Here’s an interesting money-saving idea that might not take you too long. Set aside a day and declare it Bill Haggle Day. What’s that? it’s the day when you look over your recurring expenses that you aren’t interested in canceling, and try to negotiate better deals for the same service.

This can save you money far into the future, and all you have to do is call up and ask nicely.

The idea comes from blogger Kristin Wong, who summarized the concept in a one-minute video as part of an online contest. Here’s her video:

The key rules of Bill Haggle Day?

Do: Be really nice. Even if you have to resort to threatening to cancel.

Do: Research competitors’ rates so you know what kind of discounts to ask for.

Do: Ask about online-only or promotional rates, and find out whether you’re eligible for those.

We would also add:

Don’t threaten to walk away to a competitor unless you’re willing to go through with it. Though, as we’ve learned, many companies won’t let you cancel service even when you do want to. Another tactic is to threaten to downgrade your service: ask for a more basic cable package or less data on your mobile phone plan.

My One Minute Money Saving Tip: Bill Haggle Day [Brokepedia] (via Rockstar Finance)

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