- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Year end review of spending has saved me a bunch this week
Posted on 12/5/13 at 2:25 pm
Posted on 12/5/13 at 2:25 pm
I am not disciplined to shop my basic subscriptions and insurance as I should be. This past week has proven that to me.
Last year after probably 40 years with State Farm I shopped Geico and it saved me $2000 a year but my homeowners went up $500 because I lost the multi policy discount with State Farm. I have two teenage drivers and thankfully neither have had a claim. This year my State Farm agent called wanting to price my auto again and it reminded me he went up on his homeowners. I shopped it and saved $600 on the same coverage and policy type. He did get much more competitive on auto but not enough.
Shopped my Direct TV after 11 years. I was tired of seeing DirectTV offer all these teasers to newbies but ripping me off. Went to Dish saved $40 a month on a two year deal--the teaser the first year and regular price the second. That is $960 over two years.
Finally decided we could do something about our landline. Got Ooma for $140 with the wireless adapter and opted out of the premium service and saved myself another $480 a year.
I am working on my cell bill. Only problem is I am grandfather in on the unlimited data and I don't want to lose that but I do want to drastically cut my minutes.
I think all these companies have all these stupid pricing deals and expect you to jump around. You certainly don't get rewarded for long term loyalty any more.
Saved me about $130 month and gave up nothing in service.
Just FWIW.
Last year after probably 40 years with State Farm I shopped Geico and it saved me $2000 a year but my homeowners went up $500 because I lost the multi policy discount with State Farm. I have two teenage drivers and thankfully neither have had a claim. This year my State Farm agent called wanting to price my auto again and it reminded me he went up on his homeowners. I shopped it and saved $600 on the same coverage and policy type. He did get much more competitive on auto but not enough.
Shopped my Direct TV after 11 years. I was tired of seeing DirectTV offer all these teasers to newbies but ripping me off. Went to Dish saved $40 a month on a two year deal--the teaser the first year and regular price the second. That is $960 over two years.
Finally decided we could do something about our landline. Got Ooma for $140 with the wireless adapter and opted out of the premium service and saved myself another $480 a year.
I am working on my cell bill. Only problem is I am grandfather in on the unlimited data and I don't want to lose that but I do want to drastically cut my minutes.
I think all these companies have all these stupid pricing deals and expect you to jump around. You certainly don't get rewarded for long term loyalty any more.
Saved me about $130 month and gave up nothing in service.
Just FWIW.
4
Posted on 12/5/13 at 2:38 pm to I B Freeman
But you got Dish now. Noway is Dish as good in quality and customer service as Direct. I had Dish for 12 yrs and switched to Direct when I moved. Direct is better. I also never even installed a land line in the house we moved to. I may need to look at the insurance issue. I currently have USAA for my vehicles and home, but wouldn't be opposed to switching if it meant same coverage for less. I've never had a claim, house or auto, in the 15 yrs I've had it.
Posted on 12/5/13 at 2:41 pm to I B Freeman
quote:
Finally decided we could do something about our landline. Got Ooma for $140 with the wireless adapter and opted out of the premium service and saved myself another $480 a year.
I'm definitely acting on this in the next 60 days - whether I try Obihai and GV or Ooma (and, WTH, I'll try the premium for a year - I get that with a discount, because I would port and porting is free with 1-year of premium) - I'll still save $400+ the first year and if I drop the premium after 12 months, $600 the second.
How is your Ooma service so far?
Posted on 12/5/13 at 3:21 pm to I B Freeman
quote:
Only problem is I am grandfather in on the unlimited data and I don't want to lose that but I do want to drastically cut my minutes.
How much data do you actually use? If it's a bunch, I can understand, but if it's not more than 3-4GB, you might look in to switching plans. We have a family plan with 10GB shared data and 700 minutes, and it's pretty reasonable. It's definitely worth looking in to, especially if you have several different lines, each with their own data plan.
Posted on 12/5/13 at 3:22 pm to Ace Midnight
Ooma is fine.
DIsh I actually like better but it is a toss up.
My next move two years from now will be to streaming. Almost did that this time. Maybe too far out for a HD antenna
DIsh I actually like better but it is a toss up.
My next move two years from now will be to streaming. Almost did that this time. Maybe too far out for a HD antenna
Posted on 12/5/13 at 3:36 pm to LSUGUMBO
Same boat for cell service, grandfathered-in long time ago. 5 smart phones, total of 150.00 a month. Unlimited minutes and data. About the only thing I can do without losing the deal is just upgrade the phones every two years.
Posted on 12/5/13 at 3:59 pm to I B Freeman
quote:
Shopped my Direct TV after 11 years. I was tired of seeing DirectTV offer all these teasers to newbies but ripping me off. Went to Dish saved $40 a month on a two year deal--the teaser the first year and regular price the second. That is $960 over two years.
Have thought of switching to Dish as well, seems I pay the most of anyone I know just because I've been with them the longest.
Posted on 12/5/13 at 4:17 pm to CAT
quote:
Have thought of switching to Dish as well, seems I pay the most of anyone I know just because I've been with them the longest.
Call DirecTV and ask them if you're under contract (even if you know you're not), and ask them if you have any options to save some money. I got $30/month off my bill for a year, and an upgrade to a DirecTV Genie for no charge. I call them a couple of times a year just to see "what specials are running" I can usually get the Sports Package for little or nothing around the time of the College World Series.
ETA: AT&T has a new "mobile share" plan with unlimited talk, text and 10GB data for $120 for 4 users. I'm sure the 5th would be $15-20 more. I need to look at our home phone- we never use it, but keep it since we have little ones at home, and the cell service isn't the best ever.
This post was edited on 12/5/13 at 4:20 pm
Posted on 1/15/14 at 1:47 pm to LSUGUMBO
Follow up--
I think Dish is better and now it looks like they are going to sign up to offer the SEC network they are even better. You can't believe the crazy deals Direct has offered me now that I left. How stupid is pricing in this industry? I marked it on my calendar to shop the whole thing again in two years when my Dish deal is done. If you don't shop TV providers they will screw you.
Ooma phone is fine and has a very good list of built in blocked callers. I don't get anywhere near the political calls I used to get.
Still working on cell. T-Mobile has the best deal on unlimited data and talk and text at $70 but their coverage is not as good. They claim to have better quality and data speed. Ooma has an ap you can use on mobile phones. I don't know how that works. Skype has one too.
I think Dish is better and now it looks like they are going to sign up to offer the SEC network they are even better. You can't believe the crazy deals Direct has offered me now that I left. How stupid is pricing in this industry? I marked it on my calendar to shop the whole thing again in two years when my Dish deal is done. If you don't shop TV providers they will screw you.
Ooma phone is fine and has a very good list of built in blocked callers. I don't get anywhere near the political calls I used to get.
Still working on cell. T-Mobile has the best deal on unlimited data and talk and text at $70 but their coverage is not as good. They claim to have better quality and data speed. Ooma has an ap you can use on mobile phones. I don't know how that works. Skype has one too.
Posted on 1/15/14 at 3:17 pm to LSUGUMBO
I don't think the AT&T Mobile Share plan is that cheap. 10gigs in $100/month plus $25 per phone if it is not under contract and $40 per phone if it is. That's $200/month for 4 no contract phones. Did I miss something?
We switched to Ooma. No complaints other than the risk of not having an old school land line. After Ike, we were without power for two weeks. Cell service was very spotty. AT&T came out two days after the storm and ran a temporary line to our house. A neighbors tree fell and took out the lines to our house. So we had phone service virtually the whole time our elec was down.
We switched to Ooma. No complaints other than the risk of not having an old school land line. After Ike, we were without power for two weeks. Cell service was very spotty. AT&T came out two days after the storm and ran a temporary line to our house. A neighbors tree fell and took out the lines to our house. So we had phone service virtually the whole time our elec was down.
This post was edited on 1/15/14 at 3:18 pm
Posted on 1/15/14 at 3:31 pm to guttata
quote:
I currently have USAA for my vehicles and home, but wouldn't be opposed to switching if it meant same coverage for less. I've never had a claim, house or auto, in the 15 yrs I've had it.
Check Geico rates. I had USAA for years, checked Geico, and I got slightly better coverage for less than half the price. I probably saved 55%. USAA couldn't match it.
Posted on 1/15/14 at 3:49 pm to I B Freeman
quote:
I marked it on my calendar to shop the whole thing again in two years
You may think I'm crazy, but I have reminders in my Outlook to remind me every 3 months to call AT&T about rate plan savings and every 6 months for directv. It is not always something earth shattering, but I always get something for free and a little reduction.
Posted on 1/15/14 at 4:03 pm to htownjeep
quote:
6 months for directv.
you got to leave Direct to get the best deal. I called Dish and they installed the next day. No problems. Direct's last offer to come back was a $200 rebate and programming for $24 a month (before the equipment rental which is hefty) for two years. I called them and ask them to match Dish before I left and they would not.
This post was edited on 1/15/14 at 4:09 pm
Posted on 1/15/14 at 4:14 pm to CHSBears
quote:
Same boat for cell service, grandfathered-in long time ago. 5 smart phones, total of 150.00 a month. Unlimited minutes and data. About the only thing I can do without losing the deal is just upgrade the phones every two years.
150? You are absolutely robbing them!
Posted on 1/15/14 at 4:14 pm to I B Freeman
quote:
you got to leave Direct to get the best deal.
"best" deal, sure. But every time I've called them I'll get a free movie package or something. This last time coincided with my contract being close to renewal and I pushed a little harder than usual and got free Genie upgrade as well as the Genie satellite things, another free year of Sunday Ticket, every movie package free for 3 months and a $60 credit for 6 months.
Posted on 1/15/14 at 4:19 pm to htownjeep
Yeah I am sure you are right. It is a very good thing to do what you are doing and I am going to start myself.
This post was edited on 1/15/14 at 4:20 pm
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News