4 Ways to Pay Less for Utilities

Excerpt from FC&A's How to Do (Just About) Everything Right the First Time.

Don’t let utility companies hold you hostage. Pay the price you want with these tactics.

1. Watch the competitors’ deals, then call your current provider and ask them to match it. Have the terms of the competitors’ offers in front of you so you can quote them word-for-word. Be firm but polite, and make sure you are speaking to someone with the authority to negotiate.

2. Fight for “new customer” status. If your current company offers a great deal to new customers, call and ask for the same rate. They may give it to you if you agree to sign up for an additional year of service.

3. Check rates through your state’s public utility commission or public service commission. Many state governments offer online tools for comparing the rates of different utility providers.

4. Web sites called service aggregator sites help you pull up the prices of different phone, cable, electric, gas, Internet, and other providers in your area. Some sites even help you make the switch then and there. Check out www.whitefence.com, www.connectutilities.com, and www.allconnect.com. A few charge a fee for switching your service for you. Also, not all service providers post their prices on these sites, so it still pays to shop around.