I called Direct TV yesterday planning to downgrade our service. Instead of doing that they offered to continue the plan that we have for $4 more than the next lowest priced plan for the next 6 months. Then the woman said that at the end of this 6 month period I could call and ask what special discounts were they offering at that time and get it. The only hitch is that they don't notify you that this is available, you have to call and ask. This is like begging to me and I told her so, but we need to cut costs everywhere we can, so I will do it. If things keep costing more and more we will have to go to their cheapest plan or just cut out TV altogether. As far as I could tell this is available for all customers, but she did say it was because we had been customers for 11 years. I never can tell what is a sales pitch and what is real - and what will change with another customer rep or just another day. Just thought I would pass this along in case anyone is interested.

Those sales people can be tricky and pretty convincing! I totally understand the need to cut back. It's getting to everyone. I just don't want it to affect my quilting addiction!

I understand what you mean about cutting TV. Our cable went up $20 the beginning of this month. I ask my husband if he is ready to cut cable, he said not yet! We also got a notice that our water rates had gone up. I have been on a strict budget this year, so far am still on budget but worried about future rising prices.

i just downgraded my cable TV. [it's not bad enough that i spend too much time on QB, but i also spent too much time watching movies :) ]. they had previously convinced me to rent their modem [there are advantages]. however, when the credits just came through, with taxes etc., that came to $9.25 per month! I bought my own modem. I now have just basic TV, somewhat similar to when I was a kid, and I don't miss the other cable that much. I can't do without my internet though. So my $146/mo. bill was reduced with the downgrade to $65.

about 6 years ago- we had a local cable company- had been with them for 5+ years- we were constantly receiving phone calls offering (new-customer) deals---which we did not qualify for because we were old customers-
i called and complained about the daily telemarketing calls-and about the (deal) for the new customers-while good established long-term customers were being punished- and having it rubbed in our faces-
they did look-make a couple changes and give us a better price for 6 months-at the end of that 6 months our bill TRIPLED! (you will know when your 6 months are up!)
i cancelled their service- and would go without tv before i ever went back to them.
we now have direct tv- and i just really look over every bill- when there is any increase i am on the phone finding out why-and what i can do about it-

it is a sign of the times- my hubby works for a propane company- so many customers sign up for gas- at the new customer rates for a year- the next year they simply switch to a different company with a new (new customer deal)every couple years they are back to him again-
its sad that good reliable customers have to do this to stay above water- and big corporations just can not see past their stock portfolios--they do not care---they gripe and threaten about loosing customers- but will not take steps to keep existing ones---

I know what you mean. We have DTV too. Now they are offering the NFL pkg for free to new customers! I think they should offer it to the existing people for being loyal!!!!!

We get the same line with u verse. We were paying $178. every month(tv,phone,internet) .I called and they lowered it to $128.00 for next 6 mo. Then they tell me we will upgrade you internet service. If you don't call back in 6 months your bill will go higher than 178. due to the upgrade in my internet service. Sneaky people.So I made a note on the calendar.

I know this might sound stupid to some but if you do alot of laundry make your own laundry soap. It saves alot of money.
Judy

I haven't had cable in over 3 years, and I honestly don't miss it much. We live near enough to Indianapolis that we get all the major networks and PBS over the antenna, and for movies and entertainment we use Netflix. Maybe if we lived out far enough that we didn't even get antenna TV, we'd consider a dish, but until then, nada.

We are an antenna and Netflix only house, too. Between our paid Nextflix subscription, free HULU and all those shows the networks put up for free on their websites, I get all the TV I can stand.

I had direct tv since 1994. I called in November to csncel it and they just said ok thanks call if you want to restart. I have hd prime package with Verizon internet, phone and TV for $121 - Dtv was $178 for exact same channels

DirecTV has been extremely good to us over the years, including giving us extras when we ask for them and lowering our bill as needed. And I just can't say enough great things about their customer service! Our DVR went bad a few months ago and the very next day there was a new one - no charge - on my doorstep when I got home from work. Love them!

I understand completely... I feel like I am living in Alice in Wonderland these days... I trust my son and my puppies... Sigh!

Why not just let it go entirely? There's plenty of free TV on the net, and if you don't like watching it on your computer, it's a simple matter to hook your computer to the TV and watch it there.

We had Direct TV. The starting price was good about $29.00 per month. After about 9 months the price kept going up and up. Stopped service Direct rep called for us to renew new, told him the price up to high and kept going up. His reply was "oh well we will just reduce it to $30.00 a month.
No was my answer. I don't trust Direct TV.

My son and his fiancee are saving the money they aren't paying for cable or satalite for the wedding.
They come over here if there is something on TV that they just can't miss. They still have the basic stations CBS, NBC, ABC, WGN and a couple more.

The first thing I would do to save money, would be cut the TV.

My husband and I have basic cable and Netflix. We recently cut down our Netflix to one DVD at a time (unlimited) with no streaming.

We have a baby due November so trying to cut back now. I wish it was as simple as cutting out luxuries such as not eating out and not going to the movies or something but we already don't do that.

Call them ! They will downgrade you instead of losing your business all together !

It is amazing what they can offer us, if they think we may discontinue their service LOL
Happy to hear they have other deals you can take advantage of in the future too :D:D:D

We need the TV so that my husband can watch football, baseball, basketball and golf. That is his passion now that he has retired. He can quote the stats for almost every every player on every team for the past 50 years. His interest and memory know no limits.

Apparently almost any service will offer you as discount if you call and say you are going to discontinue buying their services. It's worked for us many times.
Can't affort to be proud in this economy.
MK

I got rid of Direct TV last year when I had my roof redone - new shingles. I keep getting notices in the snail mail saying we miss you - yeah right you miss the $$$$.
Their dish is no longer on my roof as I swapped out to Dish Network, love the lower rate now that is locked in till 2013, the same channels I was getting with Direct TV, and only one box! Not 3!
I have 3 other tv's on regular old antennas, and get 15 - 20 channels on those.

Write it on your calendar so you won't forget.. Cable cost to much to forget a possible deal.-Our basic cable was $ 56 a mo. when that conversion stuff happened I went with that adapter box

I did cancel my Dish. I loved it but watched 2 much anyway. Got 2 converter boxes with old fashioned rabbit ears & get local stations. I live in DFW so get quite a few but even with the ears, sometimes have to giggle to get clear pic. The boxes & ears cost around 80 or so, the Dish was 40/mth. So saved a little.

This economy is getting scary......

:thumbup: :thumbup:

I went to change or download my TV/Telephone/Broadband package with BT, our national supplier, I got a £25 per month discount, about a 1/3rd and told to ring back at the end of the year's contract for best prices, if you don't ask you don't get.

We cut it and went to net flix cheapest program. So glad we did. I got sick of direct tv and how they were.

you mentioned stopping TV. Has anyone else noticed of all the hundreds of channels there is nothing to watch. Except for not knowing what is going on in the world I am at a point I would just as soon do without. Sometime I wonder if my blood pressure would be better if I did not know what is going on. Ya'll excuse the mood I just need to vent.

We downgraded our programming with DirectTV and they made it sound so good - now we have less than nothing to watch - newschannels - sports channels which we are not into - no public broadcasting network at all - and it seems the bill keeps increasing - so out the door with them!! We are planning to go back to the antennae - watch local channels which I think number 4 or 5 of them - and if there is nothing on to watch - it is still free!!! Not in the $50 range for basic tv which we ordered when we down graded! I'd say Direct tv "screwed" themselves this time!!! Sorry folks for those how enjoy their viewing through them - we don't.......

We had a plan with Cable TV that locked in price for 2 yrs. with no penalties if you quit them. Now to get the least increase in price you have to guarantee them 2 yrs. or pay a stiff penalty for discontinuing service. TV has gotten so raunchy these days I wonder how much more we could do if we just didn't have it! It is tempting!

We don't have DirectTV but we run into the same thing with our cable company. I always feel like I can't get straight answers about what is included in what plan and walk away feeling like I've been subjected to some shell game.

Our main tv borke. Best thing that ever happened. Decreased the tv package for the kids in the basement- I want to get rid of it too.

I complained about the extra $10 month fee for HD on Direct TV and they gave me a year for free. Dish gives it free for the entire year so I'm working on that aspect. I won't switch, love Direct BUT saving money in this economy is important.

My DH watches TV but I haven't had mine on for about three months, and don't miss it. I do spend lots of time on this board looking at quilts, and "visiting" with all the nice people here. Nothing much to watch on TV in my opinion. I'd rather quilt while listening to nice music. ;)

We had many of those services over time and finally pitched them all. We decided it wasn't worth the money- If we want to watch something we pop in a DVD. Too much time was spent looking for good programs on alot fewer channels then we needed. Dropping those services was well worth the savings. Oh ya and for those of you who have been told they need their dish back off your rooftop- tell them they're welcome to have it as long as they get it themselves and not damage the roof. (They stop nagging you really quick)

Anytime they offer you a promotional deal for 6 months or so, they're counting on you forgetting to chg. it at the end of that period. I got sucked into that.

Same thing goes for our local Fish Wrapper...I mean news paper. Just got their annual promotion this week. I subscribe to the weekend pkg (Friday thru Sunday) mainly because I want to Sunday paper for the coupons. Their latest offer is for 7 days a week for the price of the weekend package for 11 months!! Thanks, but no thanks!

I wanted to tell him that if they can afford to give me (and others) 4 free papers a week for 11 months, they could afford to publish something worth reading....Newspapers are only good for wrapping dead fish and lining bird cages anymore. :thumbup:

We should try that with u-verse. We really need to cut back and dh's been complaining about how much our package is.

Seriously every single time I hear a great new offer from competion I call our cable company and say I get it for so much cheaper if I go with so and so. And they lower my bill. I have gone from 180 mo to 120 mo. I am ready to call them again as they are offering a bundle pkg for 90 mo. Since I already have the bundle I should get the bundle pkg.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease!!