Just ask!

I'm amazed by some of the deals that people are getting just by asking. Check some of these out:

$20 cash back on next Discover card purchase
This was originally posted on FatWallet.com's forums.

Unlike some of the other posts about Discover offering $1 per transaction up to $20, I was just offered either $20 [cash back] on my next purchase (no restrictions or minimums) or 0% on all purchases for the next 6 months - I went for the $20 since I only use the card for dining. My stats: 5% Restaurant Card - never carry a balance. As with all Discover "individual" promotions, YMMV.

I called 1-800-DISCOVER and asked [Customer Service] if there were any promotional offers for my account OTHER THAN [a balance transfer] (since I am not carrying any balances and couldn't take advantage) - I got transferred to whatever department does promotional offers (rate specialist?) - Definitely not "R" since I never mentioned cancelling. When I got connected I asked the same question again about promo offers on my account - the CSR in that department offered 0%/6mo - I declined. I then asked if there were any CB offers they could give me instead since I PIF every month - that's when they came back with the $20 "next purchase" offer.

How to save $138 on your Cable bill? Just ask!
This was originally posted at MyMoneyBlog.

If you're paying regular price for Cable Broadband Internet, this post is for you. I've been paying $42.95 a month for Cable Broadband Internet for the last couple of months after my initial sign-up offer expired. But after reading posts by Jim at Bargaineering and Cap at StopBuyingCrap, I decided it was time to save some money. Armed with some tricks from Fatwallet, I went for it just now with Comcast…

On my second try, I was offered $19.99 for 6 months. They said they couldn't match the 12 months since I just finished another promotional offer. Still, ($43-$20)x 6 months = $138 saved! I took it. Reminder to ask them to remove your cancellation date. As Cap said - $138 for 20 minutes on the phone, not bad!

Comcast High Speed Internet & Cable Deals
This was originally posted at Bargaineering.

I’ve used Comcast for the last two years and have, on the whole, been satisfied with the service they’ve provided. My only complaint is that they’ve been really expensive and there hasn’t been much I’ve been able to do about it. You can get their high speed internet package for $20/month for six months but then it jumps to around $40 a month. The basic cable is about $50 a month with little wiggle room. Packaged together, basic digital cable and high speed internet comes out to $80 plus tax and service charged. That’s when I learned about the rebate games and the “Ditch the Dish” program which saved netted me a few hundred dollars in rebates, a free cable modem, and $25 off a month for 16 months.

My own experience with saving money on cable
Summary of my original post here at my own Uncommon Way to Wealth blog.

With a little knowledge from MyMoneyBlog, Bargaineering, and FatWallet, I was able to save $20 with only 10 minutes on the phone. That's a $120 hourly wage. It was profitable and fun. I was smiling from ear to ear when I got off the phone.

I know it's a cliche, but the customer really is always right! You're not going to have your account cancelled just for asking if there are any discounts, rebates, promotions, or deals that you qualify for. So read about it, get some guts, and talk to customer service representative. At worst, you've lost a few minutes out of an otherwise uneventful day. At best, you're making or saving yourself the equivalent of over $100 per hour.