How to negotiate a bill or cancel a subscription
To lower a phone, internet or gym bill, look up what new customers are offered, then call and ask for the cancellations or retention team. Say you are thinking of leaving, name the lower offer, and ask what they can do; stay polite and quiet after asking. For subscriptions you no longer use, cancel online and keep the confirmation.
About 20 minutes to learnEveryday skill
Mark it once you can do it without this page open.
How to do it
- Pull three months of bank statements and list every recurring charge.
- Cancel anything you have not used in the last month, and save each cancellation confirmation.
- For bills you keep, look up the current offers for new customers from your provider and its competitors.
- Call and ask for the cancellations or retention department.
- Say you are considering switching because of the price, name the specific lower offer, and ask what they can do.
- Stay polite, stop talking after you ask, and ask to speak to a supervisor if the first answer is no.
- Write down the new price, how long it lasts, the rep's name and a reference number.
- Set a reminder for when the promotional price ends so you can call again.
Common mistakes
- Being rude to the person who has the power to give you the discount.
- Accepting a new contract term without asking how long it lasts.
- Canceling by email with no confirmation, then being billed for months.
- Forgetting the promotional price will expire.
Quick self-check
Three questions. Your last score is kept in this browser.
Teach this to someone
A one-page sheet for showing a friend, a roommate or a kid: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to negotiate a bill or cancel a subscription
What to say
To lower a phone, internet or gym bill, look up what new customers are offered, then call and ask for the cancellations or retention team. Say you are thinking of leaving, name the lower offer, and ask what they can do; stay polite and quiet after asking. For subscriptions you no longer use, cancel online and keep the confirmation.
What to show, in order
- Pull three months of bank statements and list every recurring charge.
- Cancel anything you have not used in the last month, and save each cancellation confirmation.
- For bills you keep, look up the current offers for new customers from your provider and its competitors.
- Call and ask for the cancellations or retention department.
- Say you are considering switching because of the price, name the specific lower offer, and ask what they can do.
- Stay polite, stop talking after you ask, and ask to speak to a supervisor if the first answer is no.
- Write down the new price, how long it lasts, the rep's name and a reference number.
- Set a reminder for when the promotional price ends so you can call again.
The check question
Ask: Which department usually has the power to lower a bill?
Related skills
- How to make a budget
- How to negotiate the price of a car
- How to spot phone, text and invoice scams
- Every skill in Money and Paperwork
Last reviewed . First published .