10 Monthly Bills That You Can Negotiate

edited by: Eve Fish

One of the most common ways to trim your budget is by looking at your expenses and seeing where you can cut. When you look at your expenses with this idea in mind, one of the best ways to organize your costs are by sorting them into fixed and variable expenses.  

Fixed expenses are essentially the same every month. They’re typically monthly or yearly costs, but what unifies them is that they don’t really change much. Think about your mortgage or your car payment or your property taxes. These costs might change a little year-over-year, but they’re generally quite consistent. 

Since fixed expenses don’t really change, most people who are looking to reduce their monthly budget focus on variable costs. This makes a lot of sense, since you typically have more control over your variable expenses. For instance, you can spend less money on groceries by changing what you buy or spend less on entertainment by going out less or choosing less expensive activities. 

However, this doesn’t mean that fixed expenses can’t be changed. In fact, many of your bills, both fixed and variable, often have room for negotiation. In general, most Americans don’t like to negotiate.  

It seems stressful, it takes time, and you probably think that you don’t have much of a chance of success. The truth is that there are many bills you can negotiate. Here are ten that you’ll want to consider.  

Your Phone Bill 

This tip refers to both your mobile phone bill and your home phone, if you have one. For a lot of people, their cell phone is a major cost in their monthly budget, especially if you finance a new phone every so often. 

However, you can negotiate a bill. The first way to do it is to just ask if there is a cheaper plan. Cell phone plans change quite often, and there’s a good chance that a cheaper one has arrived since you signed up, especially if you haven’t changed plans in a while. 

Another option is to look at competitor pricing. If anyone provider is offering a similar plan for less money, mention this and ask if they can match that price. If you’re not locked into a pricing agreement, there’s a good chance they’ll offer you a discount to retain you as a customer. 

The third thing you can do is change your plan to a cheaper one. For instance, if you don’t use all the data you’re allotted each month or if you’re paying for long-distance services you don’t use, consider dropping these to save money. 

Your Cable Bill 

A lot of people are “cutting the cord” these days and canceling cable. You can use this to your advantage. When you call, mention that you’re spending X amount on cable every month and questioning if it’s worth it. Tell them that you’ll stay if they offer you a discount. This often works. 

Much like with cell phone bills, if you can give them competitor pricing that is lower, there’s a good chance they’ll match it.  

You may be able to negotiate lower monthly fees for your cable box or DVR as well.  

Your Internet Bill 

Getting a cheaper internet bill is similar to getting a cheaper cell phone or cable bill. In fact, there are sometimes bundles available if your provider offers multiple services. This can save you some money. 

Otherwise, ask if they can match competitor pricing, see if you can change your plan to a less expensive one, and request a discount on your modem rental fee (if you pay one).  

Gym Memberships 

If you have a gym membership, you might be able to negotiate the price. Start by asking for a discount upfront. If you’ve been a member for a while, they may be willing to give you one. You might also be able to get a deal if you pay your membership yearly, rather than monthly. 

This is another situation where mentioning a competitor can help too. If there’s another nearby gym that offers similar features at a lower price, bring this up and see if they’ll match it.  

Rent 

This one might be a little bit harder, and your success will depend on your situation. If you have a rental contract that’s about to expire, for instance, this can be a good time to negotiate. If rents for similar properties in the area have been decreasing lately, use this to your advantage as well. 

You might also be able to offer to pay several months up front in exchange for a discount, but this is only a good idea if you’re actually planning to stay a while. Once you pay long-term, you lose negotiating power for a while.  

Auto Insurance 

Car insurance companies are often willing to negotiate, especially if you’ve been a customer for a while and haven’t filed any claims. Many insurance providers have “safe driver” discounts, so it’s worth asking about these if you think you qualify. 

Once again, mentioning competitor rates can be helpful as well.  

Home Insurance 

This is similar to car insurance. Ask if there is anything they can do to help you and lean on your history with the company. You may also want to consider changing your coverage to save money but make sure that you’re still protected if you need it.  

A lot of home insurance companies give discounts to customers who have security systems installed, home monitoring systems, or certain fire detection systems, so if you have any of these, mention it and ask if they have a discount available.  

If your insurance company offers both home and auto insurance, ask if there are any discounts available if you bundle your insurance services under one provider. 

Medical Bills 

Overall, 36.3% of US households reported having some sort of medical debt in 2024. If you want to lower your medical bills, the first step is to look at what you’ve been charged and check for errors. Surveys show that 45% of insured, working-age adults have received a medical bill or been charged a copayment for a service they thought should have been free or covered by their insurance. 

The next step is to ask if there is anything you can do to reduce your bill. Sometimes paying more upfront can lower monthly payments, for instance.  

Credit Card Fees 

You likely can’t negotiate your actual credit card debt down, but there are still things you can do to reduce how much you pay. The first is asking if your interest rate can be lowered. If you have a good payment history and long relationship with the card provider, there’s a good chance this will work. 

If you’re paying a monthly fee for your credit card, ask to have that waived or ask if you can move to a no-fee card.  

Utility Bills 

This is another one where you probably can’t reduce the actual amount you owe, but you can change your plan to make it more affordable. Some providers may offer time-of-use billing for electricity, for example. If most of your usage is outside of peak times, switching to one of these plans can help. 

There may also be options to switch to a budget plan, where costs are averaged out over the year rather than fluctuating monthly. This might not save you money overall, but it will keep your bills more consistent so you can budget your life more easily. 

In Summary:

There are many bills that you can negotiate to save money. The first step is to call and ask. This can be intimidating, but remember that the worst thing they can say is no. If the call isn’t going well, you can always say you have to go and hang up. 

When you do call, it helps to have competitor pricing nearby so you can reference it. Be polite and kind. If you’re talking to an actual human (which you should always do when you’re negotiating), being friendly and showing courtesy can go a long way. 

Outright ask for a discount when you call. If you don’t specifically say that you’re looking to lower your bill, they’ll probably dance around the issue. If you calmly and politely say that you’re hoping to cut costs, there’s a good chance they’ll help.  

Other Articles of Interest:

Make sure to check out other great articles about money management and ways to save, including:

How To Cancel Any Subscription in 5 Minutes

How To Negotiate Your Internet Bill

Hidden Subscription Costs That Are Draining Your Bank Account

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