Back to whining!

Although the following post is about my continuing bad luck, you might term it "political" as most of my troubles stem from corporate America not doing its job, and/or its delight in taking as much money from our pockets as possible, legally or not.

Before I left for Maine I put my Time Warner account on a seasonal hold for $19.00 and change.  When I did this I asked if I had a balance and was told $7.57.  I didn't understand why I had a balance but then I can never understand TW's bills.  No other bills were pending I was told.  When I called, from Maine, on October 2 to turn on my service I was told I owed $141.30.  I disputed the amount but decided to accept it for the moment until I returned home and had time to look through my accounts.  I said I would pay the bill the day I returned, as usual, via electronic payment through Citibank Online.  Saturday night I come home from a party to find my Cable TV and internet turned off.  I tried calling TW but all I got was a voice telling me to call back Monday.  Sunday TW turned off my telephone.

And now we come to Monday.  I rose at 8:15 a.m. and spent until about 9:30 that evening on the telephone, mainly with TW but also with Verizon, looking for another provider (had my breakfast at 4:30 p.m.).  There is no other provider.  TW has a monopoly on cable.  FIOS is not available because my building has a contract with TW.  So, in the course of the day, to get my service back on I had to pay $127.00 by credit card to TW, as my electronic payment had not cleared.  It still hasn't cleared at 3:00 p.m. five days later.  This, to mention it again, was an electronic payment.  I gather the computers also celebrate Columbus Day!

Let me not forget that I was also told that my current bill is $363.00; when I asked how that was even possible, I was told it's because TW pro-rates accounts and because my bill started at a different date than the seasonal shut-off date the bill was prorated differently, causing me to owe more than I would if I had continued the service without a break. (I swear on all that is holy that this is how it was described to me--honestly!) When I asked what TW believed I actually owed, it was $127.00, but hey, why not try to get $363 from the customer.  Romney is, after all, up in the polls.  Did you think I would not get political?

(As an aside, I also have TW in Maine, and had it for some 27 days before putting it on seasonal.  I received a bill for $180.00, although my service costs $99, and I had already paid $97; I finally worked that one out with TW for $38.00, and that's still too high.)

So, yesterday I looked for another solution.  What if I kept TW just for TV.  (The only other TV provider I can get is Direct TV, and I would have to sign a 2-year contract.)  Also, if I bundled TV with internet using TW, my bill would be higher than if I keep all three services--really!  I'd give up TW altogether as my primary interest is internet and a good speed, but I can't find an internet provider for my building with the same speed that TW currently provides.  (This is 2012.)  I visited AT&T and Verizon stores and was very excited to find out about their new "home telephone" wireless solutions, at $20 a month, until I returned home, looked up some reviews, and discovered that reception is not in any way equal to landline.  Called TW to see if they could give me a break on my monthly bill (which increased from $99 when I first signed on to $165)--no, because I still have an outstanding balance.  The two payments I made: $141.30 and $127 are still not posted.  When I complained to Citibank, I was informed that Friday and Tuesday constitute one business day, so today is only the second day after my payment.  We live in different calendar worlds, apparently.

End of the telephone, cable, internet sage until further notice.

After taking in my MacBook last week and being told the mother board was probably shot and to replace it would cost $369.00, and please leave a $99 deposit, I received an email today that the mother board was shot so it would cost $479 assuming the keyboard was ok. And if not, that would add to the cost. And another 2-3 weeks on top of the six days it's been in their shop!  When I called to ask how the price of the mother board went up more than $100 I was informed that my keyboard was part of the package  yet the email said I might have to pay more for the keyboard.

And while on the phone with Citibank over my TW payment I noted that a recurring payment of $35.00 was just sent to NYU for a Pet scan I had in 2009.  My insurance changed my plan without informing me and after the scan I found that instead of no payment I owed $1,140.00, which I agreed to pay over time.  When I added up the recurring payments I've made I paid NYU $148.00 more than I owed.  Do you think NYU would have informed me?  No--I could have done this for another year or two if the TW problem hadn't happened.

Only good news, but I doubt it will be good news in the end, is that a couple has been looking at my house in Maine and are bringing in a contractor this week to check the structure.  The house probably fell down after I left!  I need some good luck, soon.