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Best way to reduce bill?

27K views 143 replies 48 participants last post by  EW800 
#1 ·
I've now reached a point I'm no longer willing to look the other way with how much TV is costing me. I've been with D 3 years, I was with them prior for 8 years then one year when I moved I had no line of sight thus I had comcrap for 1 year. I've had NFLST every year.

I've never missed a payment in my life. I can't tell if I'm on a contract. Should I simply call them up and tell them the price is just too dam high?

Thanks for any help!

For the record, I'm reasonable, I think what I'm currently getting is only worth $85/month.

CHOICE XTRA CLASSIC - Charge $71.99
Advanced Receiver-DVR - Charge $10.00
Advanced Receiver-HD - Charge $10.00
Additional TV - Charge $6.00
DIRECTV Whole-Home DVR Service - Charge $3.00
Primary TV Free - PrimaryTVFree ($6.00)
Primary TV - Charge $6.00
Total = $113/month
 
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#27 ·
saleen351 said:
I'm going to call tomorrow, I'll post what they say. I hate asking for a discount I'm a fair person and right now I do not see the value for my $113. I pay for 139 channels that aren't even in my guide!!!!

Looking at downgrading my package I would lose these channels that I do watch often:
H2
MiL
NFL
Science
Speed
Fox Business (I only watch one show)

I would only save $1-$16. These packages are designed to screw you over... They know just the right amount of channels to get you to pay more.

I checked out HBO on the website just to see what the price is, 18 bucks!!! Last time I had HBO it was the 2nd to last season of Entourage and I paid 12 bucks..
By now it's tomorrow and you might have already made the call but....

Just be honest. Don't threaten or be antagonistic. Just explain that your bill is getting too high and you are concerned about it. See if there is anything that can be done about it, you may be surprised. At worst, they CR Representative will tell you that there is nothing that they can do, which makes you no worse off than you are now. If you're told that and if you're out of commitment, there are always other options that you can explore.

Be careful about threatening (or promising) that if they don't give you a discount, you'll cancel. They may take you at your word.
 
#30 ·
SlimyPizza said:
I have been a D* subscriber for at least 8 years. My current bill just jumped from $82 to $88/month. I only have one TV, one DVR and I subscribe to no movie channels or sports packages. $88/month.... That's too much. Yes I'm happy with the service and I'm sure I'll miss some aspect of D* when/if I switch to Dish but $88 is just too high for one TV with no special channels.

The business model these days is geared toward the new customers with all the special deals and perks. Fine and good for a company to pull in new customers but its a two edged sword in that when existing customers continue to see rate increase after rate increase they reach a point where enough is enough. I'm there. I'm going to follow the business model and stop subsidizing new customers but first I'll give D* a chance to lower my bill. If not then adios. My main concern is the content I have currently stored on the DVR but I'll deal with that.
You may want to look into the package you currently have. A base package with only the addition of dvr coming out to around $88 seems high unless you are on the Xtra or Ultimate package. What are your costs before tax? Many people hate to hear they will lose channels until they find out they lose almost none of the ones they care to watch. Figure out the channels that are "a must have" for you and see if another package has them.

To be honest, most new customers I see have an average bill of around $75. Some lower, some higher. Just because you see $29.99 or $39.99 does not mean that is what they are paying. New customers also see price increases. Who do you think is more upset, the person who has seen them for 8 years or the person that signed an agreement 4 months prior? I can understand your frustrations with increases but weigh in what is important to you and what you are paying for.
 
#31 ·
anex80 said:
I'm confused. If you add up the charges in your original post, the total comes to $101(as someone else pointed out, one of the $6 charges is a credit). That means that a $15 a month credit should bring your bill down to $86/ month.
It looks like he is in Florida. They have sales tax and communication service tax. OP's taxes are probably over $10.
 
#32 ·
See that's why you got to play it smart when it comes to increases, whenever it nears call for discounts and credits, That's what I did last month and now I have $37 in bill credits, and by the time it expires I would be out of contract to call for more credits:)
 
#33 ·
acostapimps said:
See that's why you got to play it smart when it comes to increases, whenever it nears call for discounts and credits, That's what I did last month and now I have $37 in bill credits, and by the time it expires I would be out of contract to call for more credits:)
What does the contract have to do with anything? If they're giving you $37 in discounts while under contract, are you expecting more when the contract is over?
 
#35 ·
Most of the credits I got is for 12 months from last month I received it, that's exactly when my commitment expires next February, Most likely from retention, usually when I call is for how much I have left in my commitment, that's when they start giving perks/credits to retain me if I ever decide to cancel (which I don't ).
 
#36 ·
I usually don't call unless there's a mistake in my bill when it's unusually high, Sometimes without even asking they give credits, How Much? It all depends on your payment history,years of service and if your eligible for credits,and discounts(if you haven't got any yet). Now if you already received credits and/or discounts (including free upgrades) then they're reluctant to give any more but YMMV.
 
#39 ·
acostapimps said:
Most of the credits I got is for 12 months from last month I received it, that's exactly when my commitment expires next February, Most likely from retention, usually when I call is for how much I have left in my commitment, that's when they start giving perks/credits to retain me if I ever decide to cancel (which I don't ).
That's coincidental for the most part. Most of their discounts last 6 or 12 months reguardless of your contract end date.
 
#40 ·
dcandmc said:
He'll have more leverage when the contract is over, to ask that the credits stay in place. They don't last forever.
If they gave him $37 off his bill, what more leverage is needed? Many new customers are only receiving $35 in discounts...
 
#41 ·
goinsleeper said:
If they gave him $37 off his bill, what more leverage is needed? Many new customers are only receiving $35 in discounts...
As noted earlier, the $37 in credits will not last forever.

If the credits were to expire before his contract, and if he were to call when the credits expire and while still under contract, he would have less leverage to ask for (and get) new credits then he would if he was not under contract and free to walk without paying an ETF.

Under contract = less leverage in asking for freebies

Not under contract = more leverage in asking for freebies
 
#42 ·
#44 ·
Context: DirecTV customer since 1995. Never subscribed to premiums. Do very much enjoy ("need" is such a strong word for TV) live sports including baseball (Twins), Big 10 (Purdue), and pro football (Bears). Living in Vikings country (NFC North) I receive many (not all) Bears games without NFL-ST. The desire for live sports plus lack of OTA coverage means at least one D* or Dish receiver of some sort (no cable to my rural area). I'm not particularly motivated to switch to Dish.

I've used a number of tactics to reduce my DirecTV bill:

  • Reduced my number of DVRs from 5 to 3
  • Reduced my programming package from Choice Extra to Choice
  • Called as appropriate (typically when out of contract) to ask about how D* can help (typically via credits)

My next steps are to:

  1. Split the HDMI output from the primary to the secondary TV. The distance is a pain, but worth the one time cost.
  2. Purchase PlayLater (www.playlater.tv) to supplement PlayOn that I already have for use with the Rokus.
  3. Replace 2 of the DVRs with Roku boxes
  4. Cancel 2 of the remaining 3 DVRs
  5. Fix my OTA rotor.

This will reduce my monthly bill to Choice with 1 DVR and I will still readily have access to all of the content that I desire where I desire it.
 
#45 ·
Tubaman-Z said:
Context: DirecTV customer since 1995. Never subscribed to premiums. Do very much enjoy ("need" is such a strong word for TV) live sports including baseball (Twins), Big 10 (Purdue), and pro football (Bears). Living in Vikings country (NFC North) I receive many (not all) Bears games without NFL-ST. The desire for live sports plus lack of OTA coverage means at least one D* or Dish receiver of some sort (no cable to my rural area). I'm not particularly motivated to switch to Dish.

I've used a number of tactics to reduce my DirecTV bill:

  • Reduced my number of DVRs from 5 to 3
  • Reduced my programming package from Choice Extra to Choice
  • Called as appropriate (typically when out of contract) to ask about how D* can help (typically via credits)

My next steps are to:

  1. Split the HDMI output from the primary to the secondary TV. The distance is a pain, but worth the one time cost.
  2. Purchase PlayLater (www.playlater.tv) to supplement PlayOn that I already have for use with the Rokus.
  3. Replace 2 of the DVRs with Roku boxes
  4. Cancel 2 of the remaining 3 DVRs
  5. Fix my OTA rotor.

This will reduce my monthly bill to Choice with 1 DVR and I will still readily have access to all of the content that I desire where I desire it.
If you split the HDMI how do you change the channel while in the other room?
 
#48 ·
dcandmc said:
As noted earlier, the $37 in credits will not last forever.

If the credits were to expire before his contract, and if he were to call when the credits expire and while still under contract, he would have less leverage to ask for (and get) new credits then he would if he was not under contract and free to walk without paying an ETF.

Under contract = less leverage in asking for freebies

Not under contract = more leverage in asking for freebies
I think you're missing the point. Why does he need any leverage if he can get $37 off his bill without leverage? The contract means less to them than you think when it comes to discounts. No discounts last forever. Even the Free HD for Life technically lasts for 1000 credits.
 
#49 ·
dcandmc;3197719 said:
Under contract = less leverage in asking for freebies

Not under contract = more leverage in asking for freebies
Not always the case, it all depends on how much freebies and upgrades you received in the past.
But regularly they give credits when not under contract.
 
#51 ·
goinsleeper said:
I think you're missing the point. Why does he need any leverage if he can get $37 off his bill without leverage? The contract means less to them than you think when it comes to discounts. No discounts last forever. Even the Free HD for Life technically lasts for 1000 credits.
No, it's you who are missing the point. The credits will expire, and DirecTV will not renew them as a matter of course. The more credits you have had and the longer you have had them, the less inclined DirecTV will be to renew them. That has been my personal experience, and anecdotal experience from others on the forum bears that out.
 
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