MARTIN Lewis has explained how you could save hundreds of pounds a year on your Sky bill.
The money saving expert revealed his top tip for saving cash to a hard-up billpayer, as millions of us struggle to cover rising costs.
1
Speaking on Good Morning Britain on a special cost of living show, Martin took a call from a viewer asking how she could reduce her bills.
She said that one of her biggest outgoings was her Sky package, which includes the basic TV, phone and fibre optic broadband.
She asked the expert if she could cancel her land line to save costs – but Martin advised it’s usually not possible, as it comes together with broadband.
Instead he said she should use a price comparison site to see what other deals are available – and get rid of any extra TV channels that are no needed.
And in fact he recommended getting rid of the TV part altogether and switching to Freeview to cut costs.
He said: “If you were to drop the Sky package and switch elsewhere without the TV, a deal including the incentives [for joining as a new customer] offered on comparison sites, you would probably be paying around £18 a month.”
That’s a saving of £40 – or around £500 a year, he said.
But the top tip for saving for money didn’t end there and Martin said the viewer could use the deals she finds to ask Sky for a better deal.
Most read in Money
He said: “Pick up the phone, call Sky and say look, you’re charging me too much money – I’m assuming you’re out of contract – I’m spending too much money and I need it to be cheaper.”
If they don’t give you a better deal ask to be put through to disconnections, he added.
This department is actually charged with trying to keep customers, he revealed, and is where you get the best deals.
If they don’t give you the deal, leave and do the switch, he said.
Haggling for a better deal with your current provider is a trick used successfully by many bargain hunters.
A Virgin Media customer saved £210 on their broadband bill after haggling to drive their costs down.
A whopping 6.16million households are out of contract with their broadband supplier, according to exclusive data given to The Sun by Uswitch.
How to haggle your bills
And they could all be missing out on cheaper TV, broadband, mobile and phone bills.
Our writer Charlotte Tarrant saved £268 a year by making one phone call to O2.
And mum-of-two Maddy Alexander-Grout, 38, saved £180 a year on her family’s TV package with Sky.
There’s no harm in haggling for a better deal at any time, but you’re more likely to find success if you’re out of contract as the company usually wants to keep you as a customer.
If you leave mid-contract you might have to pay a fee, so check your contract terms and conditions first.
Haggling expert Davina Schonle, founder of business consultancy Selling Into Corporates, shared her top tips for negotiating with suppliers.
- Timing is key – always set a diary reminder for 40 days before the end of a contract.
- Remember it’s a person on the other line, so build rapport. They want to offer you a good deal. Be polite.
- Tell them what you want. Be prepared to negotiate. Find out what their rivals are charging.
- You have a 14-day cooling off period so you can always change your mind if you’re not happy or find a better deal.
- Think about what is important to you. It’s not always the cost, sometimes it’s about the programmes or customer service.
- Be willing to walk away if you want to cut your bills.
If you’re planning to switch, use comparison sites like Uswitch, Broadbandchoices and ComparetheMarket to find the best contract for you.
Some internet firms including BT and Virgin Media offer social tariffs, allowing customers on Universal Credit to access cheaper broadband.
It’s worth haggling more than ever, since bills are rising across the board.
Vodafone, BT and EE customers have all been hit by bill rises from in April.
And millions Sky of customers will have to pay around £43 extra a year for broadband and TV bills.
We pay for your stories!
Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team?
