OT: Sticker Shock Cable/Phone/Internet

[Kitaman]

I'm at $175/month with Optimum with premium basic (i.e. no movie stations). Triple play my ass.

Adding my cell phone bills (2 phones) at $130/month, technology is costing me over $300/mo.

I feel like I fell asleep on this waking up to my technology costing more than gas/electric bills combined. I know it 'only' averages out to $10/day and I'm no cheapskate and can afford it, but Damn what a fukkin racket!!

Is this average or excessive? Any alternatives to spending almost $4000/year for similar services?

 

[NJHusky]

I've always found the best way to keep the cable bill down is to switch providers...when my fios introductory rate expired, I took optimum up on their 2 year 89/mo rate...when they tried to jack me up to 140, I took advantage of a fios offer for 99...just play the game every year or 2

 

[imno1]

I've always found the best way to keep the cable bill down is to switch providers...when my fios introductory rate expired, I took optimum up on their 2 year 89/mo rate...when they tried to jack me up to 140, I took advantage of a fios offer for 99...just play the game every year or 2

Or even the threat of switching might be enough for them to offer you a better deal.

 

[mauconnfan]

I'm at $175/month with Optimum with premium basic (i.e. no movie stations). Triple play my ass.

Adding my cell phone bills (2 phones) at $130/month, technology is costing me over $300/mo.

I feel like I fell asleep on this waking up to my technology costing more than a lot of gas/electric bills combined. I know it 'only' averages out to $10/day and I'm no cheapskate and can afford it, but Damn what a fukkin racket!!

Is this average or excessive? Any alternatives to spending almost $4000/year for similar services?

Ours with XFinity is very similar with the only difference maybe being my wife and I both have company cell phones.......it's crazy isn't it. But I can't go without the premium package for the cable system and the internet is a must if not for the Boneyard alone!! LOL

 

[minidarren]

My fiancee works customer service for a cable co. Just call and ask them if they can lower the price. SOMETIMES they can re-up your contract for a lower rate.

 

[Hume]

The best way to keep your costs down is to call in to cancel your service. They will then turn you over to a retention agent who will ask you why you are cancelling. Tell them it is too expensive and can't afford it. If you have alternatives you can mention the price you can get from them. Invariably they will offer you a better deal. You don't have to hold out for the first offer as they normally will come down a little more from that. I have done this twice with Optimum and both time have saved $40-$50 a month for a year. Then its time to do it again.

 

[HooperScooper]

Welcome to the club. We have Verizon for everything. Fios cable (3 TVs), home phone service with unlimited long distance calling and 3 cell phones (2 are iPhones with data plans and 1 is just a regular phone with texting) and it costs $333 a month. Which seems insane until you try to do each of them by themselves and realize it's not that bad.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Could be worse, in some countries CATV/SatTV, phone, internet, etc service providers lock customers in 2 year contracts with no escape clauses. Basically, you sign on or get no service as all of the providers are in cahoots. How much longer until separate CATV or SatTV just goes away in the US, replaced solely by internet programming, video, etc. feeds by choice?

 

[uconndennis]

Call and ask for the Retention Department. I do it every time my yearly deal is up. I have Optimum, and I'm paying less than you with all the movie channels.

You should be around 120/month I think with no HBO, Showtime, Encore, etc.... maybe add 10 for DVR service though

 

[UConn Dan]

Yes, every year I set a reminder to call AT&T Uverse and tell them I'm canceling, etc. They put me through to retention department and I end up paying less than you with all channels, fastest internet and 3-room DVR. A 15-20 minute phone call could end up saving you $$$$.

 

[Kitaman]

Wow thanks all. Good nfo I will certainly call and see if I can get adjustments. Didn't even think to challenge the MAN.

 

[~*Jen*~]

I paid $250 a month for cable, water, sewage, garbage, recycling, electricity, and internet. We ditched the cable for satellite and moved to a more expensive internet plan and moved into a place that's 50% bigger and our bill's now around $200.

 

[Dove]

cable, water, sewage, garbage, recycling, electricity, and internet

What the heck kind of a bundle is that?

 

[boog204]

I'm stuck with Comcast for the time being and they are utterly hideous... Dumb question and I don't mean to derail the thread, but the only other options for me are satellite based companies. Would anyone recommend that option? I know nothing about satellite tv.

 

[Fishy]

You can call Cablevision whenever you want and tell them that they're too expensive and how come you're paying $170 when your neighbor is paying $90. They will transfer you to a dude who will cut your rates.

 

[bertieboy]

I don't pay anything for TV. I use my antenna and I get all the major networks plus the public channels. To fill in I subscribe to Netflix via my dsl connection for $8/month. You can get Netflix to your TV through a blueray DVD player that you can get for $100 at Costco. So for you, Kitaman, after buying the DVD player you will save $200 the first month and $300 thereafter not counting the $8 you have to spend on Netflix. I am quite happy with this deal.

 

[sledog]

After a chat with Verizon (for nth time) on REDUCING my bill, it seems my new bill is $25 / mon HIGHER (is BO involved here?). This despite a heated exchange with a VZ exec (who knows who the hell he really was). So dump VZ, and go to CVision 3play new sub discount plan ($40 / mon less + $10 initiation fee + $40 keep your old tel # programming fee). With 2 cells for me and wife, perhaps drop the tel and do 2play. So net save is 40 x 12 - 50 = 430 / yr!! Next year when CVision disc rates expire, back to VZ as an eager new sub with their discount plan.

There is NO net increased cost for a new / faster internet board, etc.

Ping pong anyone? FCC: where art thou?

 

[Robertelamin]

I don't pay anything for TV. I use my antenna and I get all the major networks plus the public channels. To fill in I subscribe to Netflix via my dsl connection for $8/month. You can get Netflix to your TV through a blueray DVD player that you can get for $100 at Costco. So for you, Kitaman, after buying the DVD player you will save $200 the first month and $300 thereafter not counting the $8 you have to spend on Netflix. I am quite happy with this deal.

Sounds good unless you like watching sports.

 

[~*Jen*~]

cable, water, sewage, garbage, recycling, electricity, and internet

What the heck kind of a bundle is that?

I live in a small town in Iowa where everything is bundled through our power/water company. They give great service too. The only reason I ditched the cable was so I could get SNY.

 

[Dove]

Every now and then I randomly shout "Cox Bundle chicken!!". Usually gets a laugh.

 

[DaddyChoc]

X1 from Infinity is amazing tho... you can watch a whole season of anything (HBO, Sho etc) on the TV or your tablet.

Anywhere DVR... record 5 shows at once.

program your DVR from a comp/tab when not at home

Comcast X1

 

[temery]

When cable first came to my area, I remember my parents arguing that $14/month was too much to pay. With inflation, $14 in the late 70's is probably ~$50 in today's dollars, maybe a bit more. My current cable bill is a hell of a lot more than that.

I'm at $175/month with Optimum with premium basic (i.e. no movie stations). Triple play my ass.

Adding my cell phone bills (2 phones) at $130/month, technology is costing me over $300/mo.

I feel like I fell asleep on this waking up to my technology costing more than gas/electric bills combined. I know it 'only' averages out to $10/day and I'm no cheapskate and can afford it, but Damn what a fukkin racket!!

Is this average or excessive? Any alternatives to spending almost $4000/year for similar services?

 

[uconndoit]

In Vietnam I pay $6 a month for cable internet and TV, usually around $5 a month for prepaid cell phone service and less than $5 a month for prepaid 3G internet service for my iPad. I know it has nothing to do with your troubles - just ha ha.

 

[progrocks]

In Thailand I just bought a 64gb iphone 5s for just short of $1000. Then again my plan is less than $30 a month, so I will make out quite well over 2 years compared to the USA.

 

[DaddyChoc]

When cable first came to my area, I remember my parents arguing that $14/month was too much to pay. With inflation, $14 in the late 70's is probably ~$50 in today's dollars, maybe a bit more. My current cable bill is a hell of a lot more than that.

box had the big turn knob and rabbit ears?