How I saved £54 a year on my internet bill

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A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how the price of my TalkTalk broadband was going up by £2 a month from April, from £239.40 a year to £263.40 a year.

Like other broadband providers, TalkTalk are not only hiking prices but are also changing the terms and conditions of existing contracts to allow them to automatically increase prices every April at a rate that’s pegged to inflation from next year.

This change meant that I was within my rights to cancel my contract without penalty, as long as I did it within 30 days of them notifying me.

With a great offer available from Now Broadband* at the moment – £18 a month for 12 months on their Brilliant Broadband package, which, with a £5 installation fee, comes to £221 a year – I decided to get in touch with TalkTalk about a discount.

After much back and forth, TalkTalk told me I had to call back on 1 April to switch my contract, as otherwise I’d still be subject to the £2 price rise. But they promised to match the prices offered by Now Broadband.

I wasn’t sure at the time whether I’d get that discount or whether I’d be left an April fool.

Well guys, I succeeded!

When I called back earlier this week, they initially tried to renege on their promise to match Now Broadband’s prices.

As Now Broadband’s offer is still on, I said fine, I’d like to cancel my contract. They went through all the contractual blurb they have to read before you leave and then… they found some pennies behind the sofa to give me an even better deal.

My basic broadband price is staying at £19.95 a month. But they’re also giving me £7.50 off every quarter, although I’d have to call up to request it, effectively reducing my monthly bill to £17.45 a month or £209.40 a year – cheaper than what I was paying before and saving me £54 a year on what I would have paid if I hadn’t gotten in touch.

So if you’re in a similar situation with TalkTalk or another provider where you can leave penalty-free, do check around for better deals as it’s well worth it. Use that as your bargaining chip to negotiate with your existing provider and be prepared to leave for the better deal if they can’t match it.

Word of warning: you have to go through the retention department to get the best deal.

You should also look for like-for-like deals rather than just anything cheaper.

As an aside, my broadband is so incredibly cheap because I’m on a fairly slow package and the dated set up in my building means as much as I’d love to, I can’t upgrade to fibre.

If your circumstances are different, looking for an alternative package that offers better value could also mean a saving if you end up getting an upgrade for free.