Martin Lewis advice on slashing Virgin Media bills after fan saved £756

Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert has been contacted by a fan who managed to cut their broadband bill by a staggering £756. The consumer champion, known for his appearances on BBC Sounds and ITV, shared the success story through his weekly newsletter.

A reader named Phil reached out to MSE detailing how he rejected Virgin's initial renewal quote of £129 per month. He also declined a subsequent offer of £94 per month, finally agreeing to a deal at £87 per month.

Phil's savvy negotiation skills mean he'll be pocketing a saving of £42 monthly, which adds up to an impressive £756 over the course of his 18-month contract. Phil expressed his gratitude, saying: "Thanks. I followed your how to haggle down broadband costs guidance and renegotiated my Virgin Media contract for broadband, phone and TV. I went through retentions, turned down their offer of £129/mth, and they put me through to a UK team. They offered £94/mth."

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He added: "I told them my wife was looking for a better price, so we settled on £87/mth, saving £756 over the next 18 months."

On its website, MSE provides a comprehensive guide on haggling, offering tips for reducing costs on everything from utilities to insurance, reports Birmingham Live.

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The experts at MSE advise: "If your current insurer won't budge (and you're not worried about cover for any existing conditions) then politely tell it you want to leave. Then all you need to do is set up the new cover with the cheaper provider to cut your costs."

"If you have existing conditions that wouldn't be covered by a new insurer, your best route is to haggle (though anyone can do this). Use the comparison sites above to find your cheapest price elsewhere, then give your existing insurer a call to see if it'll match it."

MSE stated: "Many stick with the same provider for years, fearful of losing services by switching or not wanting the hassle. But if you're out of contract and any promotional deal you had has now ended, it's likely you're now paying top whack for your services."