A fan of MoneySavingExpert Martin Lewis has explained how people can cut their Sky bill by an impressive £720, after they managed to pull it off. The MSE reader, known only as Gary, explained that his Sky package was due to rise to £109 per month.
He decided to cancel his contract after only being offered a £10 discount to £99 - but just days later, was offered a better deal, reports the Mirror. Gary says he was initially given a further 50% off but managed to haggle Sky down further to £47.
This marks an impressive monthly saving of £62, or £744 for the year, compared to his renewal price. Gary told MSE: "My bill for the full Sky package was due to rise to £109, so I phoned to see what they could offer. Retentions only offered £99 a month, so I cancelled.
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"Within days I was offered 50% off, but after further haggling got it down to £47 a month." Gary didn't explain how much he was paying for his Sky deal before the £109 renewal price, so his saving is based on the new price he was offered.
He used haggling to lower his costs, which is literally where you ask your current provider to give you a better deal - however, you may still be better off switching elsewhere. Some nine million people are currently out of contract with their broadband - if you're one of these people, then chances are you could be overpaying.
How to haggle and lower your bills
Haggling typically involves finding a cheaper price elsewhere and asking your current provider if they can match it - or even better it. If they can't lower your tariff, then you can try telling them you're leaving to see if this sways them.
Before you start haggling, you should do your research first to check what other deals are out there. You can do this by using a comparison website such as CompareTheMarket.com, Confused.com, MoneySupermarket.co.uk or Uswitch.com.
It is important to compare prices that are similar to your current deal - unless you think you can cope with slower speeds or less data - otherwise you may end up with a cheap package that isn't suitable. Once you've found the most comparable deal to your current internet, call up your provider and tell it about the cheapest price you've seen elsewhere.
You should also ask your current broadband or phone company if you're already on their cheapest package. If they say they can't lower your costs and you're out of contract, and you're considering switching, make sure - as a last resort - you tell them you're planning on leaving.
If they still can't lower their price, and you're happy to move companies, then switch to the better deal. Before you switch, always check if you're still in contract with your current provider and ask about any exit fees that could incur if you leave. If there are exit fees, you still might end up better off by switching elsewhere, depending on how much of a saving you'd make.
