Comments on: Broke-Ass Stuart: How to Lower Your Cable Bill

By: Alex Smith

Alex Smith — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 05:03:26 +0000

Thanks for that post. You are quite right. I am surprised more people do not call the retention department and ask for a better deal. NOT the customer service department but the retention department. They can lower your bill by A LOT.

By: Kristy

Kristy — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 23:22:33 +0000

This also works for cell phone companies. Ive been playing Sprint and Tmobile against each other for about three years now
And if you really want to be a dick, go to any chain restaurant and just “mention” that your steak was a little dry. You’ll have a free desert and a $20 gift card before you know it!

By: bobcollege

bobcollege — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:34:53 +0000

i tried a funny thing while back, comcast had hiked my shit up to like 120 a month, and they told me i had to be without or on a different service for 3 months before i could get back on a promotional offer. SO i got them to lower my internet to 1mbps which is pretty bad compared to 12. after about 2 weeks i couldnt stand it and just called up and asked hey can i get on a promotional rate now? and sure enough they took 30+ dollars off my bill with a new promotional rate for 12mbps.
Also if you ever EVER have to get any new installations like outlets or new cable run through your house and they try to charge you service fees for all that, call em up and bitch at them about how the last guy on the phone lied and said it would all be free. Ive gotten 3 new cable runs to different rooms outlets n all for free just by complaining over the phone. if they ever try to charge you for a technician coming out, just bitch til they take the fee off. tell em it was their fault and you shouldnt have to pay squat.
This is also a good one: say they told you all installations would be free because you have the service protection plan of $0.99 month. (this plan actually is some bogus crap that does nothing)

By: Julie Stoddard

Julie Stoddard — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:50:16 +0000

I did this with Direct TV. Just ask them to connect you to the cancelation department and they’ll try to keep you by lowering your bill or giving you some free premium channels. The economy is tough on everyone now so companies are trying harder to keep customers since they can’t generate new ones.

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:16:05 +0000

$40-bucks off – not too shabby! I went the ultimate mile: I completely sacked the fuckers, crawled up on the roof and put up a $50 DTV antenna. Yeee-haw! All-you-can-eat Free TV! Oh sure, I now make good use of the MUTE button whenever annoying commercialism hits the screen, but that’s OK: advertisers are paying the freight, not ME. My advice to all: sack all satellite and cable TV companies and hit Radio Shack for some good ol’ fashioned outdoor TV antenna hardware, buy a case of beer for your buddy’s help putting that sucker up, and gopherit. Bolt it up, aim it properly, wire that sucker, sit back and enjoy the freebies!

By: Banker

Banker — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:11:48 +0000

I got $20 off my bill a couple of weeks ago. At the time I thought that I did good but after hearing about your $40 I am having second thoughts.

By: Broke-Ass Stuart

Broke-Ass Stuart — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:42:47 +0000

@Jojo99 – Sorry to hear that! Fuck the bastards anyways.

@Sally – Really? Nothing of substance on TV? I can’t say I agree with you. Sure there’s plenty of utter trash on television, but a the same time there are also great channels that have programs where you can learn almost anything. PBS has brilliant programing, as does the History Channel, A & E, Discovery and Travel.

By: Sally

Sally — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:18:54 +0000

The idiot box AKA TV is terrible. There is nothing on of substance, same lame, recycled shows with the same story lines, etc…. read books, educate the brain. trash the TV. it is for imbeciles, as for those goons who have those expensive TV cable systems, and networks, etc… let them enjoy blowing 50-100/month for the boob tube. you will be far smarter and educated, and at peace (less noise in your life) without the idiot box.

By: Jackov

Jackov — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:21:46 +0000

I’ve never had cable. I buy season series on dvd (Oz), and watch on my Dell laptop.

Since I have DSL (online student), I trashed my analog tv and watch hulu.com for free.

By: Kelea Denmark

Kelea Denmark — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:33:25 +0000

We used this tactic about a month or so ago- and it worked famously! The competition for the cable companies is huge right now so they will do whatever they can to keep you as a customer.