Happy Wednesday, friends!
Jen and Jill’s conversation with Scott Speranza about Healthcare Overbilling a few weeks ago (Ep 407) kind of blew my mind. 🤯
I didn’t know it was possible to push back on medical charges.
Also, I’ve been a long-time subscriber to the “time is money” mentality and just assumed the effort it would take to negotiate might not be worth it.
But hearing how much Scott helps folks save by identifying overbilling definitely made me change my mind about that!
This all got me thinking… 🤔
What else can we negotiate?
Turns out, nearly everything! Here’s a little 3 step Negotiation Crash Course to help you lower any of your bills/subscriptions!
🤝🏻 Negotiation Crash Course 🤝🏻
Step 1: Make a negotiation list. 📝 Start by making a list of everything you pay for on a consistent basis that might be worth your time negotiating. Utilities, memberships, subscriptions, credit card interest rates… Basically, if there’s a competitor, you can either try to lower your existing bill or find a cheaper option elsewhere.
As you make your list, write down important details about each bill. What are you paying? How long have you been a customer? Are you actually using the service level you pay for (e.g., are you using the data in your data plan)?
Step 2: Research your options! 🔍 Now that we have our negotiation list information (AKA “baseline data”), it’s time to gather some comparison data. Look up costs for competitors, but also any special offers that your current company might be offering to new customers.
See if any of your providers offer different service tiers (e.g., do you really need your own Spotify account or can you join a family plan?). Be sure to consider if each option is realistic to you. If not, it might not belong on your list.
Step 3: Negotiate & follow through. 🗣️ Now that you’re armed with data, it’s time to move into the action phase. If you can’t adjust your services online, make some calls. For each provider you contact, be transparent that you want to make some changes so that you’re directed to the right person who can help you.
Be prepared with specific requests—do you want them to lower your bill to reflect what new customers pay? Do you want them to waive a fee or offer a one-time credit for being a loyal customer?
These conversations can feel intimidating, but it helps to follow a script and go in with confidence (but not entitlement!). You can find some examples below in the “read more” section, or you can ask ChatGPT to write some scripts.
And be prepared for how you’ll respond to any offers or refusals to make changes. Are you ready to walk away from this provider if you don’t get what you’re looking for? Finally, after your negotiation conversation, make sure to follow through, confirming any changes agreed upon have been made.
Warmly,
Misti
⭐️⭐️ P.S. Want to share all this goodness with your friends AND earn cool Frugal Friends merch?
**Means this is a sponsored or affiliate section. We may earn a small fee or commission when you choose to try one of our sponsor or affiliate partners. But opinions are still 1000% our own.🔥
