The year 2024 came out of nowhere with all the challenges and disasters it brought, and the human race was left to its own wits to try and get over it. Seemingly the most impactful of everything that was going on is the coronavirus pandemic.
The spread of COVID-19 has surely left the society with many questions and struggles, be it mental or financial, and it looks like most people turned to their own ideas on how to protect themselves and pass the quarantine time. We are in the middle of a critical situation obscured by uncertainty and trauma, and we are surely fighting on so many difficult fronts including health, work or education, and financial wellbeing. Amidst this situation, we are especially paying attention to tips advising us how we can save some money, and why shouldn’t we?
In these uncertain times, all of us are quarantining and relying more on pastime things like cable TV or internet services than ever. Therefore, saving money on any of them can prove to be very helpful, especially when there are rather easy ways to do it. If you are a Spectrum or Xfinity TV user, you might already be much more satisfied with the cost of your cable TV bills. However, that might not be the case with every cable TV user. Some are struggling with hefty cable TV bills and are in need of cutting out parts of their expenses. This is one of the reasons that we see more and more users switching to popular online streaming services or using TV antennas to catch up with entertainment.
In case you are also worried about pesky cable TV bills, we have gathered here some effective tips to save you money on your cable TV. Read to learn what you can do to save a few bucks in the times when saving is advised left and right.
1. Downsizing your Cable Plan
Start things off by examining the plan you are currently on. Take a closer look at the cable TV channels included in your current subscribed package. Next, analyze the channel line up to see if there are channels that you never ever watch, and that you know you will never want to watch. If you have a bunch of channels that you watch more often than these, it might be the time to look out for a lower cable TV plan that offers those channels precisely. Alternatively, you could check if you can cancel some of the channels and get some kind of discount. There is no point in paying for 200 channels when you are only interested in watching the 20 channels that match all of your entertainment needs. So rather than wasting your money on a higher cable TV package, you should save money by downsizing your cable TV package by cutting down all those extra channels and sticking to your favorite ones. Go on and start searching for smaller and more cost-effective packages that will suffice your TV watching habits, without the hassle of scrolling through dozens of others you never stick with.
2. Bundle Up
Cable companies are always rolling out attractive bundle offers where you can combine cable TV services with different internet and/or phone services. These are either called double or triple packages or deals, and they are among the best solutions if you want to get the best out of everything for less. We all need these basic connectivity services so it is better to go for bundle offers that come at discounted rates. Most of the time you can get promotional offers for these bundles, especially as a new customer starting your first contract with a provider. Some of them have great offers including huge initial discounts, or even a few months completely free. As you can see, opting for bundle plans can prove to be effective in the long run in terms of saving a considerable amount of money every month.
3. Avoid DVR and Modem
Extra features always come with more expenses. Do you really need everything the service has to offer you? Customers are always charged an additional amount of money for the modem and DVR service. You can try watching your favorite TV shows on-demand the other day instead of needing a recording device. The advancements in technology and how we get entertainment has changed significantly. No longer do people record things and watch them later. It is not the best solution anymore, and it takes up valuable hard drive space. Therefore, the point here is that you can avoid a DVR if you do not really need it, or if you never use it. Get rid of it and pay less every month. The same goes for a top of the line modem that allows the strongest signal at large distances. If a regular one is enough for your home, why pay extra?
4. Stick to a Single Cable Box
It can be challenging to have effective cable management in a house with multiple TVs unless you want or need a cable box with each one. In case you have multiple TV sets in your house, the cable companies charge you for every cable box you have on the premise. Usually, families solve this annoying problem by determining the “main” TV for certain programs they all watch and get only one cable box. If you usually watch shows on one TV set, try to avoid paying charges for extra cable boxes to lower your overall cable TV bill. Some providers allow discounts or benefits for more TVs, meaning you can always find a good deal. Another solution is to attach multiple TVs to one box, but not all providers or devices allow this.
5. Negotiation Helps
It may sound ineffective in general but the truth is that cable TV bills can be negotiated to a good extent. All it takes is to negotiate it with the provider employees the right way. Talk politely with strong points to convince the customer service representatives on your stance. If you make some valid points and are persuasive enough, with a little bit of luck you can get your package at a discount rate. You can even try calling multiple times to make sure you get in touch with a more cooperative customer care representative willing to fulfill your demand. With a little bit of willpower, you will have a better deal for less money in no time.
Final Thoughts
The five aforementioned tips might seem simple and not worth trying, but they are extremely helpful in lowering your cable TV bills and saving a good amount of money during your quarantine life. A little bit of effort goes a long way, and by paying closer attention you can trim down your cable TV bill and make it more budget-friendly. If you still feel that it is not working for you, then you can always consider switching to a better cable TV provider with more cost-effective cable TV and internet deals and offers in store for your circumstances.
