Simple Ways Families Can Save on Internet and Phone Service

Many families pay hundreds of dollars for their internet and phone services every month. Sometimes they pay too much because they set up individual products at different times instead of taking advantage of cheaper bundled plans or took over an account from a family member who never asked for better pricing. A lot of people simply waste money through bad habits. There is absolutely no reason that you need to continue to lose your hard-earned money in this way. Follow these simple steps to lower your bill.

Change Bad Behaviors

Many people save money by being more careful with how they use their internet and phone services and manage their accounts. Looking up pertinent reviews about phone service companies is an incredibly important step. Some of them, like ACN reviews, can help you decide what features work best for you and your family. Especially if you and yours have bad habits like using all of the family's joint minutes and then racking up overage charges or making expensive international calls instead of using cheaper options like online video conference or chat. Also, check if the person who pays the bill is failing to pay it on time to prevent future unnecessary late payment penalties. Go over your billing statements for the last six months, note charges and fees for "extras," add up the amounts and then sit down with your family and discuss the losses and what needs to change.

Downgrade Some Current Services

A lot of people have services that they don't need or rarely use. Check if your internet and telephone provider can downgrade your services to better fit your needs. For example, if you currently have service for internet and a land line phone bundled together and you no longer use the phone because you have a cell phone, request a downgrade to an internet-only plan. If there are features within a plan that you don't use, your provider might allow you to downgrade to an "a la carte" plan. For example, you might downgrade a second landline phone but keep the main line for cell phone outage emergencies. If your home or renter's insurance covers your service provider's equipment, request the removal of damage protection coverage, if applicable.

Research Customer Incentives

Telecommunication companies typically offer potential new customers the best deals on internet and phone service to make their companies seem more affordable. They also sometimes offer existing customers incredible deals to prevent them from switching to another company. As a result, you should be able to find a lot of service incentives from your own provider and competitors, such as deep discounts or a free premium service add-on for an introductory period and new product rewards like a prepaid debit cash card. Other companies might also offer lower standard pricing for individual services and bundles than what you're paying your current provider.

Renegotiate Your Current Services

Once you finish your research, use the information to attempt to renegotiate or "upgrade" the current service plan so that it saves you money. Talk with your internet and phone service provider about lower pricing, more services at the same price or shared family-specific services like family only plans, heavy data usage deals and free calls between family members. Before you agree to any plan changes, ask for the terms and conditions in writing from the sales or customer service representative, review the new arrangement and clarify any questions. If you current provider won't work with you, make it clear that you will switch companies because you need to lower your expenses. If your provider still refuses to help, contact the competitors in your region.

As you can see, there are plenty of internet and phone service savings opportunities. Why continue to pay more than other customers in your neighborhood for the same levels and types of internet and phone options?