I had the opposite problem today. I paid upfront and got sent a bill and when I called to complain the lady couldn’t understand what my problem was. Oh gee, this is just the 4th screw up from your billing office this year!! Eash!
I wonder how many of us are guilty of paying a bill without really reading it though. I really try not to do that but I’m sure I’ve done it at least once. Better to have over paid than to not pay at all though!
Kaytebb, I’ve been sent fraudulent bills several times:
(a) 1993 by El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, CA (I had paid cash and gotten a receipt–I even sent the *’s a copy thereof, but they still continued sending the fraudulent bill)
(b) two parking citations (one completely bogus, other which fell into exempted category) from DC parking–to which I gave notes of denial
(c) two claims for extra penalty payments (May 2008 and May 2009) from apartment complexes I had moved out of–dealing with the second one currently
(I disagree about overpaying compared to not paying–as some of them will invent even more bogus charges if paid)
Got to say I like her old style better, but love to visit them daily. I started reading couple of years ago then had to go to the archives to read it all ; wonderful story line this second go-around just helps to fill in some blanks
My husband reads over the bills very carefully and that’s how he finds the hidden charges. Then if he can he can call them up and inquire about them. Sometimes we’re being charged for some extra “service” we don’t need or want or even use.
I’m always amazed at the number of people who fail to read important stuff before they sign their lives away on it. On a related note, did you know the itunes license agreement makes you swear that you’re not going to use Apple software to develop biological or nuclear weapons? :D
My mom renewed her magazine subscription every time they sent a notice - now it doesn’t expire until 2014, and the last payment was sent in 2006. (I took over paying her bills at that point.)
I think the worse was a credit card I had a while back. I always paid it up at the end of the month. Never had a late charge or an interest charge on it. I used it for small stuff. Well, one fine day they canceled it. Why? Because I always paid it up and it didn’t generate any income for them. (Except for the fee they charged the store for using it. Guess it wasn’t enough for them)
I am still getting reader’s digest for the same reason, Mom used to update the subscription for me. I have blithely ignored all their “you’re about to be cut off” notices, as I know she kept doing it long after necessary. When they stop coming, I’ll stop reading.
The ones that drive me crazy are the ones that look just like government notices or legitimate invoices. When you read them carefully, there is “this is not an invoice” somewhere in the small print. If you don’t read these (or use a little common sense) you could get suckered in easily.
Yeah, we have to read the very fine prints on those bills before we pay on depend how much the amounts we owe. If not pay the bills, they will eventually send to the collection depts. That is number one pest! sighhh! Keep our credits clean as a whistle that will keep our credits good.
I received a credit card notice. It said I had the card all I had to do was sign/send the paperwork. I was happy because I had been turned down for credit due to a past issue.
Luckily I read the fine print. It said that as soon as I made a charge on the card the balance of a long past written off debt would be charged to the card and I would then be responsible for the old debt.
I was so glad I had fully read the fine print. This was the same debt that 10 years ago had refused to accept a reduced payment plan when I had become injured.
I kept breaking the belt in my vacuum, so my husband banned me from using it.
LOL! He only vacuums now, It worked for me, so maybe it’ll work for her too, and John will relieve Elly from paying the bills.
Kaytebb almost 15 years ago
I had the opposite problem today. I paid upfront and got sent a bill and when I called to complain the lady couldn’t understand what my problem was. Oh gee, this is just the 4th screw up from your billing office this year!! Eash!
I wonder how many of us are guilty of paying a bill without really reading it though. I really try not to do that but I’m sure I’ve done it at least once. Better to have over paid than to not pay at all though!
prasrinivara almost 15 years ago
Kaytebb, I’ve been sent fraudulent bills several times:
(a) 1993 by El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, CA (I had paid cash and gotten a receipt–I even sent the *’s a copy thereof, but they still continued sending the fraudulent bill) (b) two parking citations (one completely bogus, other which fell into exempted category) from DC parking–to which I gave notes of denial (c) two claims for extra penalty payments (May 2008 and May 2009) from apartment complexes I had moved out of–dealing with the second one currently
(I disagree about overpaying compared to not paying–as some of them will invent even more bogus charges if paid)
mnmarilyn almost 15 years ago
I started reading this from the git go till Liz’beth’s wedding and now the reverse….and I LOVE mom’s expressions
macmate80 almost 15 years ago
Got to say I like her old style better, but love to visit them daily. I started reading couple of years ago then had to go to the archives to read it all ; wonderful story line this second go-around just helps to fill in some blanks
alondra almost 15 years ago
My husband reads over the bills very carefully and that’s how he finds the hidden charges. Then if he can he can call them up and inquire about them. Sometimes we’re being charged for some extra “service” we don’t need or want or even use.
GuntotingLiberal almost 15 years ago
I’m always amazed at the number of people who fail to read important stuff before they sign their lives away on it. On a related note, did you know the itunes license agreement makes you swear that you’re not going to use Apple software to develop biological or nuclear weapons? :D
Silverpearl almost 15 years ago
It’s worse if you are suckered in on the internet. They can keep all your info forever.
bald almost 15 years ago
i sent in an extra payment on my car loan one month and they send me an overpayment credit check 2 weeks later
Smiley Rmom almost 15 years ago
My mom renewed her magazine subscription every time they sent a notice - now it doesn’t expire until 2014, and the last payment was sent in 2006. (I took over paying her bills at that point.)
summerdog86 almost 15 years ago
I think the worse was a credit card I had a while back. I always paid it up at the end of the month. Never had a late charge or an interest charge on it. I used it for small stuff. Well, one fine day they canceled it. Why? Because I always paid it up and it didn’t generate any income for them. (Except for the fee they charged the store for using it. Guess it wasn’t enough for them)
pibfan868 almost 15 years ago
I am still getting reader’s digest for the same reason, Mom used to update the subscription for me. I have blithely ignored all their “you’re about to be cut off” notices, as I know she kept doing it long after necessary. When they stop coming, I’ll stop reading.
kalakini almost 15 years ago
You HAVE to read your bills.
This is your money ..you should protect yourself from losing it
unnecessarily!
JanLC almost 15 years ago
The ones that drive me crazy are the ones that look just like government notices or legitimate invoices. When you read them carefully, there is “this is not an invoice” somewhere in the small print. If you don’t read these (or use a little common sense) you could get suckered in easily.
mjtempke almost 15 years ago
Boy, ain’t that the truth!! I too had to learn to read my bills before I pay them.
Wildmustang1262 almost 15 years ago
Yeah, we have to read the very fine prints on those bills before we pay on depend how much the amounts we owe. If not pay the bills, they will eventually send to the collection depts. That is number one pest! sighhh! Keep our credits clean as a whistle that will keep our credits good.
prasrinivara almost 15 years ago
I’d like your car-loan company bald; the ones I’ve had will credit the overpayment against future-due!
ireg almost 15 years ago
I received a credit card notice. It said I had the card all I had to do was sign/send the paperwork. I was happy because I had been turned down for credit due to a past issue.
Luckily I read the fine print. It said that as soon as I made a charge on the card the balance of a long past written off debt would be charged to the card and I would then be responsible for the old debt.
I was so glad I had fully read the fine print. This was the same debt that 10 years ago had refused to accept a reduced payment plan when I had become injured.
bluetopazcrystal almost 15 years ago
I kept breaking the belt in my vacuum, so my husband banned me from using it. LOL! He only vacuums now, It worked for me, so maybe it’ll work for her too, and John will relieve Elly from paying the bills.