Internet "Service" Provider Blues

Last week we had a crisis in our internet connectivity. I'm not going to explain it because a) it was my husband's inconvenience and b) he's told the story so often that repeating it or hearing it again, even from me means I'd have to do something unprofessional. As a result, we decided to switch our "service" provider.

I'm not going on ad nauseum (like some people I know) but suffice it to say, that we planned to switch from ACS to GCI, really the only providers in our area. GCI has a package (known in the business as a bundle) that advertises $49 for 15 channels of cable TV, cable modem internet with 3 gigs of download at 320/240 download speed, local phone service with 15 different features. All we were getting on ACS for $85 was unlimited DSL internet service and local phone service with add-on features. After analysis though, the only service we really need/want is local phone service and unlimited Internet. GCI only allows that (for $30 more monthly) if you contract for one year for their Ultra Xtreme SuperDuper Ginormous Service cable TV setup for $120/month.

Soooooooo, we really needed to stay with ACS so I was armed with the bill to see about reducing our price. "Oh", says she. "All of the telephone features are extra". "Wait!" says I. "Our friend is paying less and has everything we have!" "Well, he must have a bundle" she replied, knowingly. After some explaining, I discovered that I have been overcharged about $25/month for who knows how long.

Maybe I was being charged a dummy fee- the cost of being a big dummy. Apparently, every 6 months, savvy consumers should look at all their "service" bills and contact the companies to see if there is any fee reduction or special deals. I know that when I complained to the bank about a fee for a rarely used savings account, she eliminated it because I had a "valued customer" status. I also have heard that some credit card companies waive the annual fee when their collective feet are held to the fire. We also stopped paying long distance on our phone and use calling cards exclusively, reducing our phone bill by hundreds of dollars a year. And boy did we feel foolish for having paid it for so many years. I don't think everything is negotiable- utility companies like electricity and water are regulated and have to comply with conformity and notification rules. In our area, there is no competition for those things so we are a captive consumer.

It looks like we need to make a list of floatable fees and calendar in a schedule for review. Our list (so far) would be: phone/internet service, insurance (car and home), mortgage and loan rates (refinancing for a lower rate), bank and credit card fees, investment charges and fees. On big purchases like appliances and furniture, we always watch for the "No interest for a full year" and pay it off within the year. We don't have a cell phone or cable/satellite TV or they would also be on the list.

Please note my use of the word "calendar". Besides using passive voice as often as I can, I will be using nouns as verbs and verbs as nouns whenever practical. Blogging lends itself to that since blog is a noun.

I'm bread machining (ha! See what I mean!) hamburger buns today. I'm also going to be making sweet potato fries, drizzled in olive oil and baked as opposed to deep fried.

We rented a cabin for Saturday night out Chena Hot Springs Rd. It comes with a wood stove and is only about 1/4 mile off the road. We'll be packing out everything, like sleeping bags, food and dishes, fuel and candles, matches and an axe. We're looking forward to 24 hours of
reading, playing cards, feeding the fire, swimming at the hot springs and watching the aurora. A welcome prelude to going back to work.

Books I've read in the last 2 days (both *** out of 4):
White Corridor by Christopher Fowler
Thanksgiving Night by Richard Bausch