Wow, I'm a happy money-saving bunny today!
| Related: | Personal Finance•Utilities•Broadband |
We have our landline and broadband from BT and have always been happy with the service, although it's not the cheapest by any means.
Our 'Home Hub' router has been a bit temperamental and unreliable lately, so I rang BT to order a replacement, expecting to have to pay for it. I was delighted to find that, as it's several years old, we would be eligible for a free upgrade.
While I was on the phone I asked the helpful (English-speaking) young man if he could check whether we were on the right broadband tariff for us. We signed up for BT Option 3 which allows unlimited use, as Mr F runs his business from home and deals with humungous files of complicated engineering drawings. I was surprised when he told me we were averaging 16 gb per month and could reduce the monthly cost by £10 by switching to Option 2 which allows 40 gigs.
It just re-inforces my view though, that we should all review these things on a regular basis and ask questions. Had I not done so they would have been happy to rely on my inertia and keep taking the higher amount every month.
I had a similar experience last year with the electricity supplier, so perhaps we should all resolve to do a 'utilities health check' every few months.
Responses (7)
Aah yes Feline you've proven here that it does pay to shop around and get a deal that's right for you.
Well done.
Our BT router has been a little 'sticky' just lately too, I think I may just give them a call...
Welll done! For other BT usere: You can check your broadband usage with BT (and your phone bill too for that matter) by logging into My BT site and clicking on the usage-ometer. Dead easy, straightfoward and a very good idea both to check you're not paying for more than you need, but also to ensure you don't go over your allowance - you will be charged if you go over!
I asked about that, Lillie and apparently if you go over your limit they will give you a warning and not charge extra the first time. If you do it again they will give you the choice of returning to an unlimited tariff or limiting your usage.
As fairly heavy users, if we're only currently using 16gb I'm confident that 40 will be more than enough even if Mr F starts working from home more.
We're not heavy users Feline, Mr Lillie does his home accounting at the weekend and I just pootle around the web at varying intervals so hopefully we haven't exceeded any limits, we haven't had any warnings as yet.
Thanks for the link Wendiew.
Well done, Feline, you are so right!
I have always been in the habit of reviewing everything on an annual basis, usually January as I get a surge of 'fresh start' feelings in January. Although it wears off after a few weeks! But I think these days it pays to do it more often, so this year I've resolved to do it at least six monthly.
Hi Feline123
Well done on the saving - have fun with the extra money!
I think that we all rely on our inertia at times - i've been meaning to change building socities for quite some time - maybe I can learn from your example.
Nice going!
I've never checked my actual usage, just gone for unlimited. Too much streaming from lovefilm, 4OD, Demand 5 & iPlayer... Plus all the online gaming.
Will have to check it out now! Wonder if O2 have a similar meter somewhere on their site..?
Do check it out, G-Man. As well as Mr F's humungous engineering drawings we download heaps of TV programmes, films, etc., and we're still only using 16 gigs per month.
Too much surfing of thehun.net i bet - aye right.
Dont you know you can go blind with unlimited internet access there G-Man.
Now where did I put my white stick.
Ah yes next to my copy of Razzle!
Well done feline.
Yes if your router or set top box - NTL, Virgin, Talktalk Etc is old just phone them and get a new one - easy-peasy!
I didnt know you could get free remote control replacements either until the NTL engineer that came to replace my old set top box told me recently and had bought one silly me from the internet.
You never get if you dont ask!
Exactly, Omen. I now do this routinely for everything from insurance to purchasing waterproof pants!
Im too embarrassed to ask for a discount on my Tena pants to be honest - its embarrassing enough asking for the T Pants anyway and if its a young girl serving its even worse - triple worse if she is attractive!
>:O()
DLOL
Ok I'll have a go too, is this what they call Trolling, I wonder?
Trolling !?!?!? I have no idea LILLIE. I think Omendata gave a full explanation of it sometime ago, but it's all too up-to-the-minute for me!
Nope, here's the definition of 'trolling'...
'In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking other users into a desired emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.'
This person, on the other hand, seems to be abusing the site by using it to advertise commercially.
Hope that helps, girls!
Thanks fruity it's true we learn something new every day.
You're welcome, Lillie, think we all learn something new every day on here! :-)
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It took me ages to find the right number to call, Lillie - their website really is like walking through bloody treacle! Wish I'd made a note of it now. If you can't find it, let me know and I'll try to replicate what I did so you can do it too.
Thanks Feline, we're on 'Option 1' at the moment but we are due to start looking around again in March so from next week I'll be looking at the other options and also see what Sky have to offer.
I'll let you know how I get on.
As promised Feline a quick update to let you know how I progressed with BT and SKY.
No go from SKY, they couldn't match the deal with BT so we are staying with Opt,1 at £3.50p less per month and a health check on the 'router'.
The reason we got the discount was that we told them we going to shop around and were fed up with the probs re the sticky 'router'.
So that now makes for two happy bunnies, guess what I'm going to put that little saving towards?
That's absolutely brilliant, Lillie! Now I'm a double-happy bunny having saved some money and prompted you to save some too.
Now, I feel a celebration coming on - is that sun over the yardarm yet?
Yes I believe it is, chin, chin, swig, here's to you dear Feline !
And to you and the rest of the sisters, dear Lillie! We have to stick together.
Do you think we should invite Snoops and Omen to be honorary sisters, or would they be offended?
I'm sure they would be deeply honoured Feline and rightly so.
OK, The Sisters are now inviting Snoops and Omen to be honorary members. I think the only condition of joining is that you have to get a new hat!
Yes, I feel a little Spring like today, just hope it doesn't flatten the hair too much.
I think I'm going to get a hat too!
Not sure I can find a hat that would fit over my weird hair! Would an invisible one be ok?? :-(
Of course it will, fruits, we'll just have another gin and imagine what it looks like!
Done! Am now sporting my fantabulous invisible hat! Hope you're all suitably impressed...cost me an invisible fortune!
Wow, fruits, it's brilliant and I want one!
Just love it fruity, where's yours Feline?
Thank you muchly, girls, think that calls for large gins all round, don't you?