Your Brain is Wired to Avoid Change. It’s Costing You.

To answer this question, I talked to Dr. Christopher Croner, a clinical psychologist. His answer? “The brain doesn't process a change well in this situation because it will value the change in incorrect units. It could be that there is an unknown amount of effort required to change internet providers.” When it comes to switching providers, most people don’t know where to start and how long it will take until it’s finished.

Dr. Croner went on to say, “It may seem overwhelming to begin with. By keeping the current service, you know your cost and at least have a good chance of having a normal afternoon.”

So that is the answer: normalcy. Your brain craves stability and wants to keep it where it can, which is why changing providers might feel too tedious to do.

Like Dr. Croner said, it can feel intimidating to make a change when there isn’t a clear endpoint in sight. For most households, life is busy as ever, and finding extra time to switch providers can seem impossible.

It would be nice if the change could happen in the click of a button, but most of the time changing internet providers requires careful research, planning, and wiggle room in case things take a while.

When changing providers, you must start by researching competitors, checking for availability, scheduling installation, cancelling your old plan, and returning equipment. What if something goes wrong? Now you might be stuck on a phone call trying to iron out details.

After talking with Norberto Martinez, a busy parent who works from home, I got a bit more clarity on what, exactly, keeps someone from saving money on their plan. Mr. Martinez knows he could save money on his current plan. So why hasn’t he switched? He said, “Installation. Getting someone to come over, cancelling. Like, if I have to live a week without internet, that would leave a bad taste in my mouth.”

But, it isn’t just about convenience. It would affect how he functions as an employee and as a parent. “If I had an outage, I’d have to explain that to work. I’d have to find a new place to work, find childcare, and (once the kids are asleep), how am I going to relax? Everything runs on WiFi.”

The status quo tax is the amount of money that you pay to keep things the same. While saving $20 to $30 per month can feel like a small change to keep things the same, those dollars add up over time. Pedram Dadgar, a fintech and personal finance expert, said, “The problem isn’t one bill, it’s the pattern. Overpaying $30 a month on internet costs $360 a year. Invested at 7% instead, that's roughly $14,800 after 20 years.” Even without investing that money, $360 a year is quite a bit of money to just throw away to avoid making a change.

Dr. Croner touched on this, saying, “(By avoiding the change), you get the benefit of not thinking about it today. That feels good, and the next time a bill comes, you may feel it's easier to put off again.” In this, your brain gets the best of both worlds: the desire to save money, and the perk of avoiding the task.

This line of thinking extends beyond switching internet providers — it can apply to your car insurance, your phone bill, your subscriptions, and even your banking. Without shopping around and comparing providers, you’re possibly leaving hundreds — if not thousands — on the table every year. In the end, though, there is only one way to really put that money back in your pocket.

Here’s the thing — the point isn’t “always switch”. It’s that never checking whether your recurring expenses still make sense can become expensive fast. Mr. Dadgar ended his interview with these words: “The most expensive words in personal finance are: I'll deal with it later.”

Still feeling that mental block? Let’s work through a few of the best methods to make the change feel a little bit more manageable:

1. Start with your current bill. Write down what you pay today.
2. Calculate the annual cost. Multiply your monthly price x 12.
3. Compare only the things you actually need. Factor in speed, reliability, contract length, or anything else that matters to you.
4. Put a time limit on your research. Give yourself 20–30 minutes to compare options.
5. Treat switching providers like a one-time project. The hassle is temporary, but the savings will continue.

Like getting a shot at the doctor, the buildup of anxiety is much worse than the actual action of switching internet providers. In the end, once you’re saving hundreds of dollars every year, the relief is worth the work you put in to make the change.

Sometimes, switching isn’t always the solution. But in order to know, you need to ask yourself a few questions:

• What are you paying now?
• What could you be saving?
• Is the amount you’d save worth the cost of switching?

Sometimes, your current provider really is the best choice. You shouldn’t switch just because switching is available. Be sure that you are choosing to stay rather than just avoiding leaving.

For more information on finding the right provider for you, I’ve gathered a few links that can help you along the way.