We’ll take you through the steps to negotiate a lower monthly payment with DISH, and we’re certain you’ll save money for that house or car you have your eye on in no time. But when it comes to satellite TV, DISH is your most inexpensive option (DIRECTV has those less than convenient second-year price hikes). If you’re considering cable TV or live TV streaming, these are the prices DISH has to compete with (and take note of the number of channels). PS: If you want to make an argument against DISH with a cable company, make sure the cable TV provider is available in your area by entering your ZIP code below. First of all, make sure you’re only being charged for what you asked for. It’s especially important when TV providers sometimes raise the monthly cost during the time of your service. A random price increase shouldn’t happen with DISH if you signed up for the 2-year contract because when you check out, next to the price, it says “Guaranteed for two years.” So … there should absolutely be no raising of prices, DISH. If you get the no-contract option, you won’t have as much say to the prices rising by a few cents here and there. So if you think you’ll want DISH for at least two years, we recommend the contract route to save $10-15 per month with no price increases. According to the Better Business Bureau, a huge portion of the complaints filed against DISH had to do with monthly charge problems. So double-check the monthly price, fees, and add-ons on your bill if it seems like your monthly payment keeps going up and you don’t know why. If you find an error in your monthly bill, hold onto it for the breakup phone call. How often are you really watching SHOWTIME or STARZ? Do you use your DVR service much? Are all of your set-top boxes being used? You can consider deleting premium channels you’re no longer using, and you can do so easily through your online account. Now consider how often the family uses each set-top box and how often you all record TV shows and movies. Let’s say you have one Hopper Duo and two Hopper 3’s throughout the house. If only one is consistently being used and you just record a couple of shows and movies per week, you could cut $30 out of your bill by returning the two Hopper 3’s. Make sure to ask the representative the best way to send back your equipment when you make the call. First and foremost, it’s important to be polite and courteous, especially if you want the most out of the phone call. When you call DISH, make sure you get transferred to the Loyalty or Retention department. Let them know you’re thinking about canceling your service, and you’d like to know what they can do for you in terms of lowering your monthly bill to remain a DISH customer. Don’t be afraid to ask. You may get $15-$30 knocked off your bill or free sports or movie channels. If this is enough to get you to stay, then success! But don’t feel like you can’t just cancel if they can’t bring your bill down enough. Tell them nicely that you’d like to cancel, and ask them when the last day of your service will be. Then consider ordering a new, more inexpensive service that will still give you all of the entertainment you need. If you really want to hold onto the service, try calling back again and see if the second DISH representative is even more helpful. Call DISH at 1-866-970-0137 to find out what’s the best deal they can give you to stay a DISH customer. Let’s recap the steps to get you on the path to saving money on your TV service:
Step 1: Before you decide to make the phone call to lower your bill, or maybe cancel your service, analyze the TV provider competition. Do you want Sling TV because you only need a few of your favorite channels for the cheapest price possible? Or maybe you’re considering cable TV because it’s a little more inexpensive but still gives you that traditional TV feel? Step 2: Understanding and breaking down your monthly bill is also essential before making the phone call. Make sure you’re only being charged for what you asked. Your monthly price should stay the same (although it could increase by cents here and there if you don’t have a contract because of rising programming costs), but also check if the extra fees are correct. Step 3: Consider scaling your service back if your monthly bill breakdown is correct. Do you watch all of the premium channels you ordered often enough? Do you have too many unused set-top boxes in your home? Do you use the 500-hour DVR storage space, or could you manage with just 125 hours? Step 4: After you consider the competition, the breakdown of your bill, and what you could scale back on, you’re ready to make the call to DISH. Put your friendly hat and firm tone on, let them know you’d like to cancel but would like to know what they can do for you to remain a DISH customer. We hope you leave the phone conversation with $15-$30 knocked off your bill and/or free channels. But don’t be afraid to just cancel if they can’t bring your bill down low enough.
