10 haggling tips to secure the best deal on your bills

If you’ve been feeling the pressure of rising household bills and everyday living costs this year, you’re certainly not alone. The average Brit has nearly £176 less disposable income each month than they did in October last year, despite actually spending less on household bills and regular expenses, according to new research.

The latest MoneySuperMarket Household Money Index surveyed 8,000 UK adults and found that people now spend an average of around £1,478 a month on the 31 household bills and everyday expenses, down from nearly £1,658 in 2025.

Despite this reduction in spending, the research found that household bills and everyday outgoings consumed 67% of reported monthly income, compared with 65% last year – reflecting how more than two-thirds of the average person’s take-home income is being swallowed up by essential bills and day-to-day expenses.

Although many factors affecting household finances feel out of our control – such as rising energy costs and food inflation – Kara Gammell, personal finance expert at MoneySuperMarket, highlights how taking control of your budget and identifying opportunities to cut unnecessary costs can make a real difference.

“Nobody feels great about spending 67% of their income on bills, but learning this feels like a really good incentive to try and reduce as many of those bills as possible,” says Gammell.

She recommends starting with expenses that have little impact on your quality of life, such as broadband and home insurance, where switching providers or negotiating a better deal could lead to worthwhile savings.

One common mistake, she explains, is losing track of when introductory contracts or discounted deals come to an end.

“Many of us don’t realise when our contract dates end. You might look at your bank statements, and suddenly it’s doubled in price, and that’s because your deal ended two months ago,” says Gammell.

Haggling with providers for a better rate can also deliver significant savings over time.

If you’re looking to negotiate a better deal and bring your monthly outgoings down, here are some useful tips to help boost your haggling skills…

1. Set yourself a 15-minute timer to find out all your renewal dates

The first, and arguably most important, step is to find out when your all  contract dates are due to end.

“One hack that I use to help me do things like this that I find boring or overwhelming is set a 15-minute timer,” says Gammell.

“Take 15 minutes to go through your bills, emails, account details and policy documents to find out when your car insurance, home insurance, broadband and mobile contracts run out.”

2. Set yourself a reminder a month before the renewal date

“When you sign up for a new 12-month deal, make a note in your diary 11 months from then to remind yourself that your broadband contract will be running out next month,” advises Gammell.

“This will give you a prompt to start shopping around for a new deal.”

3. Do your research

“Don’t go into haggling empty-handed. Do your research before,” advises Gammell. “That’s where comparison sites are really great because you can see what is available to new customers elsewhere, and then you can go to your current provider and tell them what you found.

“Your current provider might not be able to match the other deals, but if you don’t ask, you don’t get.”

4. Try to speak to someone on the phone

“With haggling, I would always recommend trying to speak to someone on the phone where you can,” advises Gammell.

“Come straight out and say, ‘I’m looking to leave. I’ve been offered a better deal elsewhere’, and they should be able to put you through to the relevant department.”

5. Let go of any embarrassment

“I think that it’s important for people to not feel embarrassed about haggling.  Remember that you’ll be put through to the department who haggles all-day long with people that are about to cancel,” says Gammell.

“Try to let any self-consciousness go.”

6. Ask AI to create a script for you

“If you’re not used to haggling or it doesn’t feel like it comes naturally to you, then you could ask AI to write a script for you,” suggests Gammell.

“Give it a bit of context and it should be able to come up with a script that can help you get the conversation started.”

7. Be polite

“There’s a famous saying: ‘You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar’, and I think it’s true in this context,” says Gammell.

“So, I would recommend going into these conversations quite open-minded because they might be able to help you and they do want to keep your business, so make it easy for them to do so by being pretty friendly.”

8. Practice makes perfect

“The more often you do it, the more comfortable you will become,” says Gammell.

9. Know your walk-away point

“If they aren’t able to match better deals, be prepared to leave,” says Gammell. “Say ‘thank you very much, appreciate the conversation’, and then take your business elsewhere.”

10. Make a note of your success

“When I switch providers and save money I often write a little note to remind myself that I have saved £300 on my broadband this year, for example, plus X amount of pounds on my car insurance – as all these savings can quickly add up,” says Gammell.

“Doing this can be really empowering because when so many things feel out of your control, it’s important to focus on what you can control. Remember to give yourself a pat on the back.”