Start with your monthly bills
With prices climbing almost everywhere, finding extra money in your budget can feel impossible. But one of the easiest ways to stretch your paycheck is by taking a closer look at the bills you already pay.Jessica Roy, a personal finance columnist with the San Francisco Chronicle, says many people underestimate how much control they actually have when it comes to their expenses.“These companies are expecting that you won’t even notice when they raise rates,” Roy said. “Or if you do notice, you won’t do anything about it.”The easiest bills to negotiate are the ones where you have multiple providers to choose from, like cellphone plans. Credit cards are another big one, especially if debt starts to pile up.“You can call them up and say, ‘Hey, I’m looking over my expenses, I’m exploring what my options are. I’ve got zero percent balance transfer offers. I’ve got lower APR offers. Is there anything that you can offer me to keep me as a customer?’ You are not locked into whoever has your credit card debt right now,” Roy said.Utilities are harder since there is usually just one provider, but Roy said they can still be worth contacting.“A lot of the time, there are hardship programs they can enroll you in,” she said. “There are deferments that they can offer you. And if you’re enrolled in certain other government programs like SNAP or Medicaid or SSI, it really depends from place to place, but a lot of the times, if you tell them that, they will automatically enroll you in savings programs.”The same advice applies to workers impacted by the government shutdown. Contact your providers, explain your situation and ask if they offer temporary assistance or hardship programs.When you are ready to negotiate, Roy said the most effective approach is to pick up the phone and keep the conversation simple.“I think a lot of people feel like they’ve got to go in their guns blazing and rage, raise a huge stink, or, you know, have some like, secret script or code word that they read about or saw in a TikTok video,” she said. “And that’s really not true.”Roy said doing a little research before you call can make a big difference.“Come in with specifics and say, ‘You’re making me pay this much, but I know I could go to this guy and pay this much,’” she said. “That’s going to have a lot more impact.”While some apps promise to negotiate for you, Roy does not recommend them. Most take a cut of what you save — or even charge a monthly fee — so you are better off making the call yourself. The biggest mistake you can make is not trying.
With prices climbing almost everywhere, finding extra money in your budget can feel impossible. But one of the easiest ways to stretch your paycheck is by taking a closer look at the bills you already pay.
Jessica Roy, a personal finance columnist with the San Francisco Chronicle, says many people underestimate how much control they actually have when it comes to their expenses.
“These companies are expecting that you won’t even notice when they raise rates,” Roy said. “Or if you do notice, you won’t do anything about it.”
The easiest bills to negotiate are the ones where you have multiple providers to choose from, like cellphone plans. Credit cards are another big one, especially if debt starts to pile up.
“You can call them up and say, ‘Hey, I’m looking over my expenses, I’m exploring what my options are. I’ve got zero percent balance transfer offers. I’ve got lower APR offers. Is there anything that you can offer me to keep me as a customer?’ You are not locked into whoever has your credit card debt right now,” Roy said.
Utilities are harder since there is usually just one provider, but Roy said they can still be worth contacting.
“A lot of the time, there are hardship programs they can enroll you in,” she said. “There are deferments that they can offer you. And if you’re enrolled in certain other government programs like SNAP or Medicaid or SSI, it really depends from place to place, but a lot of the times, if you tell them that, they will automatically enroll you in savings programs.”
The same advice applies to workers impacted by the government shutdown. Contact your providers, explain your situation and ask if they offer temporary assistance or hardship programs.
When you are ready to negotiate, Roy said the most effective approach is to pick up the phone and keep the conversation simple.
“I think a lot of people feel like they’ve got to go in their guns blazing and rage, raise a huge stink, or, you know, have some like, secret script or code word that they read about or saw in a TikTok video,” she said. “And that’s really not true.”
Roy said doing a little research before you call can make a big difference.
“Come in with specifics and say, ‘You’re making me pay this much, but I know I could go to this guy and pay this much,’” she said. “That’s going to have a lot more impact.”
While some apps promise to negotiate for you, Roy does not recommend them. Most take a cut of what you save — or even charge a monthly fee — so you are better off making the call yourself. The biggest mistake you can make is not trying.
