How to Save Money on Internet Access

A reader asked me for some advice on finding cheap Internet access. I thought I'd write a quick post about our ideas for saving money on Internet Access.

Negotiate - Call your current Internet provider and ask if they have any specials. Highlight your loyalty as a customer, or any service issues or complaints you may have.

Or tell your service provider you are thinking of switching services to (Name Competitor) and ask if they can lower your rate to keep you. If that doesn't work, call the competitor and tell them you are thinking of switching & see what they can do for you. A few minutes of negotiation can shave a few dollars off your monthly bill.

It really does work! When we first switched from Verizon to Cavalier for phone service - we also got Internet Access with Cavalier. We then saw Verizon was running a promotion for cheaper Internet - but if we switched back - our phone bill would be more. We called Cavalier and they matched the promotion - so we were able to cheap our cheap phone service and got a lower DSL price too!

Free Dial Up - Did you know there are still service providers that offer free dial up Internet access out there? Netzero is one of them and they'll give you 10 hours a month free. This site has a list of other free dial up ISP's. Many of these companies run ads in exchange for the free service. It could come in handy while traveling if you needed free dial up service, or maybe for an elderly person who only uses the Internet a few times a month for email.

Use These Websites to find Cheap Internet Access - I really like the site Freedomlist because it shows free or cheap Internet Service provides around the world! SaveonISP also has a comparison tool that is pretty good. There are really a host of sites out there that can help you compare and find out what companies service your area.

Bundle Services -You can combine services into a bundle package and sometimes this can save you money depending on your situation. Many packages bundle DSL & a phone line into one - you could look into those. Some bundle packages include cable, internet and phone in one - check into those as well.

Use these tips and maybe you can lower your internet costs!