Need resources for renegotiating EVERYTHING

[bisous]

Well, just my bills really! I’m looking at consolidating student loans. I have a few offers I received in the mail. How else would you find this type of offer? I’m leery of google searches going to disreputable sites or companies! I want to do a balance transfer on my credit card debt too. Again, I’ve done this but only through solicitations I’ve received. And I haven’t received any lately. I have had a run of bad luck in the past month with two late payments for NO other reason except I thought I paid them and apparently I did not. Otherwise though we’re very overextended we have an excellent record of paying our bills in a timely manner—were never late! How much will our two late payments (we’re talking days late only) affect my credit?

Additionally we’re looking at renegotiating cell contracts and internet. Any tips? I am tired and busy but just feel driven to take care of these loose ends.

Thank you so much in advance!

[bisous]

Oh thought of one more—electric company is offering these new tiered rates where certain hours are more expensive than others. I can’t quite figure out how that would affect us personally. Anyone tried it?

[mmsmom]

I would either find a local nonprofit credit counseling center... your local senior center may be able to recommend one. You are right in that there are a lot of scams out there and people making money off of it and you have to be careful. If you can’t find one you are comfortable with then my advice would be to deal directly with the companies/agencies yourself. Ask for a supervisor and ask for what you want- worse that can happen is they say no. Leave room for negotiation when you state what you want.

[legaleagle]

How much will our two late payments (we’re talking days late only) affect my credit?


Not at all.

[California]

Did you try calling the two companies and asking to have the late payment history removed from your record?

This past year DH and I both thought the other person had paid a bill, and when I called a day late the CC removed the late fee and recorded it as an onetime payment, because we had never been late before. The customer service rep said they can do that about once every 18 months or so for people who have a history of paying on time.

[Mommy_Mea]

Did you try calling the two companies and asking to have the late payment history removed from your record?

This past year DH and I both thought the other person had paid a bill, and when I called a day late the CC removed the late fee and recorded it as an onetime payment, because we had never been late before. The customer service rep said they can do that about once every 18 months or so for people who have a history of paying on time.

I was going to suggest this as well. I completely forgot to pay a CC once, and realized it a few days later. I called and they took the late fee right off and erased any history of it.

For the internet bargaining - I am able to go on our two provider's website, and look up offers using other addresses on our street (those who might not have current service). It gives me an idea of how low they might go. Then I call and negotiate. Or use the chat function (I like having things in writing).

The tiered electrical - I imagine to get savings you would need to run certain things at the off-peak hours, like dishwasher, washing machine, etc. I know DH looked into it once for us and he didn't think we would see any savings.

[mom2binsd]

Be very leery of any debt consolidators who solicit YOU.

Call your local credit counseling agency (the non profit ones) and make an appointment. They can sit down with you, look at your debt and help figure out the best plan.

[Twin Mom]

This won’t help with your student loans or current debt but they will help with your bills. Www.billshark.com. My S.O. used them to negotiate his Comcast and cell phone bills.

[pharmjenn]

Oh thought of one more—electric company is offering these new tiered rates where certain hours are more expensive than others. I can’t quite figure out how that would affect us personally. Anyone tried it?

The tiered electric bill works well if you can time your high usage during the day or at night. You are charged a higher rate per kilowatt-hour during 3-8pm, or 4-9pm depending on your company. So you want to do laundry, run the vacuum etc in the morning and avoid doing extra things in the hours most of us do those chores. We have this tiered scale and overall, I never run the laundry in the late afternoon or evening. My DH does, but since he only does his laundry once/month, it isn't that much of a problem.

[jbbhb]

For student loans, check out the income driven repayment plans.

https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/understand/plans/income-driven


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[bisous]

Thank you for this. I am looking into all of these!

[NCGrandma]

The tiered electric bill works well if you can time your high usage during the day or at night. You are charged a higher rate per kilowatt-hour during 3-8pm, or 4-9pm depending on your company. So you want to do laundry, run the vacuum etc in the morning and avoid doing extra things in the hours most of us do those chores. We have this tiered scale and overall, I never run the laundry in the late afternoon or evening. My DH does, but since he only does his laundry once/month, it isn't that much of a problem.

If you do explore the tiered/time of day electric rates, be sure to ask whether there are seasonal variations in the on/off hours. Here the off-peak rates are substantially lower (like 20% of the peak hour rates). BUT there are seasonal variations. Now the peak hour rates are 8 a.m. to 1 pm, which i find easy to avoid for doing laundry etc. During the June-September schedule, we are supposed to avoid 1 pm to 9 pm, which I find more inconvenient. But YMMV.


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