Phone/Text 312-307-1700
Lower Tech Bills
Now offering free in-home setup and training on television streaming devices and services as well as home internet
You don't have the time -
but I do!
Saving Households Hundreds To Even Thousands Of Dollars On Their Television, Cellular And Internet Costs
Tech Check Service
Television, Cellular and Internet services are some of your largest monthly costs. In addition, the bills and services that you receive are purposefully hard to understand and contain hidden costs with provider plans that are constantly changing. Plus, new technology often makes it hard to change to the many newer and less expensive alternatives. After months of research, I started Lower Tech Bills by auditing my own services and saving hundreds of dollars instantly while at the same time, getting new cell phones and lowering my monthly bills. Since then, I've saved people hundreds to well over a thousand dollars in immediate and ongoing costs. I've visited the providers, spending many hours online and in brick-and-mortar stores, learning how to save money and how to use new technology. A Tech Check starts with a free Client Assessment Questionnaire which audits your current Television, Cellular and Internet needs. If you decide to use my service, I will show you a savings plan as well as train your household on how to "cut the cord" and use the many new options available. Let me do a free Tech Check and help you save money every month because you don't have the time, but I do.
Lower Tech Bills Audits Your Three Major Costs
Cable/Satellite/Stream
Cellular Services
Internet Providers
How Did We Get Here?
So Many Choices, So Little Time
Speed Kills Your Bills
It used to be easy. You had an indoor or outdoor antenna and received over-the-air ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS and a couple of independent channels. Then cable and satellite TV allowed people to watch dozens of channels. Today, with the advent of home broadband, by using a “Smart TV” or a streaming device, a viewer can watch hundreds of free and pay channels. Unfortunately, costs have gotten out of control. According to EnergyStar.gov and Consumer Reports, the average monthly television bill is now over $215 a month and rising. This exceeds all other utility costs combined! Not only are costs too high, but technology is constantly changing. Many people end up paying thousands of dollars more per year rather than learning how to use more complicated devices. That's why my service includes coming to your home and training your family.
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It's hard to believe that there was a time when a telephone was not an appendage on your body. Surveys now show a 50/50 split between what's worse, losing your cell phone or your wallet. And plenty of money is coming out of that wallet for your cell phone bill. A household of four can expect to pay between $120 and $250 a month, depending on plans. The good news is that competition is strong among "The Big Three" (AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon) and the many companies who lease their services. You've probably seen ads for companies like Consumer Cellular with Ted Danson or Mint Mobile with Ryan Reynolds. There is a lot of confusion as to how those companies work. But, with a lot of research, you can find ways to save money and you just might end up with new devices as well.
A home internet connection is no longer a luxury. According to Statista, almost 90% of American households are now connected to the internet. There are less choices for a home internet connection than there are for television or cellular providers and many people receive their internet service from either their television or cellular supplier. While costs for internet access are not as high as for the other two services, they can still be over $100 per month before lease or ownership costs for hardware. If there is a gamer in your house or you stream a lot of TV, the chances are you will have a need for speed and it may cost even more. Besides speed, the other important factor is data. Do you know how much data that you use each month? Most people don't. The good news is that there may be new, less expensive options available.
About Harvey Welstein
I grew-up in Skokie and graduated with honors from Southern Illinois University with a degree in Communications. My career has always been centered around media. I began on-air at a radio station in Southern Illinois (where my last name was magically changed to Wells by the director of programming). I started on-air in Chicago at radio stations WXRT and WKQX. I then transitioned to sales and marketing and eventually became the General Manager of WXRT for over 15 years.
When WSCR (The Score) signed-on as the second Sports Talk radio station in the country, I became its first General Manager while continuing to manage WXRT. After CBS purchased WXRT and WSCR, I became a CBS Senior Vice President, managing those stations as well as WUSN (US-99 Country) and WCKG (Talk with Howard Stern, Jonathon Brandmeier, Kevin Mathews and Steve Dahl). I also spent four years in the Los Angeles radio market as a Senior Vice President with CBS. During my Radio career, I served as a Cable-TV Commissioner for the Village of Skokie.
I have always considered myself an early adopter. When home computers were new, I attended Mac Academy, where I learned how to operate the first-generation Macintosh computer as well as various Apple software programs. Later, I switched to the PC format. In addition to owning an early bag cell phone, I used both an original Blackberry 850 and a Hewlett Packard i-PAQ H-3600 personal assistant device before that technology became integrated into cell phones. I enjoy keeping up with technology and own new generation cell phones as well as various models of streaming devices and assistants.
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Most recently, I was a consultant for a radio technology company. I retired in March of 2020, just as the Covid-19 pandemic began. I currently volunteer as a driver for Meals on Wheels. As a retiree, I found myself with the free time to do the research to start Lower Tech Bills. As I like to tell people, you may not have the time to find savings, but I do.
How a Tech Check Works
A free Tech Check audits your household's Television, Cellular and Internet costs. I then devise a savings plan and we meet. If you choose to move forward, there is a total cost of $200 which includes in-home training. If the plan does not show a minimum of $200 in its first year of Aggregate Net Yearly Savings* or you are not satisfied for any reason, there is no charge for the service
*Aggregate Net Yearly Savings includes any or all Television, Cellular and Internet charges from what client has been paying per year based on an average of the two most recent any or all monthly Television, Cellular and Internet service bills at the time of the Tech Check (times 12 and assuming these charges are normal regular service and hardware fees), versus the recommendations from Lower Tech Bills (based on the Client Assessment Questionnaire without the loss of any agreed-to needed services) offered to the client. Aggregate Net Yearly Savings include billing savings from base plans, rebates and/or payouts for leased equipment, savings from removal of services, which client has approved, savings on equipment rental/lease charges after proration of purchases for similar equipment which, upon client approval, client shall own, monthly charges for complimentary streaming services, for which client had been previously paying, and for fees, taxes, insurance, special promotions savings and any other fees no longer being paid by client. Savings may be given to client in the form of (but are not limited to) billing adjustments, gift cards or any other monies paid to the client by the provider regardless of form of payment. All of the above savings added together minus any necessary client equipment purchases and new service setup fees will serve as the Aggregate Net Yearly Savings. Training includes up to two hours in your home on how to use the services that you have chosen