Cable TV, cellphone bills are ripe for cutting

"People are in a good position to be able to negotiate some discount for telecommunications," says Anthony Giorgianni, associate finance editor for Consumer Reports Money Adviser. "Every week it seems like they're trying to offer something else. It's a really good place to try to save money."

John Walls, vice president for public affairs for CTIA - The Wireless Association, says cellphone companies will often be flexible with consumers, especially in times of financial distress.

Some tips on how to get the best results when negotiating with your cable or cellphone company:

Make sure you're always taking advantage of a promotional offer. Call your cable provider when the promotion has expired and ask for an extension of the rate. If the provider won't agree, you may need to switch to another provider that's offering a promotion, Giorgianni says.

Review your options before you negotiate, and make sure you understand what's included in the price. "It can be very difficult to compare one cable company to another because they all have different types of programming, particularly on the television side," Giorgianni says.

Let them know you're looking at the competition. "These companies are at each other's throats in terms of competition," Giorgianni says, which is why he suggests letting your provider know that you've looked into other offers. Ask for what you've negotiated in writing. Just because you've verbally negotiated a deal doesn't mean your bill will turn out the way you expect, Giorgianni says. He advises consumers to get a line-by-line breakdown of the bill before they agree to anything.