George Kamel: Lower Your Monthly Bills With These 3 Easy Steps
Written by
Ashley Donohoe
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Zuri Anderson
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A recent report from the bill-pay service doxo found that American households put nearly $25,000 each year toward essential household expenses. These include various subscriptions like your internet, phone and cable services, which tend to come with ongoing price increases.
According to money expert George Kamel, you can save on these costs without resorting to giving them up or switching providers. In a YouTube video, he used his experience negotiating with companies like AT&T to lay out a simple three-step strategy you can use to lower your monthly bills.
Contact Customer Support First
Head to the provider’s website to look for a support hotline or an online chat and decide which method you want to use. Kamel recommended talking to support in the early afternoons on weekdays since that’s when you’ll have a better chance of reaching a real person and not waiting too long on hold.
Prepare before reaching out. Kamel said to have your latest bill with your account details and the monthly billed amount. You should also note any administrative or service fees that may be worth pointing out. Once you’re ready, you can turn to a basic script.
“When a customer support agent picks up the phone or joins your chat, simply start out by saying that, while you’re happy with your service, your monthly bill is getting too expensive, and ask if there’s anything they can do about it,” he advised.
Negotiate with Retention
According to Kamel, you’ll often need to escalate things to the retention department, which has the power to offer deals so that you’ll stay with the company. Otherwise, you’ll keep negotiating with the customer support agent and get a manager involved if needed.
Kamel recommended bringing up promotions you’ve seen for new customers and better prices competitors have advertised for comparable services. When negotiating, be specific about the price difference and its importance in your decision.
The Ramsey personality gave an example of how you might do this: “Hey, I see this is being offered — the same internet plan for 12 bucks less per month. I can’t ignore a deal that good. Can you match it or beat it?”
If you land a deal you’re happy with at this stage, you’ll still need to continue to the third step to clarify some details and avoid potential problems later.
But if the retention department or manager wouldn’t give you a discount, you might still try negotiating free upgrades or fee waivers, or you can try the negotiation process again at another time. Kamel said another worker might have something you’ll like better.
He also suggested simply canceling with the provider if you’re unhappy and haven’t had success with negotiating. While canceling is more extreme, it can have an unexpected positive effect.
“A lot of these companies have win-back teams that offer even better deals a few days later,” Kamel said. “So if you can cancel, it may be in your best interest to play a little hard to get.”
Lock in Your Deal
Kamel mentioned some questions that you should ask about your new offer before you hang up or end the chat. For example, find out whether the price will go back up at a certain time and if the provider will be charging any extra fees.
It’s also important to ask for written confirmation of what the company is offering you. Kamel’s negotiation script guide recommended getting an email or screenshot, along with confirmation that your account shows the changed rate. That way, you have proof in case the company later charges you a different price or claims there’s no special offer.
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