PAYING off the broadband bill every month is just another financial burden households face amid the cost of living crisis.
You shouldn’t have to pay anymore than you need to for a connection, and luckily there’s a trick that takes SECONDS and makes sure you keep track of surging costs.
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Haggling with your broadband provider is one way to reduce your bill – but many people dread having to call their supplier and negotiate.
Instead, some experts say the easiest strategy is a simple switch.
That means moving away from your current provider to a new one.
The first thing you’ll have to do is check your contract though, as you can’t just jump ship right away.
You have to be out of contract to leave without a penalty – otherwise you could face some hefty charges in the pursuit of finding a better deal.
But if you are out of contract it can be one of the best ways to slash hundreds off your bill.
Before you get so far as to move to another provider altogether though, there’s a trick to help you make your move to cutting costs.
On Facebook forum, Money saving hints tips and ideas, bill-paying users shared how they’ve been keeping a close eye on every penny leaving the bank account.
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One said: “You need to check your contract end dates and write down when they are all due to end.”
The tip not only covers your back for broadband bills, but you could also track your insurance costs, phone bills, TV contracts, and more.
“I have mine in a note on my phone so I can always come back to it,” the savvy saver said.
It takes just seconds to make the mark in your diary, and you can set alerts for when your contract is coming to a quick close too so you’re ready to pick up research for other cheaper deals.
This shopper agreed. They said: “Always make sure to shop around for deals too, quite often it’s so much more money if you’re out of contract on certain things.”
Consumer group Which? found that broadband customers who switch away from the “Big Four” providers, which includes BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media, can typically save around £190 a year.
TV and broadband customers can save even more – typically over £200.
The trick only really works then, if you move from a big company.
But if you’re already tied into a contract with one of the heaviest hitters, then you can use the bargain hunter’s trick to count down the days until your “out” arrives.
All the while, it could save you some serious cash.
Brits are being clobbered with rising costs from bills posted through the letterbox to price tags on the supermarket shelves.
There’s plenty of other help out there to keep costs to a minimum though.
To keep the internet light on in particular you can find out if you’re eligible for a cheaper social tariff.
Millions of households on benefits could save £100s on their broadband bills with the benefit help.
BT, Community Fibre, G.Network, Hyperoptic, KCOM and Virgin Media O2 all offer social tariffs, which allow you to get cheaper deals.
But to claim, you’ll usually need to be receiving either employment and support allowance, income support, jobseeker’s allowance, or Universal Credit.
Most start from just £15 a month with speeds of up to 50Mbps on offer.
TalkTalk even offers its own FREE broadband, but it’s exclusively for job seekers.
There’s other bills you’ve been sorting all wrong this whole time as well, but you can cut costs with our tips.
Andwe reveal how you could get your money back if you’ve got a dodgy line.
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