying 39.99 a month! So I called them and again asked for an account review. Turns out the initial contract we had signed with them had long since ended and when that happens they auto put you into the highest rate plan. Hmmmm don't you think it would be good customer service on their part to call me when the contract ends so that they can make sure I am a satisfied customer and I am in the best possible plan at all times??? Apparently not, they make more money this way. I was told it was the customers responsibility to call in when the contract ends and that they don't have to notify you when the contract is expiring. HMMMM again I don't believe that's the way to do good business, but its not my company. Unfortuantely they offer the best service in the area for what we use, so I am pretty well stuck with them, good customer service or not. So anyway while they cant offer me the 19.99 a month because that's only for brand new customers ( so why do they put the fliers in an existing customers bill then??? Kind of like a slap in the face, I think) but they can offer me a rate of 29.99. So a savings of $10.00 a month.



I also called our Direct Tv provider and I didn't do as well there. Looks like we are in about as good as a plan as we can be. I was able to knock 4.99 a month off of the bill because we found out we could put the receiver, that is in the college students room on vacation mode, that way we don't get charged for the service in her room while she is at school. I wont turn it back on, for all of the 1 week here and there times, she is home for breaks, during the school year as it wouldn't be worth it, I might as well just leave it on full time then. So when she is home for Christmas, fall and spring breaks and any other times she will have to watch tv in one of the other rooms, of the house. I will just turn her receiver back on when she is home for summer break. So I guess a 4.99 savings a month is better than nothing.





So all totaled a savings of $74.99 a month.



So if you haven't called and had a check up on your phone, Internet, and cable services it is definitely worth it.