Imagine waking up one day to see yourself buried under a load of overdue bills that overbalance your total budget. The expenses from digital entertainment peaking up to $500 per month and sucking your precious life out of you! The chances of happening this are not very far. Even visualizing this scenario gives you goosebumps. Unless you put in some efforts to twist this fearful prediction around and assist yourself.
How? By trying to implement our tried-and-tested methods for cutting your cable TV bills as discussed in this detailed guide. So, let’s get started
Pare Down Premium Channels
It is not easy to bid farewell to HBO, but it can help you cut off up to $20 from your monthly cable TV bill with certain providers. Similarly, if you decide to give up Showtime as well, you could shave off $5 – $15 each month.
You do not necessarily have to say goodbye to your favorite channels forever. If you are a “Homeland” or “Game of Thrones” fan, then you can cut back on the channel after the season ends.
On the other hand, you can look for providers, who include premium channels for free in your TV package or offer them at a much lower cost. For example, AT&T TV and DIRECTV packages offer free access to HBO®, SHOWTIME®, STARZ®, CINEMAX®,&EPIX® for a certain period of time. Also, Spectrum packages, especially the premium Gold TV includes HBO®, SHOWTIME®, TMC®, STARZ®, and STARZ Encore® at no extra cost and is actually quite reasonably priced given how much benefits it delivers. Also, you can include CINEMAX®, EPIX®, Disney On-demand, and Here TV to your Spectrum package at a much lower cost than what other providers charge.
Cut back on Cable Boxes
If you want to reduce your cable TV costs without dropping the services altogether, try scaling back. One of the best ways to do so is by abandoning all the extras. Cable boxes are an additional thing that you can trim. Extra cable boxes may cost you somewhere around $3 – $12 every month. The cable equipment in your bedroom might be not needed at all.
Focus on the Fees
We would suggest you dial your cable TV service provider’s customer service number and enquire about each fee mentioned on the bill. This may help you in getting an idea about certain avoidable costs.
Put an End to the DVR
Missed the episode of your favorite season? Do not worry, there is a high probability that you can catch it on-demand the next day. You can save at least $10 on your monthly cable bill by replacing your DVR with a standard digital receiver.
Bundle Cable and Internet
Most of us have transformed our homes into a communications center point. All hail to cable TV, internet, and landline phone services. But, if you have subscribed to these services from different providers, then chances are that you are paying more than what you should.
Many companies that started their business with only one service, like digital TV, are now offering a plethora of services. These include individual internet and voice deals as well as a combo of all services. Spectrum offers all of the connectivity and entertainment services at discounted prices if you bundle these services.
Negotiate a Lower Rate
Do not be afraid to bargain with your cable service provider. You may have the skills to haggle a better deal by effectively conversing with the customer service and requesting a price-cut. Before you talk with your provider’s customer service rep, compare the rates and services of all cable providers in your area. You can then bargain wisely if you are well-informed about the ISP competition in your area. Just make sure that your current provider does not have any large cancellation fees in the service contract, so you can cancel the services without any blow to your pocket. Alternately, you can look for another service provider who would buy your contract.
Keep in mind that when you call your service provider to cancel the service, they might offera promotional rate that can help you shave your monthly bill by almost one-third till 3 – 6 months. In any such case, be nice to the customer service representative and politely mention the service providers offering better rates. To learn about any promotional offers that your existing provider might be offering to new subscribers. If you do not see anycost-cutting promotion, then it is always better to recheck after a couple of weeks or so.
Switch Providers
You can always look for alternate providers that offer cable TV services at budget-friendly rates. One way is to call the potential cable service providers by calling their customer service. Another method is to visit their website and learn about their offerings and rates.
Bottom Line
Monthly Cable TV bills never seem to get any cheaper. In fact, they might hike up by $5, $15, or $20 without giving any valid reason or prior warning. These little increases in prices can really harm your overall monthly budget. But, with our list of the best ways to save on Cable TV service, you can easily take better control over your cable TV bill and shave off extra costs.
