Alpha Consumer

How to Save $30 a Month on Cable

By Kimberly Palmer

Posted: March 31, 2009

My co-worker Russell Heimlich accomplished something amazing: He shaved $30 a month off of his Comcast cable bill. I asked him to explain how he did it.

He wrote a simple email to Comcast customer service: "My monthly bill has creeped up to over $200 including digital cable, high-speed internet, and Comcast digital voice. I never use the digital voice service so can I cancel that and then lower my bill?" He included his account number and added a postscript asking why he got charged $19.95 every month for "bundled service," instead of receiving a discount.

Within a couple days, a Comcast representative called him and reduced his bill to $170.69 plus a $17 credit. That rate is good for a year. So basically, Heimlich just saved himself $377 for the year just by sending an E-mail.

Do you have a success story of your own? E-mail me at alphaconsumer@usnews.com.

Cable

I think that cable tv is too expensive. I am thinking about downgrading to save money. I am paying 145.84 a month, includes the internet. I don't even have any premium channels. All I have are "Stars and Encore" and I thought my cable was pretty high. I have digital cable, too. But, I still think it's too high.

Gail of IA @ Jul 09, 2009 19:14:22 PM

Saving on cable

Good for Russell!!!! I have found it necessary to discontinue my cable service all together after confronting my cable service for tacking on items that they connot explain. Such as a $19.95 shipping and handling charge, the charge occured for three months after my initial three month dicount rate i signed up on. It wasn't until i cancelled my service that i found the charge was for the return postage to ship their equipment back to them once i was done with it. No one, i mean No one had a clue what the charge was for when i called the billing office to inquire what it was. Oh and by the way i was supposed to be charged once for the S & H fee, it took 6 months to get a refund of those two other months that i had already paid. Cable companies in Arizona where is reside always start out with a deal then six months down the road your $29.99 deal is now $69.99 and no new services were added and nothing else changed only the bill. I still refuse to do business with any cable company in Arizona.

Vanessa Rivera of AZ @ Apr 20, 2009 10:30:01 AM

all 3 for under $100 in ATL!

there's no way I can imagine paying a whopping $200 for those services!!! I recently built my home in a newly developed sub-division in Atlanta and lived w/o any cable for nearly a year b/c Comcast couldn't put the lines down until more of the construction was complete. consequently, my 3 daughters simply grew accustomed to watching DVDs and their fave TV shows via the internet.

fortunately, in the Atlanta metro-area our "bundled" package for all 3 services via Comcast is only $79/mth and goes up after one year (to $102.40 in most cases).....

ShaakiraTS of GA @ Apr 20, 2009 10:23:37 AM

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Alpha Consumer

Alpha Consumer

Kimberly Palmer, senior editor for U.S. News & World Report, writes about how to save money, avoid scams, manage debt, and be a savvy shopper. Send your personal finance questions to her for expert money advice.


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