Easy Savings

I have been working nonstop on my entry, again this week. I am really happy with the results, so far. I just wanted to take a second and share a money saving tip with you. Honestly, A recent phone conversation with a friend made me realize some of you could benefit from this.  I thought everyone was doing this so it never occurred to me to share it.
I negotiate a lot of things people take for granted. I want you to know that I am not getting any pricing that doesn't already exist...i'm just doing a little detective work to find out where the best pricing is. 
First up, my cable bill.....this is the one I thought everyone was doing. I am shocked to hear that a few of my friends knew nothing about this. My Father-In-Law would laugh at me all the time over this one....until I bragged to him about my savings. He then had me negotiate his :)

It's not hard....it just takes time....a lot of it....an entire hour.
Quick back-story, the last time I negotiated my cable bill I was told that my rates were good for 24 months. Probably because my electronic record was a mile long. My husband noticed that the cable bill was $20 a month higher long before the 24 months was up. I needed to wait for a day when I had a chuck of time to deal with this.....and then I called. 
Go directly to the disconnect department. They are the ones who have the authority to really dig deep, and have incentives to keep your business. That department will put you on hold for an eternity...that's part of the game. They want you to hang up...thinking your time is too valuable for $20....remember that's a per month charge $240 per year. Put your phone on speaker, listen to the ridiculous music and go on Pinterest or something....while they play the staring game with you (anyone remember that one?). 
This is what I said when I finally got someone: "I have been a loyal customer of your cable company for 14 years and you continue to hike up my rates while you will offer non-customers the world. You don't appreciate my loyalty....I'm leaving your company because your (name of competitor) wants my loyalty. 
This is the most important part....THEN SAY NOTHING. The art of negotiation usually is simple, he who speaks first loses. You will never know where the bottom of this is if you start asking for things. I won't bore you with the details of the middle of the conversation, but I will tell you that it is a lot of apologizing on their part, and I just kept saying, "why don't you value and reward loyalty?" 
Two "on hold's" and a manager talk later, she offered me the best premium package (the one they use to REALLY entice new customers), I told you the savings are already out there...we just want to find them ...this was a larger package than what I had.....wait for it.... for $34 dollars a month less! Lower than my previously negotiated rate.
I wanted to make sure this was the bottom, so I said "What about the $80 I had lost ($20 increase for 4 months) because I did not realize that you went back on your agreement of 24 months". She said she was sorry, but they could not do a price drop and a credit. Pick one. 
Still not sure this was the bottom, I told her that I had received a credit for Hurricane Sandy when I did not have power or cable......SAY NOTHING! She again apologized, but repeated her words. 
Feeling like I might have found the bottom, I gave it one last try. I told her that I would take the new price because that would immediately reduce my rate, but would need to run it by my husband when he got home and if he is still mad, we will leave them. SIDE NOTE: for those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, you know that my husband could care less about all of this. It took everything I had not to laugh when I said those words. 
BUT....she said "hold on"....several more minutes....and she said that I would ALSO receive a $38 credit. She also told me to call back in 11 months and find out what deals are being offered then.
SEE...I TOLD YOU, the deals are out there you just need to find them.

For those of you who think this is too much work, and your time is more valuable than this...
I just made $446 dollars in ONE HOUR. 

This post was longer than I thought, so I will tell you about a few other ways to save in another post. If you like this information, become a Follower so you won't miss the next one.
Have a great weekend, Friends. I have 2 Craigslist purchase to pick up. What are you up to?