No wonder I'm broke!!!

[sfreeman8]

I go through all my bills once a year in January through March. The electric company was charging hubby business rate and charging sales tax on the garage because they said since it's a separate line, that means it's a business. Really?  So that means everyone in my state that has a garage on their property and a separate electric service is paying higher rates as a business. That's insane!!!!! But that's their thinking.

This only changed since we went autopay on the bill (6 mnths). Big fight with them and wrote my state legislature representative over this. If he doesn't do anything, I'll write my D.C. representative.

Then I checked my cable bill with a fine tooth comb because of all the extra charges they put on the bill. They have been billing me for Regional Sports Fee of $5 a month for over a year. I called them about it. They hung up!!!! I went to their web site and did a live chat. As soon as I asked the question why this charge since I never watch sports and couldn't care less if those channels disappeared....Live chat disappeared.

I hate monopolies! Next step is the state PUC. These companies need to be stopped from this crap. I'm paying sales tax on my starter bundle, on the TV, and on the phone which are included in the bundle! IOW, being charged sales tax TWICE. Plus when adding up all the charges, it came to over $40! I'm saving up for my own modem and router but at the rate I'm going ($25x4) it will take me 1-1/2 years to afford the items! 

[potluck6]

Wow you really put time into this. Something we should all do. The charge for sports fee yeah i get that to i think 3.00 a month. Gonna call and ask about that my husband watches alot of sports retiring will do that to you. Pg@e is going up. A story on tv showed a 1000.00 bill someone had. I'd move out of the country if mine was that high.

[Nancy5]

You really check out your bills. I'm so proud of you. That is something I plan on doing now , checking my bills very closely. Thanks for the reminder

[dancer139]

Time Warner/Spectrum are the worst at charging for everything under the sun & moon.  the Taxes are charged twice and sometimes three times for the same thing.  I was even charged for 4 remotes,,,  2 was theirs and 2 was mine that I bought personally,,  I guess the cable guy saw them and decided he needed to add them to the bill.

I complained about our bill several times and nothing ever happens.

our next bundles will be something else,,,  not Time Warner/Spectrum

 

[vickysue]

I called my  TV supplier also about the sports fee, seems like anyway you get TV you have to pay it. Just because hubby watches  football only  when in season we have to pay all year. I know a lot of older men who watch some kind of sports all year long, even reruns. Guess it is one of those evils we have to put up with. One of these days something will come out that really works  and will pull in stations you want without having to pay a fortune .  But when you live in a rural area of the state that have you by the yeng yang.

[makeblessed]

Good for you! it s important to check statements carefully; we recently had an issue with our cable company for some charges that we were unaware of and got them removed these companies will often slap charges on so we all need to check more closely; thank you for sharing.

[dogsleash]

mine cant seem to charge me right evey 2 month im on the phoen going over adjustments needed.

[AdedotunOlufunke]

Wow this really sound so frustrating. I hate it when people (or government) are trying to take advantage of me. Usually, they know most people do not do nothing but I love the fact that you are standing up for yourself. I hope it gets readjusted. Good Luck with that!

[Ladylove2210]

Everybody be broke now and days so that ain't nothing new

[sbenkoski]

I took on a power company once because of a stray voltage deal, it got really ugly and they tried every trick in the book to make me out to be a crazy woman that was making it all up, I even had a guy stand on my back porch and tell me to face it I was a energy HOG!!!  21 years they had a line under ground that was leaking into the ground and they were charging me for all this power, I lived alone and month by month my bill keep going up, as the underground line got worse.  I was even lugging my laundry out so as not to use my electric dryer, all the electricians in the town were in their pockets already so hiring a person to find the problem wasn't working and when my bill hit 375.00 dollars running nothing but what was needed to just get by, I asked a friend who was a Master Electrician from Holland if he'd come to Minnesota on vacation  and I'd pay for the trip....  He took me up on the offer and with my requests of bring me a Steiff Teddy Bear and a coco clock he showed up and kicked the power company in the butt, he called the trouble shooters line to report outages and explained what he had found and within one hour my yard looked like a power convention with guys walking around scratching their heads and rubbing their chins, My buddy and I sat on the steps watching,  and after they finished doing what they did to fix it I had a bland new power line with a pole . Guy says we will be in contact with a refund offer.  Following month with every thing running in full tilt mode my bill was 67.00 so the same people who had called me a crazy woman show up with some stupid offer that wasn't  worth answering the door and i kindly told them to strike a trail and I called a Lawyer I ended up getting refunded for 10 years of over payments  a hand written " I'm sorry letter"  from the jerk who called me a energy hog and power free for Nov and Dec  of the coming year so I  could have a X-mas like no other with tons of lights! I should have gotten more but the fine print on your power contracts in Minnesota states "fixed in a timely manner"  and  their Big Gun Lawyers twisted that statement into their favor !  I guess 21 years was timely for my problem to get tended to in their eyes!!

[lguzman1]

Thanks for the info. I will be checking my bills closely for now on, making sure I don't get charge anything I didn't order.

[betlynjua]

When it comes to cable companies, I'm pretty much over it with them.  Later today, after the Bible study with our Bible student, my husband and I are going to help her try to set up an antenna she got at a local retail store.  She apparently got ripped off by her service provider so she cancelled them. 

I'm anxious to see what it picks up and how well.  I understand that there are upgraded versions that are able to pick up satellites from further away.  If that's the case, we may be saying bye bye to our cable.

We have changed our television service provider twice in the last couple of years.  I really don't like any of them at all.

[catchow]

Places are crooks. Last year I got to talking to my neighbor who has the same garbage service as me, she asked me how much I pay, I was floored when I found out I was paying $15.00 more then her! We have to pay for 4 months of service at a time.

I called my garbage service and asked why I was paying so much more, and was told "you have to ask for a better rate" I argued with them, saying so if a person doesnt know they are supposed to ask you just keep over charging them? "yes" I said well how about this, take your garbage can and shove it where the sun dont shine.

And got a new garbage service, I couldnt believe they would be so bold to say yes they overcharge people

As for cable service, call every year and ask if they can give you a better price or package! I learned that with Charter, and for a couple years now have gotten HBO, Cinemax for free for a years worth of time.

[JaniceSW]

My TV cable company is Comcast and I recently was in a live chat with them over something that was happening with my remote.  I happened to have the bill in front of me and I saw this Regional Sports Fee also and I asked why am I paying for this and all those channels related to sports that I never watch.  I got no response.  I told the representative that I am tired of paying for sports, kid, and Latino programming that I never watch.  I said that my contract is finished in May and I may not be renewing, and if I do, I will not sign a contract and keep Comcast only a short time while I find an alternate means to watch TV.  Maybe I will look into Netflix, Roku, Hulu, Sling, Amazon, or whatever.  Maybe I will look into Direct TV and one of their specials that they are always sending me.  At any rate, I am paying way too much to watch TV and have internet.  Look at all the add-on charges!  Crazy!!

[JaniceSW]

I took on a power company once because of a stray voltage deal, it got really ugly and they tried every trick in the book to make me out to be a crazy woman that was making it all up, I even had a guy stand on my back porch and tell me to face it I was a energy HOG!!!  21 years they had a line under ground that was leaking into the ground and they were charging me for all this power, I lived alone and month by month my bill keep going up, as the underground line got worse.  I was even lugging my laundry out so as not to use my electric dryer, all the electricians in the town were in their pockets already so hiring a person to find the problem wasn't working and when my bill hit 375.00 dollars running nothing but what was needed to just get by, I asked a friend who was a Master Electrician from Holland if he'd come to Minnesota on vacation  and I'd pay for the trip....  He took me up on the offer and with my requests of bring me a Steiff Teddy Bear and a coco clock he showed up and kicked the power company in the butt, he called the trouble shooters line to report outages and explained what he had found and within one hour my yard looked like a power convention with guys walking around scratching their heads and rubbing their chins, My buddy and I sat on the steps watching,  and after they finished doing what they did to fix it I had a bland new power line with a pole . Guy says we will be in contact with a refund offer.  Following month with every thing running in full tilt mode my bill was 67.00 so the same people who had called me a crazy woman show up with some stupid offer that wasn't  worth answering the door and i kindly told them to strike a trail and I called a Lawyer I ended up getting refunded for 10 years of over payments  a hand written " I'm sorry letter"  from the jerk who called me a energy hog and power free for Nov and Dec  of the coming year so I  could have a X-mas like no other with tons of lights! I should have gotten more but the fine print on your power contracts in Minnesota states "fixed in a timely manner"  and  their Big Gun Lawyers twisted that statement into their favor !  I guess 21 years was timely for my problem to get tended to in their eyes!!

I just had to tell you "I love it!"  Your story is the best.  Congrats!