How to Save Money on Internet Service

Cut the cords and piggyback on a neighbor's wireless Internet.

Saving money on your monthly Internet bill is one way to lower your budget and reduce your spending. If you are able to cut your monthly bill significantly, it's possible to save hundreds of dollars each year. It's also a good practice to frequently check with your service providers to see what special offers they have for existing customers or to shop around for new service elsewhere.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Call your existing Internet provider. Ask the phone representative what specials they have for existing customers. If you've had an outstanding account with the company, paying your bills each month in a timely manner, mention this to the agent. The idea is to highlight that you are a good customer who deserves a lower bill, even if it's a temporary price reduction.

2. Call a new Internet service provider. Confirm with the sales agent that the company services your local area before getting into the pricing details. Not all providers service all areas. Ask the representative what special offers the company is giving new customers.

3. Negotiate with the sales agent to receive an even better deal. If you have phoned a number of different providers and know their prices, you can use this information to gain leverage for a better price. If the agent cannot lower the price, ask if he can extend the special for a few months longer as a one-time courtesy.

4. Bundle your services together with a single provider. For example, if you have your Internet, phone and cable services with different providers, consolidate to a single provider, which usually ends up reducing your monthly bill.

5. Call your service provider and ask to downgrade the Internet connection speed. Most high-speed Internet providers offer different speed tiers. If you do not watch many videos or consume a large amount of bandwidth with online video games, then downgrading to the next lower tier can save you money.

6. Use a neighbor's wireless Internet. You can legally piggyback on your neighbor's Internet connection with their permission. For the best possible connection, you would want the neighbor's house to be on the same street side and to the left or right of your house. Once you are confident the neighbor's wireless connection lives up to your expectations and needs, call your existing provider to cancel the monthly bill.

7. Get dial-up Internet. It's probably the last option you want to consider, especially if you normally use a high-speed connection. But if you don't use the Internet too much, a monthly bill for high-speed Internet could be draining your bank account.

References

• Leave Debt Behind: Five Ways To Save Money On Internet Service
• USA Today: Save Money On High-Speed Internet, Cable And Phone Service
• Kiplinger: Save Money On Phone, Internet And TV