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The 5 Easiest Money-Saving Phone Calls

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Author: Robert Farrington
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money-saving phone calls

Some tasks to save money take a lot of time and effort. And, as such, they can end up on your to-do list for a very long time.

But there are other things you can do to save money that only take a short phone call. And when I say short, I mean usually 15 minutes or less.

In fact, some of the ideas listed below can take less than 5 minutes online. Here are some of the easiest money-saving phone calls that you can make today.

1. Call Your Credit Card Issuer

If you’re carrying a balance on your credit card, just call and see if they will lower your interest rate. Nine out of 10 times they’ll offer you a discounted rate for a period of time.

That’s a quick and easy savings. The conversation will usually go something like this:

  • You: Hello, I’m interested in lowering my APR to help me achieve [insert personal financial goal here.]

  • Customer service rep: Unfortunately, we can’t offer a lower APR at this time.

  • You: “Oh, that’s too bad. It looks like I’ll have to cancel this account and transfer my balance to a different credit card. I have found several cards that are willing to offer a 0% introductory rate. Plus, several other cards are offering significantly lower APRs.

  • Customer service rep: Hmm, let me check the system again.

  • You: Thank you.

  • Customer service rep: It looks like the system is now willing to allow me to offer a reduced APR of X.

Of course, this isn’t going to work 100% of the time. If, for some reason, they won’t lower your rate, look at getting another card.

Spend 5 minutes browsing through our favorite rewards credit cards to find a card with 0% APR balance transfers, and spend the last 10 minutes filling out the application. In 15 minutes, you could be on your way to savings.

Check out our guide to the best credit cards for students >>>

2. Call Your Insurance Provider

The next phone number on our list of easiest money-saving phone calls is your car insurance company. See what the current rates are and if you qualify to have yours reduced. This can add up if it has been years since you looked at your policy.

Also, have any of your circumstances changed? Do you garage your car now, or did you get an alarm? If you tell the agent, you’ll usually qualify for a discount. Here’s what the conversation might look like:

  • You: Hello, I’m calling with a couple of questions about my current insurance rates.

  • Customer service rep: Great, how can I help.

  • You: Ask any of the following questions that match up with your current situation:    

  • Can I receive a discount for being a loyal customer for X years?

  • What kind of savings would I receive if I bundle my auto and homeowners insurance with you?

  • Are there any discounts available for prepaying my bill for the entire year?

  • Can you offer a discount based on my employer?

  • Customer service rep: I’m happy to see what I can do.

  • You: Thank you.

Many insurance companies don’t readily offer their list of discounts, so you need to make sure you ask. Finally, do you have homeowners insurance or renters insurance? If you bundle with the same insurance company, you usually qualify for a multi-policy discount, which can save you even more!

We got our renters insurance for free in college because we had a combo discount with our auto insurance? See if you can get a similar deal here.

3. Call Your Phone Or Cable Company

Contacting your phone or cable company and asking for a lower rate or discount can be another one of your easiest money-saving phone calls.

With all of the competition in these markets (especially from online streaming services), many providers are concerned about losing customers and will offer incentives to stay. Here’s what the conversation might look like:

  • You: Hello, I’m calling because my current cell phone plan is too much of a burden on my budget. Are there any potential discounts available?

  • Customer service rep: Unfortunately, no we don’t offer any discounts.

  • You: Okay, well since it’s simply too much for my budget, I’d like to cancel my plan.

  • Customer service rep: Hmm, let me see what options you might have.

  • You: Thank you.

  • Customer service rep: It looks like we can offer you X discount.

Again, this won’t work every time. And you shouldn’t threaten to close an account unless you’re truly willing to walk away.

It’s also important to point out that many companies have a length list of available discounts. And the clerks have incentives to offer the cheapest ones before the big ones. Read about how we found the best cell phone plans.

Just keep asking, don’t settle for free products, and see where you end up. Also, note that most discounts only last for a short time, such as 6 months. So make sure you stay on top of when your discounts end. At the end of the day, it might be a smarter option to cut your cable and save money without it.

4. Call Your County Assessor

Finally, if you’re a homeowner, you should call your county assessor and see if your property taxes can be lowered. Here’s a sample conversation script:

  • You: Hello, I’m calling because I disagree with the tax assessed value of my property.

  • Customer service rep: May I ask why?

  • You: My property lacks X, Y, and Z. And comparable properties in the area have a much lower tax assessed value.

  • Customer service rep: Hmm, I see. Well, you’re welcome to file an official property tax appeal. Once reviewed, the county may adjust the property value of your home.

  • You: Thank you.

Many counties have very streamlined processes for handling appeals. For example’s here’s how a property tax appeal works in Georgia counties. Call your local office to find out how things work in your local area. A quick phone call could save you thousands!

Read our full guide on how to save money on your property taxes.

5. Bonus: Let Someone Else Make The Call For You

The easiest of all money-saving phone calls is the one that you don’t have to make at all! Luckily, there are a few services out there that are happy to tackle this to-do list item for you. 

A few popular services that can help you find savings include Truebill, Cushion, and Trim. Each will negotiate your bills on your behalf so that you can enjoy the benefit of lower costs without ever having to pick up the phone.

The post The 5 Easiest Money-Saving Phone Calls appeared first on The College Investor.

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