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Cheap or Frugal #18

Started by The Noid, Dec 10 2009 10:31 AM

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14 replies to this topic

#1 The Noid

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Posted 10 December 2009 - 10:31 AM

Recently I got my renewal notice for Sirius and didn't like that they were adding $2/month for "music royalty fees." So I went through all of the motions to cancel, knowing it was likely I would get a retention offer. But if they called my bluff and let me walk, my service was still paid up through the end of the month so I could always call back a day or two later and say I changed my mind. They offered me another year at half of what I paid the year before.

I do this every six months with Comcast, too. I've done it with DirecTV, my lawn service, my garbage service and credit card companies when my promotional balance was about to expire. Even did it with my kid's daycare center, getting them to offer me free internet viewing ($5/week, $260/year savings.) While waiting in line last summer to get the 3Gs iPhone (and extend my contract for 2 years), I called AT&T to cancel and got them to add 200 text messages a month to my plan. And my reputation for doing this has led to my family asking me to do it on their behalf, because I'm assuming they think it's a bit cheap to do so and might be embarrassedsed.

Cheap or Frugal?

Previous Cheap or Frugal polls:

#1: Eating yogurt without a spoon (Purged)

#2: Saving brown bags for lunch

#3: Not using sandwich bags for chips

#4: Re-using paper towels/napkins

#5: Least Expensive House, Most Expensive Block

#6: Using a toothpaste squeezer

#7: Cutting OJ with water

#8: Grinding my own meat

#9: Not using a Dixie Cup

#10: Rain Checks

#11: Donating for Discounts

#12: Cremation over Burial due to costs

#13: Avoiding Tolls

#14: Changing Your Own Oil

#15: Christmas Gift Budgeting

#16: Buying Valentine's Day Gifts on the 15th

#17: Book Exchange

Strong like a steroid, avoid the Noid.

Before gettin' bored,we'll avoid the Noid.

Am I cheap, or frugal? You decide.

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#2 17seconds

root of all aliai

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Posted 10 December 2009 - 10:34 AM

anybody who makes themselves a pain in the ### just to save a few bucks is a cheap bastard, IMO no offense guys like you are in front of me while i'm on hold for 30mins trying to solve a problem with a service company

I got her to look in my eyes and she stopped crying

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#3 The Noid

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Posted 10 December 2009 - 10:37 AM

anybody who makes themselves a pain in the ### just to save a few bucks is a cheap bastard, IMO no offense guys like you are in front of me while i'm on hold for 30mins trying to solve a problem with a service company

Nah. Calling customer service to save money is a rookie mistake. I'm on the line with retention, that's where the deals are!

Strong like a steroid, avoid the Noid.

Before gettin' bored,we'll avoid the Noid.

Am I cheap, or frugal? You decide.

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#4 Chadstroma

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Posted 10 December 2009 - 10:39 AM

anybody who makes themselves a pain in the ### just to save a few bucks is a cheap bastard, IMO no offense guys like you are in front of me while i'm on hold for 30mins trying to solve a problem with a service company
Nah. Calling customer service to save money is a rookie mistake. I'm on the line with retention, that's where the deals are!

Customer service is a waste of time. They are normally not empowered to do anything even if they wanted to in terms of giving breaks on costs. The 'retention' group is where you talk to people who have the power to actually do something in your favor.

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#5 belljr

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Posted 10 December 2009 - 10:43 AM

anybody who makes themselves a pain in the ### just to save a few bucks is a cheap bastard, IMO no offense guys like you are in front of me while i'm on hold for 30mins trying to solve a problem with a service company
Nah. Calling customer service to save money is a rookie mistake. I'm on the line with retention, that's where the deals are!

I do this for cable but they note everytime - the last time they called my bluff and the day before they were supposed to shut me off I signed up for a triple play package. :goodposting:

I'd could probably switch to DirecTV but don't want the hassle

Go Steelers! :towelwave:

LET's GO FLYERS!!! :clap:

xbox360 tag: EAbell

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#6 The_Burning_Bush

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Posted 10 December 2009 - 10:43 AM

wait wat What does internet access have to do with daycare?

Did that once with my son. Once. Five days without a poop and the Dr said "Take his temperature... down there." The thermometer never beeped before he went off - after five seconds and Mr. Brown Bear decided he was done hibernating and wanted to see who was at the door. It was like someone exchanged my kid for a Play-Doh Fun Factory and pushed down on the lever big-time. You've heard of dirt-snakes? This was a dirt boa constrictor. green.gif

The next time it happened I told my wife "Your turn." Just her luck she got the pressurized version. All I heard was a loud farting noise, the Lord's name in vain, and the sound of poopie going splat against the dresser. lol.gif I now know what it looks like when you toss an M-80 into a loaded toilet but without the benefit of porcelain shrapnel. unsure.gif - bakes

I'm all for robust femininity, but don't you think it would be weird having intercourse when you could see your thing whilst it was inside a girl? Look how skinny she is. It would look like a submarine about to surface.

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#7 The Noid

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Posted 10 December 2009 - 10:46 AM

wait wat What does internet access have to do with daycare?

My 17 month-old needs his pron on a high-speed connection, dammit! It's to view the cameras in the room, from home, work or on my phone.

Edited by The Noid, 10 December 2009 - 10:46 AM.

Strong like a steroid, avoid the Noid.

Before gettin' bored,we'll avoid the Noid.

Am I cheap, or frugal? You decide.

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#8 The_Wolfman

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Posted 10 December 2009 - 11:51 AM

This is

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#9 KGB

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Posted 10 December 2009 - 12:29 PM

I was coming in to post that I do this with my sirius sat. Don't know if its cheap or frugal, but its smart.

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#10 Bull Dozier

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Posted 10 December 2009 - 12:59 PM

anybody who makes themselves a pain in the ### just to save a few bucks is a cheap bastard, IMO no offense guys like you are in front of me while i'm on hold for 30mins trying to solve a problem with a service company
Nah. Calling customer service to save money is a rookie mistake. I'm on the line with retention, that's where the deals are!
I do this for cable but they note everytime - the last time they called my bluff and the day before they were supposed to shut me off I signed up for a triple play package. I'd could probably switch to DirecTV but don't want the hassle