How to Negotiate Your Spectrum Bill

Are you having a hard time paying your Spectrum bill every month?  Does it seem like you are being charged more than what you were quoted?  Or are you just down on your luck, but Spectrum’s customer service can’t seem to help?

So now you want to know:  How do I reduce my bill from Spectrum?

If you struggle to pay your Spectrum bill every month, there may be steps that you can take to reduce the amount that you pay.  Below we walk you through some helpful hints to help you save money on your Spectrum bill each month. These include;

• Check your monthly bill
• Sign up for services that you really need
• Use Spectrum discounts and special promotions

Check your monthly bill

According to the Better Business Bureau, Spectrum has 14,753 complaints filed against them over the last three years.  Many of these complaints are filed by customers who had duplicate, incorrect, or unauthorized charges on their accounts.

In other cases, customers report being charged more than what they agreed to.  Either their special rate was more than what they were quoted or they were ineligible for it.

By checking your statement, you can catch these errors early on and avoid paying more than you should.  If you are being charged too much or for services you didn’t’ request, call Spectrum’s customer service to notify them and ask that these charges be adjusted or removed.

Sign up for the services that you really need

As you are reviewing your bill each month, consider what services you use and need.  If you are struggling with your finances, you may want to consider cutting back on services that aren’t critical.  Areas that you may consider cutting back include;

• Reduce your internet speed
• If your data usage plan covers more than what you actually need, scale this back to a more reasonable amount.  Just be sure that you don’t go over this or you will be billed an extra fee.
• Keep your existing phone longer.  While Spectrum offers a variety of upgrade programs for phones, these typically come with an additional monthly fee.  Getting something new can be exciting, but it can cost you over time. If you need to keep your monthly fees down, stay with your existing phone as long as possible.
• Fees for insurance, extra channels, and equipment rental.  Consider the value of these fees to your overall plan and needs.  Eliminating pay channels can save you up to $15 per month, per channel depending upon your plan.  Insurance for your phone may not be worth the money, especially if you can upgrade your phone at little to no cost.  Finally, equipment rental fees can be costly. If you can scale back the equipment to a less expensive model that can save you a little money every month.

Spectrum discounts and promotions

Spectrum offers a variety of bundled packages for new customers.  These packages offer special promotional rates and typically cover one year of service.  If you sign-up for one of these packages, be sure that you understand what happens after the promotion runs out.  Often times, your rates will increase to reflect the standard amounts charged for the service.

In addition to bundled packages, Spectrum offers a few other special programs:

Spectrum Internet Assist

Low-income families can get 30 Mbps of the internet at an affordable price.  The plan comes with a free internet modem and optional WiFi service for your home for an additional $5 per month.  To qualify, you must be a new customer to Spectrum and must receive assistance from the National School Lunch Program or the Community Eligibility Provision.  While Spectrum does not offer a discount for elderly customers, if you are 65 years or older and receive Supplemental Security Income, you may be eligible for Spectrum Internet Assist.

Lifeline program

Spectrum participates in the government-assisted Lifeline program.  Low-income customers in New York and California may be eligible to participate in this program. Current and new Spectrum customers are eligible if they meet the income requirements or are the recipient of benefits through a qualifying government program.

The Lifeline program offers credits for one phone line in a qualifying household.  You must reapply for the benefit every year.

Seasonal status

If you are going to be away from home for an extended period of time, you may be eligible to put your account on a seasonal status.  You will be charged a low monthly fee, but it will allow you to keep your equipment, phone number, and email address without having to disconnect and then reconnect your service.  Your account can be put on a seasonal status for a period of two to nine months. During this time, you can still check your voicemail, email, and access your account online. A customer can put their account on seasonal status once every 12 months and you must remain current with your payments.  Although you wouldn’t have access to the internet or TV, this may be a way for a customer who is struggling financially to get by for a few months.

If you’ve tried to resolve your billing or payment issue through customer service and just aren’t getting anywhere, FairShake may be your answer.  Contact us today to find out how to file a claim against Spectrum.