If you cannot pay this month, there is something to ask for and it is free. More people search for a payment arrangement than search for the late fee itself, which tells you most of them are not annoyed about a charge. They are trying to keep the service on.

Ask for a payment arrangement

Every major provider has one. It splits the bill across a few weeks instead of demanding it all at once.

It is free to ask for and it does not cost anything to set up. The provider would rather have a plan than nothing, which is why the option exists at all.

Ask before the due date if you can. It is a much easier conversation than asking after.

The late fee can often be waived

A late fee is usually removed once if you ask, particularly if the account has otherwise been paid on time.

It is not automatic. Nobody will remove it because your record is good; you have to ask, and you have to ask the right person. Retention or a supervisor, not the automated line.

You are not cut off the day it is late

Service continues past the due date. Providers have a process, it takes weeks rather than days, and there are usually two or three notices first.

That is not a reason to ignore it. It is a reason not to panic, and to make the call while you still have room to arrange something.

If money is tight every month

A payment plan solves one month. If the bill is a problem every month, the answer is a different plan rather than more time to pay.

• Cox Connect2Compete — $9.95 a month.
• Xfinity Internet Essentials — $14.95 a month.
• Spectrum Internet Assist — $25 a month, $15 in New York.
• Access from AT&T — up to $30, free at some addresses.
• Lifeline — $9.25 a month off an existing bill, applied for at lifelinesupport.org.

If you receive SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Section 8, a Veterans Pension or a Veterans Survivors Benefit, you qualify automatically. There is no separate income test.

You do not have to cancel and rejoin. If approved, the plan you have is moved onto the discounted rate.

Questions people ask

Can I get a payment plan on my cable bill?

Yes. Every major provider offers a payment arrangement that splits the bill across a few weeks. It is free to ask for and easier to arrange before the due date.

Will they shut off my internet if I am late?

Not immediately. Service continues past the due date and the process takes weeks, usually with two or three notices first.

Can a late fee be removed?

Often, once, if you ask. It is not automatic and you need to ask retention or a supervisor rather than the automated line.

What if I cannot afford the bill every month?

Look at the low-cost programmes instead of a payment plan. Cox Connect2Compete is $9.95 a month and Xfinity Internet Essentials is $14.95. If you receive SNAP, Medicaid or SSI you qualify automatically.