Sarah Roe
Everyone has had that moment of shock, the moment your heart drops when you open a bill and realize it’s much more than you thought it was going to be. Don’t let the panic get the best of you, get those bills out and start calling, Check out the tips below and learn how to negotiate lower payments without the stress.
1. Medical Expenses: Make an offer. If you have no insurance then this one is a very big deal. We were on that path for a bit too, I know what it feels like. The first thing I did was call the doctor before I went and asked for a ‘hardship’ rate or a lower cost for those without insurance. Then, when the bill came in the mail, I called back and negotiated.
I asked if we paid cash now, could we get a discount? Every single place I called offered one, some were hundreds of dollars off and some were a thousand dollars or more.
2. Cable/Internet: This is on my ‘every 6 months call list’ because many times, cable and internet providers will offer new sales and deals every 6 months. You may have signed up on a great deal but the time will come when your deal will end and it’s your responsibility to call and ask for a new one.
Usually, I make the call asking if there are lower rates available or even better packages.
3. Phone: If you get hit with a late payment or fees you do not understand, make the phone call! It literally pays to call and figure out what is going on and if it can be corrected. Always call because the cell phone data plans are ever changing and a new deal happens all the time.
4. Credit Card: This one you’ve probably heard before, call and negotiate interest rates. If you find a lower rate on another card, call your credit card company and tell them. Likely, they’ll adjust your rate to match the competitor. If not, be sure to let them know you are going to make the change.
On a side note, be sure not to fall for all those deals when signing up for credit cards. If you have a hard time paying your bill off at the end of the month, saving an extra 20% by opening one, will not help you. I know I am not a very disciplined person in this area and I have finally learned that I actually save more money by paying cash then I do by putting it on a credit card.
You’ve probably realized by now there is a recurring theme in the tips above: call and negotiate. It never hurts to call, worse case scenario the company will tell you no. But, I’ve found more often that not, they will say yes in order to keep your business and get the bills paid.
