I came across this article that was a good reminder that many of life’s expenses are negotiable.  We certainly expect to be able to negotiate when we step foot on a used or new car lot.  What we often forget is that in other competitive markets, the drive to keep and retain customers can often lead to opportunities to save money.

From Sun Herald:

Does the thought of haggling over your monthly bills make you break out in a cold sweat? You’re not alone. A 2013 Consumer Reports survey found that less than half of consumers had tried negotiating a better deal on everyday goods and services in the past three years. But if you can get over your fear of negotiating, you’ll see the payoff in your pocketbook – especially when it comes to bills that you pay regularly or even occasionally.

Here are the bills that are highlighted in the article:

• Medical bills
• Wireless phone
• Cable or satellite TV bill

So, what is the activity idea? Note that we often expand these ideas and create real Activities out of them so keep an eye out in the months ahead!

Have students choose ONE of the expense categories above  (e.g. wireless phone) and develop a set of talking points (using tips from the article on research) that they can use to negotiate down their bill. For medical bills, have them choose a common procedure, such as a tonsillectomy, and collect research on what it should cost. For wireless phone expense, assume that they are a Verizon customer.  For their cable provider, assume they are a current Comcast customer. Once they have developed their talking points, pair students up and have them role play a conversation between the consumer (who wants to lower their bill) and the company (who may or may not want to lower the customer’s bill).

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

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