Fees!

[maxie]

I hate the money grubbing fees added to bills. Last trash bill they doubled the administrative fees and then charged me $19.98 fuel consumption. So I called and the nice girl removed the fees and gave me an amount to pay. This morning I get a past due bill for the fees and a threat of adding $35.00 past due fees if I don't pay the bill immediately. So off I go back to the phone and another nice girl again removes the fees and then informs me that I am paying the wrong amount for trash pickup because of my county....guess what? I will now be billed $7.00 MORE. Sometime I can snicker and just pay the new billing amount but this morning I have already had to deal with 'the mother' and I am in no mood for it so I went ballistic. The girl is going to check with her supervisor and get back with me. I know they will charge me the new charges and I know I will pay them but did it have to come on the same day they threatened me with past due charges on a bill they gave me the amount to pay? The fees..it is the darn fees that are killing us.

[determined]

Amen to that, seems everyone has their hand out. A lot of people around here live in one county and work in another, and both counties have put in a "county income tax" and they are having to pay both when they get their paychecks. Of course when they questioned it they were told that there would be some sort of credit system when filing their income taxes so they "should" get a refund. Have to wait and see, a friends wife had her job cut to 29 hours a week, so the company doesn't have to provide her insurance and with the new tax she is paying more in taxes than she is bringing home.

[Mayebarnes]

and that is why garage/yard sales are booming.... buy for cash.. and nobody has their hand out trying to get the saler or the buyers money!..

and I agree ,, it is the add ons.. that make the bill climb......like we would not notice????????

[maxie]

Got a call back from the trash company and they will be billing me a flat fee for trash pickup for the next year...no fees or add on, just a flat fee. Considering they do not have a senior rate and I normally only set trash out twice a month it is a good deal. AND they did not add on the newer rate. That sticker shock will come in a year but for now it is a good deal and I am a happy camper.

[Nalani]

I used to pay the trash bill for the whole year too. Did the same for the exterminator too. Much cheaper in the long run to do it that way, that is if you can afford to pay for the whole year at one time.

[BarbCA]

Last year the state hit us with a "fee" for fire prevention. If it's a tax, it has to be voted on but they can charge us a "fee" without a vote. I thought that it had been removed because of all the protest but apparently not. I just got another bill for $115 and if not paid by the 27th interest will accrue at the rate of 0.05% so it would be $0.57.................but there would also be a penalty of$11.50.
I paid it last year and I will pay it this year and hope that I am out of here by this time next year.

[JoGee]

Businesses can't get enough money, can they.

I get pest/weed control here. I pay for the year for their measly discount, but there is the additional "start-up fee" every June. I still don't understand why that's necessary, because the start-up stuff is what makes all the monthly spraying work.
They no longer bother me about wanting to spray indoors, as the chemicals are "safe for babies and pets". I told them that is exactly the stuff they used in my office, and it nearly killed me! I've been seeing doctors and taking meds ever since, since 1989! And if they sprayed outdoors properly, I don't have to worry about unwanted critters indoors. And that is just how it worked out!

We got a smaller trash pickup barrel, which saves us some $$$. E wanted to get a smaller recycle barrel, too, but I told him that as long as he's still filling up the big one, we need it. When he finishes with the garage cleaning, we will talk about it again.

I'm beginning to think apartment living may be better than owning a house. Have so much to deal with at home, and everything is getting costlier. But I guess apartments are costly as well, these days. I haven't looked into that yet.

[boffler]

Maxie I feel your pain, I am amazed at what fees they can tack on bills and the names they can give them to make you feel like it 'might' be a good thing for you..As for trash I know some areas around here will let you pay a lower monthly fee will so many bags allowed, you buy your own bags at certain stores. Can't think of much anymore that is a good deal.

[determined]

They just started the trash pick-up fee here a few years ago and talk about protest, that did no good. The property taxes were set up to cover trash pick-up, it is there in black and white what was to be covered. The mayor decided that the city couldn't afford this any more, that the upkeep on the trucks was to much and decided to hire an outside company. People were actually taking their trash and putting it on the steps at city hall. Then when people started refusing to pay the fee which was on the sewer bill, they started having people's water shut off for it not being paid. That went to court and was ruled that so long as the sewer portion was paid they couldn't have water shut off. Anyhow they ended up getting their "fee" which was supposed to be I think $14 per month with seniors and disabled paying $7. The outside company quit because they weren't being paid and they had to find a new one. With everything the new company charges $16 a month for everyone.