Comments on: Save Money by Asking for a Lower Rate http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/ personal finance that makes cents Sun, 20 Jul 2008 01:32:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Asking for a Better Financial Future ? Get Rich Slowly http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-109793 Asking for a Better Financial Future ? Get Rich Slowly Thu, 27 Dec 2007 13:00:33 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-109793 [...] telephone fees, newspaper subscription rates, and more. J.D. wrote about this one in his post Save Money by Asking for a Lower Rate and again in his post on The Reduction Quest. This is also good advice for hotel rooms and rental [...] [...] telephone fees, newspaper subscription rates, and more. J.D. wrote about this one in his post Save Money by Asking for a Lower Rate and again in his post on The Reduction Quest. This is also good advice for hotel rooms and rental [...]

]]> By: Sure-Fire Ways to Jump-Start Your Savings ? Get Rich Slowly http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-87370 Sure-Fire Ways to Jump-Start Your Savings ? Get Rich Slowly Thu, 24 May 2007 23:24:23 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-87370 [...] your overhead. Call your utility providers to ask for lower rates. Or switch from the deluxe $80 cable package to $20 basic. Ask your credit card companies to lower [...] [...] your overhead. Call your utility providers to ask for lower rates. Or switch from the deluxe $80 cable package to $20 basic. Ask your credit card companies to lower [...]

]]> By: Irish http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-8946 Irish Tue, 26 Sep 2006 18:20:26 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-8946 I just did this when I joined a gym in the area. It's new, and was offering deals for early signups. Turns out there was a $69 processing fee. That was enough to make it less attractive, and I said so. The guy said he couldn't drop the $69, but he didn't charge me the $19 to join and the $30 for the first month. So instead of $40 to join the Y and $47 a month, I paid (essentially) $40 to join Gold's and will pay $30 a month. (And I get reimbursed $20 a month from my employer, so it's an even better deal.) The key (I think) is being willing and able to walk away if it's not a good enough deal. I just did this when I joined a gym in the area. It’s new, and was offering deals for early signups. Turns out there was a $69 processing fee. That was enough to make it less attractive, and I said so. The guy said he couldn’t drop the $69, but he didn’t charge me the $19 to join and the $30 for the first month. So instead of $40 to join the Y and $47 a month, I paid (essentially) $40 to join Gold’s and will pay $30 a month. (And I get reimbursed $20 a month from my employer, so it’s an even better deal.) The key (I think) is being willing and able to walk away if it’s not a good enough deal.

]]> By: Allie http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-8859 Allie Mon, 25 Sep 2006 21:52:59 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-8859 I call my credit cards and ask for a lower interest rate. I don't lead into it with anything. I just ask for a lower rate. I have excellent credit and I get a small decrease every time. I try to call once a year. I call my credit cards and ask for a lower interest rate. I don’t lead into it with anything. I just ask for a lower rate. I have excellent credit and I get a small decrease every time. I try to call once a year.

]]> By: Susan http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-8852 Susan Mon, 25 Sep 2006 20:36:32 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-8852 Don't just use this for the internet. My SO and I needed brake work done recently. We got a quote from Midas. The amount was... high, nauseatingly so. And most of it was in the parts, probably because we drive a not-so-prevalent car model, but it was astronomical even so. So we called around and asked about the price at a few parts dealers, even knowing that Midas wasn't going to be willing to use parts we brought in. Found out that one had these very parts for less than half what Midas was charging. So we asked Midas if they could do something about that, thinking they might take off $20 or something, and instead got them knocked down to the parts store's price and cut our total bill in half. It never, ever hurts to ask around. While we were there, we watched a lot of people go in and out, and none of them ever questioned the amount they were asked to pay. Don’t just use this for the internet. My SO and I needed brake work done recently. We got a quote from Midas. The amount was… high, nauseatingly so. And most of it was in the parts, probably because we drive a not-so-prevalent car model, but it was astronomical even so. So we called around and asked about the price at a few parts dealers, even knowing that Midas wasn’t going to be willing to use parts we brought in. Found out that one had these very parts for less than half what Midas was charging.

So we asked Midas if they could do something about that, thinking they might take off $20 or something, and instead got them knocked down to the parts store’s price and cut our total bill in half.

It never, ever hurts to ask around. While we were there, we watched a lot of people go in and out, and none of them ever questioned the amount they were asked to pay.

]]> By: Jim http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-8851 Jim Mon, 25 Sep 2006 20:24:11 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-8851 This works. Our only option for high-speed Internet is Comcast, which runs for $65/month. They advertize a special for $33/month if you also have phone and cable with them. So my wife called up and asked for just their cable package, and they quoted $65. She asked if they could do it any cheaper (without any mention of other service or anything else) and they dropped it to $35 with no other required services or other strings attached. Not bad for just asking. Also... Never ever pay an activation fee on any service. They generally drop them every time if you just ask. This works. Our only option for high-speed Internet is Comcast, which runs for $65/month. They advertize a special for $33/month if you also have phone and cable with them. So my wife called up and asked for just their cable package, and they quoted $65. She asked if they could do it any cheaper (without any mention of other service or anything else) and they dropped it to $35 with no other required services or other strings attached. Not bad for just asking.

Also… Never ever pay an activation fee on any service. They generally drop them every time if you just ask.

]]> By: Amberlynn http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-8846 Amberlynn Mon, 25 Sep 2006 19:10:04 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-8846 Downgrades and specials from other companies are great reasons to call. Another is to keep your eye out for sales and specials for companies you're already with, and call and ask for them. For example, my husband and I both had Verizon cell phones when we got married. He was sent an advertisement for a special which wouldn't really give him a better deal, but it WAS a better deal for me. I called up and said "My husband pays $this. Can I get that same deal?" They said "Sure" without any hassle. I did have to extend my contract by a little bit, but that was all. Downgrades and specials from other companies are great reasons to call. Another is to keep your eye out for sales and specials for companies you’re already with, and call and ask for them.

For example, my husband and I both had Verizon cell phones when we got married. He was sent an advertisement for a special which wouldn’t really give him a better deal, but it WAS a better deal for me. I called up and said “My husband pays $this. Can I get that same deal?” They said “Sure” without any hassle. I did have to extend my contract by a little bit, but that was all.

]]> By: Rory http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-8842 Rory Mon, 25 Sep 2006 18:17:43 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-8842 Another technique that inadvertantly worked for me recently was to ask for a downgrade in service. I had pretty much the most expensive set of services available from Comcast (digital, all premium channels, HD, DVR) and the ~$120/month bill was too much. I was ready to make a major sacrifice (I'm a tv addict) and downgrade all the way to basic cable, hoping to get my bill under $50. When I called, however, they offered to drastically cut my rate (down to ~$55) and let me keep DVR, HD, digital, and 1 premium channel. I kept almost everything and cut my bill by more than half. Another technique that inadvertantly worked for me recently was to ask for a downgrade in service. I had pretty much the most expensive set of services available from Comcast (digital, all premium channels, HD, DVR) and the ~$120/month bill was too much. I was ready to make a major sacrifice (I’m a tv addict) and downgrade all the way to basic cable, hoping to get my bill under $50. When I called, however, they offered to drastically cut my rate (down to ~$55) and let me keep DVR, HD, digital, and 1 premium channel. I kept almost everything and cut my bill by more than half.

]]> By: Rob Slagle http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-8837 Rob Slagle Mon, 25 Sep 2006 17:09:57 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/09/25/save-money-by-asking-for-a-lower-rate/#comment-8837 You just simply tell them you have found services with same or better quality at a lower price and ask them to match it or you will take your business elsewhere. Some bureaucracies will bow down to your demands, but some will just let you know your business is not appreciated, and then you switch. You just simply tell them you have found services with same or better quality at a lower price and ask them to match it or you will take your business elsewhere.

Some bureaucracies will bow down to your demands, but some will just let you know your business is not appreciated, and then you switch.

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