Save Money With Junk Mail

It's important to go directly to the cancellation department from the beginning, because the staff there has much more latitude to give discounts. In fact, they could very well get a bonus for retaining you as a customer, so they will do their best to do so.

When you call, don't give an ultimatum that if you don't get a discount you'll switch, unless you really mean it. The ultimatum will not usually change whether you get the discount. By keeping your options open, you can simply say that you need some more time to think if you don't get the discount you want.

It's important to note that you won't always get a discount. It's much easier to get discounts in areas where there is fierce competition, but it works a surprising amount of the time. If they don't give you a discount, you can always switch to the competition to get a better rate or try again a bit later.

Junk mail is just one place where you may find these competing offers. You should keep your eyes open for them in a number of other places as well, including newspaper advertisements and TV commercials.

Even when you don't have a competing offer, you may still be able to get a discount. Simply say that the cost of the service is too expensive for you at the moment and you are considering canceling. Then ask them if there is any way they can help.

An important factor to remember is that any discount you do receive will be a short period of three months or so. You will not be notified when the rate jumps back up to normal, so you need to mark it on your calendar. When this happens, repeat the process again.

The hardest part for most people is making that first phone call, but it is well worth their time. In a roughly 10-minute call to each service, most people can save hundreds of dollars a year on service fees over what they would normally pay.