Rhonda Abrams The Passionate Entrepreneur

Spring is here, and I have a suggestion for an annual seasonal ritual for every small business: lower your bills.

All of us who run a business have fixed expenses: rent, telecommunications, utilities, shipping, credit card fees. This monthly overhead -- sometimes referred to in business slang as our "nut" -- takes a big bite out of our cash.

Most of us are reluctant to switch providers or deal with the hassle of lowering our bills. But if we set aside one day a year to deal with this, it's much less of an imposition to bring down your overhead.

Here's the plan for your spring savings:

1. Gather advertisements and promotions for the services you use.

Check through your weekend newspaper and save direct-mail offers. These give you ammunition when negotiating with your current provider or information when switching to a new provider.

2. Collect the most recent statements of all accounts you pay regularly -- not just monthly, but quarterly, semi-annually, and annually, too.

3. Set aside a few hours, preferably in the morning, to make phone calls.

Start by calling the companies you already use. For each account, call your sales representative, agent, or customer service, and do the following:

• Ask to lower your rate or take advantage of a promotion. This seems tough, but it's surprisingly uncomplicated. Just say, "Hi, I'm calling about my account. I see I'm paying a rate of [insert your rate here]. Is there any way I can lower that?" Or, "I see you're offering a rate of $29 a month to new customers; I'd like that rate applied to me also."

• Negotiate. Don't take a simple "No" or "That's our standard rate" for an answer. Ask to speak to someone who has authority to discount your rates. Most companies will offer you something -- especially if you're a good customer. Mention the other deals you've seen or have been offered by other companies.

• Be courteous. The goal is to have vendors want to keep you as a customer. If you're belligerent, they'll be happy to see you go.

• If you get no reductions from your current provider, call a competitor and see what they'll offer you if you switch.

4. Re-evaluate these expenses:

• Local and long-distance phone service. There's a whole new world of competition for telephone service, including VOIP -- or "voice over Internet protocol." Call many providers and compare. Don't hesitate to switch. The first time I renegotiated my company's phone rates, I cut costs by two-thirds!

• Wireless/cellular service. Remember, you can now keep your phone number if you switch providers, so you've got more bargaining power. Examine your past bills to see if you're paying for too many or too few minutes, resulting in high per-minute charges. Definitely ask for special concessions such as a new phone or a "good customer" credit on your bill before signing another contract, and check to see what you're already entitled to.

• Credit cards. In my office, we were able to lower every credit card interest rate just by calling each provider. If you've got good credit history, banks and credit card companies will often negotiate.

• Rent. Just because you have a fixed lease doesn't mean a landlord won't sometimes negotiate, especially if the market is slow. Of course, there has to be an incentive for a landlord to lower your rent, perhaps if you're willing to take a longer lease or additional space.

• Insurance. Ask your agent to review all your policies and call insurance companies directly. Make sure you're comparing fees for the same coverage. We were able to cut our auto insurance premium in half with just a few calls.

• Utilities. The best way to lower bills is to reduce usage. Many utility companies will give you a free inspection with suggestions on how to reduce your use. Make certain you turn off heat, air, and lights over weekends and holidays.

• Shipping. At least once a year, compare shipping rates. Ask for volume discounts. Even if you want to stick with your current shipping company, try to negotiate more favorable terms or discounts.

Sure, each one these savings may not be very significant, but to paraphrase an old quote, "A few dollars here and a few dollars there, and pretty soon, you're talking about real money."