As the holiday season approaches, you may feel like your expenses are piling up. Reducing your monthly bills can be one way to ease the pressure on your budget.

Reducing your bills might be easier than you think. With a phone call and a little preparation, you may be able to save money on Internet, phone, cable or utility bills – and maybe others. Talking to your service providers could, for example, help you get a lower rate or promotional discount, or direct you to a financial assistance program.

Use these expert tips to negotiate better deals with customer service representatives.

The outcome of the conversation may largely depend on when you pick up the phone. Choose a time when you have time (and patience) to spare, so you can fully concentrate on the call.

People should avoid calling when “they’re going to be in a hurry, or if they’re grumpy, or if they have a screaming child in the background, or it’s 4 p.m. on a Friday and they’ve had a bad week,” says Teresa. Murray, director of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group’s consumer watchdog.

You may also have better luck calling customer service at certain times of the year.

Kenan Acikelli, who spent three years working as a customer service representative for a telecommunications company, said it was often easier for customers to negotiate invoices at the end of the year or during periods such as Black Friday and back-to-school sales.

“The company offered special offers during these times, and we had more flexibility to match promotional prices or offer upgrades to retain customers,” he said in an email interview.

When you call a company’s support number (which you can usually find on their website or on your billing statement), you’ll likely first be redirected to an automated system. Speaking with a live person will give you a better chance to explain your situation and discuss possible solutions. Try pressing “0” or saying “representative” to reach a real person faster.

Murray recommends gethuman.com to locate companies’ customer support phone numbers and other information that can help you connect with a live representative, such as service hours and instructions for navigating the phone menu.

People we spoke to told us that politeness is your best bargaining chip in negotiations. Customer service agents will likely be friendlier if you speak kindly and respectfully rather than using a harsh or demanding tone.

“I saw people come in frustrated, but those who stayed calm always had better results,” Acikelli said. “I would often go out of my way to offer them additional promotions or discounts just because they asked nicely.”

Keep your attitude in check and remember that the person on the other end of the phone is a human just trying to do their job.

Before the call, find out what prices and deals your service providers’ competitors are offering and leverage that information, said Babu Jayaram, head of customer success and strategy at Qualaroo, a customer feedback software company. and users.

“This shows that you are an informed customer, and representatives often have some leeway to match or even beat these rates to keep you on board,” he said in a prepared statement.

Find out if your provider has any deals they could offer you. Is your cable company offering new customers an incentive that’s cheaper than what you pay? Maybe you can get this rate.

A quick Internet search – try something like “company name + discount” or “company name + new promotion” – can help you uncover the information you need to back up your claim.

Murray also recommends looking at other types of discounts. Some companies offer discounts based on age, often starting at age 55. Paperless billing and autopay discounts are also common. Murray says she saves $5 per line each month on her five-line cell phone plan by using automatic bank payments.

“That’s $25 a month. So it adds up,” she said.

Discounts are harder to get utility bills such as water and electricity, which are generally regulated and must respect certain rates. However, financial assistance programs may be available to people who meet certain income requirements or who are struggling to manage their bills.

Having your account details at your fingertips can save you time and reduce friction when calling. Log in to your account online or check your statements for information such as account number, plan features, and past payment dates.

If you have been a customer for a long time, consider using this information to your advantage, especially if you have a history of payments on time. Businesses value loyalty, and employees may have customer retention goals that they are trying to achieve. Keeping you as a satisfied customer is in the best interest of the company.

Don’t take the first “no” for an answer. Explain your situation again and get to the point. For example: “I’d like to continue using your service, but I just can’t afford the price. What can we do to reduce the bill?

If you still can’t get anything done, try escalating the request. The representative you are speaking with may not have the authority to reduce your bill. Please ask to speak to a supervisor, who may have more problem-solving experience and authority to make decisions.

Despite our best efforts, calls to customer service can lead to dead ends. Prepare for the possibility that your supplier won’t budge.

Before the call, consider whether terminating service is an action you are willing to take. For some services, such as water, electricity or gas, other providers may not be available, but for others, such as cell phone or cable providers, competition is abundant.

If ending the relationship is an option and your representative can’t save you money, ask to begin the cancellation process. Showing that you are serious may encourage them to give you a better offer.

If this deal never arrives, consider switching to a cheaper competitor or, if the service isn’t vital, forgoing it altogether.

If you’re not ready to make a decision, keep the notes from your call and think about it. Either way, pat yourself on the back for making the call.