You may be doing your best to lower your consumption of services to reduce your monthly bills. But as they come in, you may be surprised that they keep going up.
What could be the cause of increased monthly costs? Billing errors by companies that can drain your finances if you don’t spot them quick enough. Here are some of the most common monthly culprits:
Phone Bills
You told your kids to stop streaming videos and to watch their data usage. And you’ve also avoided going over your monthly minute limit to keep your phone bill as low as possible. But once it arrived in the mail, you noticed the overall bill went up. What caused that increase? If everything else stayed the same, it could be external companies “cramming” charges on your account.
Outside companies can sometimes charge you via your phone bill for things like ringtones or other services. These crammed charges could be masked as “Subscription” or “Member Fee” on your phone, so you don’t notice them.
If you see any such charges, call your phone company and tell them to remove them. Block the company as well so they cannot bill you in the future.
Besides crammed charges, your phone bill could also be higher than it should be due to discounts not being applied. If you signed up for phone service and some type of discount was the incentive, make sure you’re getting it.
TV Bills
Did you cut the fat on your TV bill by streaming unnecessary channels, only to find that the monthly bill has hardly changed? If so, you could still be getting billed for channels or services you canceled or do not receive.
Check your bill versus your cable lineup to make sure you’re not getting stiffed. And pay close attention to equipment fees, as they’re sometimes charged even though you don’t have those devices in your home.
Medical Bills
Errors on medical bills are common and can be pretty costly. Coding errors could overcharge you by billing you for the wrong service. You can double-check this by calling your insurer and asking for clarification on the codes if a charge looks suspicious.
Another error that results in overcharging is when doctors or hospitals charge you before invoicing your insurer. You can avoid this costly mistake by confirming that the insurer was billed first before paying.
Utility Bills
Water, gas, or electric meters can have mechanical issues that lead to incorrect readings and overpriced bills. If you feel like you’re the victim of incorrect readings, call the company so they can check the meter.
Also, look at all of the charges that make up your utility bills. You may have been overpaying from the start because the person who set up your bill did so incorrectly. For instance, you may be charged a business tax when you’re a residential customer, which could lead to a refund if you notify the company of their error.
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