You might be happy with your current internet service provider for the seamless connectivity you are being offered. That surely provides peace of mind when you know you have a seamless internet connection to carry out all your online activities. But the actual concern is, are you getting good value for your money? Who does not want a smooth internet connection at cheaper rates? Internet bills seem to rise now and then. These increases can be very painful since most of us have a much planned monthly budget so any sudden price hikes can get difficult to manage at times. Here are some of the top ways to lower your monthly internet bill:
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Testing Your Speed
Testing your speed regularly helps to assure if you are getting the speed that you want. Various software available can help you determine your internet speed. You need to keep a check on your internet speed at different times of the day. In case you detect that you are continuously receiving a lower speed, you should call your service provider straight away. If the issue remains, it might be time to switch to a new provider.
Downsize Your Plan
It is important to downsize your plan. You can cut down on your internet plan by sticking to your needs and avoiding to subscribe to any additional speeds or perks that you might not put to use. The point is if you have subscribed to a package that gives you access to blazing-fast speeds while your daily online routines do not require such exceptional download speeds, then there is no use of paying more for a higher package. To get clear on your bandwidth needs and usage, here is a quick look at what internet speeds you might need.
- Web surfing, emailing, social media = 1 Mbps
- Video conferencing = up to 4 Mbps
- Online gaming = up to 3 Mbps
- Downloading large files frequently = up to 50 Mbps
- HD Video streaming = up to 8 Mbps
Once you have figured out your required bandwidth, you now need to check if you are paying for a higher one. If that is the case, you can fix it by switching to any lower tier while staying with the same provider. If you feel you have better options available at more reasonable pricing, like Optimum internet prices are very appealing, you can surely consider changing your provider to suffice your usage.
Negotiations Help
It is not about being a fast speaker to win the negotiation game. No extensive research or rocket science behind it. So it is quite simple to try and make the most out of negotiating with your provider for lower pricing. One essential aspect to keep in your mind and let your provider realize is that you know better deals are available and you are willing to quit and switch to another company. This in itself is a strong stance to expect a better offer from your current provider.
You do not have to be rude at all; rather what helps is staying polite, composed and rigid on your position. It is always helpful to do some basic research about competitors’ plans and pricing to be able to back up your position. In case your negotiations do not work, you can always look out for better internet deals elsewhere. So it is a win-win!
Bundling Your Services is a Smart Step
Bundling proves to be a very convenient option to lower down your internet bills. Many providers offer very promising internet bundles where you can pair up your internet with TV services and/or phone services. It also helps reduce your bill cost to a great extent.
Purchase Your Modem and Router
Instead of paying an additional modem rental fee as is charged by most of the providers, it is better to purchase your modem and router in case you plan to stay with your current provider for a longer time. This will help you save a good amount of money since many providers usually charge around $10 to $15 per month as equipment rental. This means that you can save around $250 of the rental costs in nearly two years. Thus, there is a catch there. You can buy a good quality modem and router for a much lower cost than the collective rental fee and it will last for longer than two years.
Cut Down Your Cell Phone Data Plan
If you dig into the monthly cost of the unlimited phone plans, you would surely want to give it a second thought. Mostly we are not using a lot of data to be requiring unlimited data. Therefore it is better to figure out how much data you use in a month, you can switch to a lower cell phone data plan to fulfil your need. You can also rely on your Wi-Fi solely if it can meet your usage needs.
Look For Government Subsidies
We know that the government also offers subsidies for broadband usage. If you can meet their eligibility criteria, then these programs can be a great help. Almost all the major internet service providers offer a low-income assistance program. Some of these Federal assistance programs include:
- NSLP or National School Lunch Program
- TANF or Temporary Assistance For Needy Families
- SSI or Supplemental Security Income
- Senior and/or Veteran Government Assistance
Wrapping Up,
The aforementioned simple methods can prove to be extremely beneficial in saving a considerable amount of money on your internet bills that can be utilized in better ways elsewhere. The steps like buying your equipment, or cutting down your cell phone data plans are going to be very helpful in reducing your internet bills throughout. If you belong to a low-income family, you can make use of the Federal assistance programs to avail internet services at a lower cost.
