In Week 37, I shared how I planned to dump my Verizon land line and move to Comcast’s Voice service. So far, that’s not happened. So this week, it’s a Dear Comcast Letter -

Dear Comcast,
At first it seemed simple. I called and your sales guy told me $14 would get me Comcast Voice. I agreed, and a few days after, a technician came.
Nice guy, set up the VOIP modem, dial tone, but my phone number wasn’t ported from Verizon. I could dial out, but calls wouldn’t come in. He moved the wire back to the Verizon copper, spent some time with your customer service, and told me the issue was with my Verizon account.
It seems that a few weeks prior, I made a change to my account on line, and while Verizon ignored it, it put my account into a limbo status. So I spent the next hour with Verizon and they told me they would release the number within a few days.
I called Comcast back and awaited the next tech’s visit. The number still wasn’t released, and it was round two with both Verizon, and then Comcast. You told me to give it a week and then call your porting department to be sure the number was released and to set up another tech visit.
This is when the fun started. The porting department saw nothing, no order at all. Said I needed to talk to sales to set up the order. Sales is when it all went downhill. I told the gal I was looking to get the triple play (I already had Comcast TV and Internet) and that the first guy promised me it was $14 more than I paid now. Sales gal insisted I listed to a pitch for a security system, and told me to calm down. Rule number one for customer service – never say “calm down.” Never. She then told me phone would cost me $50 more than I paid now. As I started to tell her that I’m 2 visits and a half dozen calls into this, she abruptly tells me she’s transferring me to customer retention. Funny, I never said I was planning to leave, I was trying to get more service, and pay the price I was promised.
Another person answers and after letting me explain my situation, apologizes. He is a technician, and will transfer me. The final representative said the first salesman made a mistake, and instead of just adding phone also bumped up my TV selection. Somehow it took 15 minutes to figure this out. The actual triple play along with the adder for two cable cards for my TiVos will cost a total $12 more than I pay now. A bit less than I was expecting, but with far more aggravation than I’d ever imagine. The install was promised for this coming week. I figure it’s 50/50 whether this will be the end of it.

To be fair, when it’s going well, cable doesn’t bother me. There was a vocal minority that objected to data caps, a 250GB monthly limit. I think the most I ever hit in a month was 100GB. What’s remarkable is the confusion that occurs for what should be a simple issue. The good news is they are now going to waive the service call fee. The bad news is I was never expecting to pay a fee in the first place.

Have you ever had an ongoing issue with your phone or cable company? How did it end?

Edit – What are the odds? I wrote this article last night and today I get an online article from Advisor One – Top 10 Most Disliked U.S. Companies: 2013. Sure enough, Comcast was on the list. Funny though, so was American Airlines. They were my airline of choice and I a million miler with American. I’d say that in 30 years of flying, I had two issues that really caused me grief. Two issues in 30 years isn’t bad.

written by Joe \\ tags: cable, concast, phone, verizon

If you don’t know it, I am a Costco fan. As with anything, people love it, hate it, or don’t happen to have one nearby, and therefore, don’t care. Countless articles on what you save at Costco vs what you’d be better off buying elsewhere. Hint – know your unit pricing. That said, my daughter asked me to print and pick up a few pictures for her to give as a gift. A bit short notice to me, she found picture frames over the weekend, and sent me the pictures to print with a day’s notice. I like CVS, and pass the local CVS pretty often, so I sent the digital pictures to CVS for printing. 19 cents each, not too bad. Until the fine print – “Orders under $5 subject to $1.49 surcharge fee.” So, the choice was to pony up $1.49 or go elsewhere. Here’s the thing. I am 10 miles away and a 45 minute round trip to Costco. So spending $3.50 in gas makes no sense, and CVS it was. It would have taken 27 pictures to hit the $5 minimum. Do people print that many pictures at once? In the old days, it was $12 or so to print a roll of film, 36 pictures, and pick out the two good shots for the photo album. Today, with digital pictures, we no longer print bad shots.

That said, let’s look at the photo cost of CVS and Costco. First, Costco -

The 4×6 pictures are a bit cheaper, 6 cents, in fact. No big deal there. Let’s look at CVS and compare the rest -

If you have a collection of 5×7 frames in your house, it’s 39 cents vs $1.69. Over 4 times the price at CVS. Plus the surcharge if we only need a few pictures. I also included the next sizes to compare 8×10 and the poster sized prints. I had a function last year, and wanted to print a 20 x 30 poster. Not being an artist or having any aesthetic skills, it took a few tries to get it right. So my Costco tab for 5 posters was $45 compared to the $100 it would have cost at CVS.

For those who are into photography, these price difference add up fast. I don’t spend that much in an average year on photos, but the savings still adds to my list of reasons I like Costco and find the membership worth it.

Do you have a Costco or other warehouse club membership? Are you happy with your saving?

written by Joe \\ tags: Costco, CVS, photography

If you are old enough, you remember when long distance cost a small fortune. It was that way growing up in New York in the 70′s and Long Island (part of NY State, but not the city) was a long distance call, and about 15 cents a minute, if memory serves me. And somehow it was the home of my first girlfriend, whom I met at a Star Trek convention. But I digress.

The cost of telephone has dropped over time, but not quite where it should be, given the competition. This is when I admit I’ve made a mistake over the last 10 years or so, keeping Verizon for my landline phone. Now that my daughter has her own cell, and we’re all on Verizon Wireless, it seemed there should be some kind of deal for the landline, anything less than the $50 we were paying. Yes, there’s a $12 service. But it then adds nearly $11 in taxes, including a $6.39 federal access recovery charge. It seems this charge is “a way to recover a portion of the costs incurred by providing other carriers access to the network.” No, it’s a way for you to extract money from me.

I’d have quit at $23, but that service didn’t have caller ID. $10.50 extra for that. I like Caller ID. I can let the machine take it if I don’t recognize the number or if it’s my mother. I’m kidding, mom, I always grab the phone when I see it’s you. Really. So, we are pushing $34, and that’s with no long distance. On this plan, just to be able to dial long distance costs $6 per month minimum. There’s no option to just pay whatever rate per minute but with no monthly minimum. I hadn’t yet checked to see what it would cost to add phone to my Comcast TV/Internet plan, so I went online to check. While on the page of services to add, a popup screen came up, offering a chat.

When it first came up, I thought that the use of ‘live’ was redundant, but then I recalled that Verizon’s site actually had an automated system. A system that couldn’t any any questions at all, by the way. So you can see, I was eager to ask the live specialist the simplest question he’d ever get, “What would it cost to add phone 9to my account)?” Whoa! That’s beyond a specialist, I needed someone on the customer service team.  I looked at this answer for a moment, and figuring ‘in for a penny,’ I asked, “What kind of question would you actually be able to answer, if not this?”  He politely disconnected.

The customer service team member I called told me $14. I asked how much for the crazy taxes. He said the real price was just over $12, and the $14 included tax. He also warned me that there was a $50 fee from somewhere to transfer my phone number. So I break even in 2-1/2 months, and save $20/mo after that. And I get unlimited long distance for free. By coincidence, Verizon happened to call me later that day, telling me they wanted to visit to switch my phone from the copper wire to fiber. I told him I wasn’t home, and would have to get back to him. Comcast is visiting next week to switch my phone over to their service. If Verizon wanted, they could offer a deal for their multi-cell-phoned customers, but it seems they keep both sides of the business separate.

Do you still have a landline or have you cut the cord completely? What’s that landline costing you, if you still have it?

written by Joe \\ tags: cell phone, Frugal

I miss Frugal Fridays. The last one was Frugal Friday Week 35  and it was published nearly three years ago. I’d like to bring back the concept with a mix of observations, finds, and general approaches to frugality.

A few weeks ago I was looking for a cable to connect an iPad. Not the current ‘lightning’ cable, just the old 30 pin connector.

My favorite office supply store had it. Wow. $20 after tax. So, I looked a bit more and there we are.

Not just a bit less, but remarkably lower in price. 36 cables for the price of 1! Keep in mind, this is just a cable, no power adapter included, and that’s fine. Our cars have cigarette lighter to USB power converters in them, but it’s the cables we lose, lend, or misplace all the time. At just over 50 cents a piece, it’s ok if we give a couple away when someone is needing a cable.  I know that 9 may seem like overkill, but these cables aren’t just easily lost, they are easily damaged by catching them in a door or pulling at them at a bad angle. I like having a couple extra in each of our car’s glove compartments and a few in my desk drawer at home.

Have you run into anything that has such a wide range of price? Anyone try to sell you a single wooden pencil for $4, when they are $1 a dozen elsewhere?

written by Joe \\ tags: apple, Frugal, mac, staples

A Guest Post from Andrea Woroch -

Though every year consumers blow billions of dollars on Valentine’s Day, it doesn’t mean you have to follow suit and empty your bank account just to show that special someone you care. On the other hand, showing up empty-handed in the name of frugality isn’t a smart move, either. There are plenty of low-cost gifts and even free date ideas for celebrating the official day of love.

Consider these frugal yet totally romantic gift to woo your loved one for less.

Opt for Budget-friendly Bouquets
The majority of the estimated $1.9 billion to be spent on flowers this Valentine’s Day will be on roses, which are marked up heavily this time of year. Skip this pricey stem in favor of more affordable flowers that are just as pretty and romantic, such as, Gerbera Daisy and Tulips, as recommended by DexKnows. Pick up a bouquet at your local grocer and select a classic vase from the dollar store. Then, present it to that special someone yourself for an extra-special touch that will also save on delivery costs.

Prepare Homemade Goodies
If your loved one loves your culinary skills, whip up a batch of his or her favorite homemade treat and package them simply in cellophane and ribbon. If cooking isn’t your thing, you’ll score extra brownie points (pun intended) for going out of your comfort zone to make something special. Even if the end result isn’t perfect, your honey will appreciate the effort.

Give a Gift Card
Gift cards are the preferred gift for people who seem to have everything, and 15 percent of Valentine’s Day shoppers plan to give one this year. You can find gift cards to retailers, restaurants and movie theatres for less using Gift Card Granny, the “Google of gift cards” offering discounts of up to 30 percent. They even have a helpful guide of the best gift cards to give your wife, husband, mom or teenage daughter if you find yourself stumped.

Offer Breakfast in Bed
Breakfast in bed may require you to wake up earlier than usual, but it’s worth it for your Valentine. Since the gesture is more important than the menu, you can opt for simplicity with their favorite bowl of cereal and freshly-brewed coffee. If you’ve got the skills, kick it up a notch with fresh strawberries and heart-shaped pancakes drizzled in maple syrup. Regardless of your selection, breakfast in bed is a romantic way to start the day.

Leave a Love Note
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and yet there’s nothing more romantic than a thoughtful note from your sweetie. Make it unique by leaving it in a surprising spot — like the driver’s seat of her car — and include a single rose. If poetry or writing isn’t your thing, don’t sweat it; the note need only include a simple sentiment. When in doubt, jot down a special memory you both shared for extra smiles and butterflies.

Channel Your Inner Child
Going out to dinner or catching the latest chick flick are popular Valentine’s Day activities, but they can get tiresome and eat into your budget. Skip the grown-up happy hour for kid-like fun, including a friendly competition on the swing set, bike ride around your neighborhood or explore a scenic drive. Consult Mr Free Stuff’s list of 60 free date ideas for more inspiration, and remember the simplest activity can be the most memorable.

Create a Spa Sanctuary
Surprise your special someone with a relaxing spa at home. Prepare a bath with sweet-smelling bath salts and rose petals for an added touch. Light several candles, pour a glass of bubbly, have plush bath towels within reach and tune your iPod or radio to favorite love songs. Since you may not have these bath essentials on hand, pick them up for less than $10 at discount retailers like TJMaxx.

DIY Gift Basket
Gift baskets represent an easy way to give small, inexpensive gifts in a beautiful package. World Market sells gift basket sets complete with basket, cellophane and packing material for less than $5. Hold off until the day before Valentine’s Day to find seasonal chocolates on sale at the drugstore. Candles, hand lotion and a framed photo of a favorite memory are all thoughtful additions.

written by Joe \\ tags: Frugal, gift, romance, valentine