Shocking phone bill

[Caustic Burno]

Lammie sorry I hijacked your thread. Just got on my soapbox.
I just don't understand today's parents or the kids. I watch my oldest Granddaughter just texting away like some kind of nut. I ask why don't you just call them and get this look. Her mom has got her in every activity under the sun and she thinks she is entitled to be in them, they are never home. Some of her friends I have meet wouldn't cut it with me. She better hope nothing ever happens she has to live with Paw and Granny. I won't even let her wear what she normally does when she comes to the house. DIL and I have had more than one run in about this. Which makes me want to send the oldest son to a proctologist to remove my boot out of his butt. I would like to tape a quarter to this DIL's butt and throw her off something high at least you be able to say you lost something.

 

[backhoeboogie]

This thread is kind of cutting me to the quick :shock:

It was a tough start in life for me. Didn't want to pay rent because that was sort of throwing money away. Bought a framed house on land with no well. Hauled water until I got a well. Spent 10 years finishing the house on the inside as I could buy materials. Then added on.

I didn't want my kids to have the start I did in life. Yep, I'm guilty. They didn't get new Z71s but they got new trucks at age 17. 6 cylinder regular cab short bed trucks - auto with A/C etc. Nothing fancy but something to be proud of. The eldest graduated college and traded her truck in 6 years later with 60K miles on it. She never went over her cell phone minutes in all those years.

My youngest hasn't fared well at all. She's had her cell phone taken away many times and she has abused just about every priviledge she ever had. She came home after dropping out of college and began working and paying her own way. It has gone from bad to worse right before my eyes.

I am a failure at tough love. Don't look to me for answers.

20/20 hindsight has not been good for the youngest but it is perfect for the eldest. The eldest is set for life and off to an excellent career.

I did my best but it wasn't good enough. Now the youngest has put herself in an awful situation and she is going to have a tough life henceforth.

 

[redfornow]

This thread is kind of cutting me to the quick :shock:

It was a tough start in life for me. Didn't want to pay rent because that was sort of throwing money away. Bought a framed house on land with no well. Hauled water until I got a well. Spent 10 years finishing the house on the inside as I could buy materials. Then added on.

I didn't want my kids to have the start I did in life. Yep, I'm guilty. They didn't get new Z71s but they got new trucks at age 17. 6 cylinder regular cab short bed trucks - auto with A/C etc. Nothing fancy but something to be proud of. The eldest graduated college and traded her truck in 6 years later with 60K miles on it. She never went over her cell phone minutes in all those years.

My youngest hasn't fared well at all. She's had her cell phone taken away many times and she has abused just about every priviledge she ever had. She came home after dropping out of college and began working and paying her own way. It has gone from bad to worse right before my eyes.

I am a failure at tough love. Don't look to me for answers.

20/20 hindsight has not been good for the youngest but it is perfect for the eldest. The eldest is set for life and off to an excellent career.

I did my best but it wasn't good enough. Now the youngest has put herself in an awful situation and she is going to have a tough life henceforth.

Parenting is hard work, that doesnt get the reward we would hope in the time that parents deserve.
There is no "tough love" or "easy love" there is just love.
You loved them both the best you knew.
In the end love always prevails. Always.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

This thread is kind of cutting me to the quick

Almost every family I have ever known had a black sheep - it is NOT always the parenting. And most of the time that black sheep eventually straightens out. Not always but often enough. Folks that complain about the "younger generation" either really lucked out or don't have kids.

And they have been complaining about the kids since the dawn of history.

 

[cattleluvr18]

You forgot the manicures and pedicures every two weeks for the girls plus the hair jobs, plus gas for the car, plus makeup and regular jeans won't cut it - gotta be designer jeans for $75. And then there's the cafe latte's at Starbucks. :nod:

whoa whoa whoa! 75 dollar jeans?! manicures every TWO weeks?! not EVERY week?!?! i thought we were talking luxury here. im just kidding. well not really. yes, to me and every other parent out there thats expensive, but to most kids your talking cheap. some girls (and the preppy guys) wear jeans up to 230 bucks. :shock: trust me, I do NOT even look at those. heck i dont even go into the stores that sell those jeans. and manicures :roll: oh lawdy. if i got a manicure that would be a bigger waste of money then the jeans! but im not gonna lie, i do like my hair to look somewhat decent. and i do wear makeup. and yes, i do text, unlimitedly. but i EARN my stuff. i WORK. i have been taught the value of a dollar. i swear i have. (i dont know if all you guys believe me but its true, i've changed). but i do think that a cell phone is very good to have. not just to text and waste money on, but when you need it, its very nice to have. and most, not all, of my friends have nice cars. wwayy nicer then mine. but dang it, i earned that car. lol. honestly, i couldnt accept a new car from my parents. cuz at 15 years old i have not earned it and do not NEED one. and gas just gets handed to them. most would call them lucky, but i say there spoiled and dont relize what they have right under their nose. but i will admit, i tan. i get HORRIBLE lines during the summer and i cant stand it. but i just tan to even out. and once i even out i stop. i dont get to looking like a 'football'. my mom hates it but trusts me to make my own decisions and deal with the consequences. just as long as i pay for it. Omg I would DIE if I racked up a phone bill. Expecially without my parents knowing what I was doing. I could never go behind my parents backs and rack up thousands, or even hundreds, of dollars. And calman, im truly sorry what happened with you and your neighbors. That's horrible! The nerve of some people. Did they really think that they were that special to just jack your service like that?! And caustic, I totally laughed about what you said about you DIL. I wasn't laughing AT them. It just reminded me that I know WAY too many people like that. And I would have tooken up your job offer. 10 bucks an hour to build fence?! Heck yeah. But my sister would be the black sheep of the two of us. She LOVES money. Its gets really frustrating at times. I cant quite comprehend how once child understand it, and the other doesn't. :S. so maybe its not ALL the parents fault. I think its just the way some people are.

Sorry for my ramble. Just a teenagers point of view I guess.

 

[Lammie]

Geez, ya go away for a day or two...

I called AT&T today and told them that I was supposed to have heard from the middle manager or whatever, and never had. Told the whole story again. Was put on hold for 15 minutes. No one to talk to and someone will call within 48 hours. Still nothing. They got some sucky customer service there.

It does not really matter to me what kinds of gadgets my son has. He would not knowlingly cause such a bill on the phone. I will not pay for it. That's my stand. I stand behind my son. That is what family does. We all are just doing the best we can with what we got.

 

[alftn]

My grandmother always said "THEY WALK ON YOUR FEET WHEN THEY ARE LITTLE, AND WALK ON YOUR HEART WHEN THEY GET BIG" she was simple, yet her depth still astonishes me 40 years later....

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Its your credit, for a balance such as that they are liable to take you to court. Its yalls fault it happened knowingly or not so pay it and quit being a dead beat. They will cut your phone off, ruin your credit, and possibly sue you. I used to work in the collections for BellSouth I know what they and at&t are capable of. I dont mean to sound harsh but I just felt as though you were taking a very immature stance about this and teaching your son the wrong way to handle things. If you try and fight this you will come out on the losing in and will have accomplished nothing. Then when your credit is ruined you wont be able to get phone service with anyone. Did check with the attorney, he said your best option is to pay it. Keep a written receipt and then try and take them to court to get reimbursed.

Bullpoo. She is demonstrating persistence in solving a problem that was caused by some kind of error, NOT OF THEIR DOING. Credit is not ruined by straightening out this kind of mess. Sure walking away with no fight and not paying might have an effect, but I for one would fight it even up to and including hiring an attorney to write a letter.

 

[john250]

Its your credit, for a balance such as that they are liable to take you to court. Its yalls fault it happened knowingly or not so pay it and quit being a dead beat. They will cut your phone off, ruin your credit, and possibly sue you. I used to work in the collections for BellSouth I know what they and at&t are capable of. I dont mean to sound harsh but I just felt as though you were taking a very immature stance about this and teaching your son the wrong way to handle things. If you try and fight this you will come out on the losing in and will have accomplished nothing. Then when your credit is ruined you wont be able to get phone service with anyone. Did check with the attorney, he said your best option is to pay it. Keep a written receipt and then try and take them to court to get reimbursed.

Bullpoo. She is demonstrating persistence in solving a problem that was caused by some kind of error, NOT OF THEIR DOING. Credit is not ruined by straightening out this kind of mess. Sure walking away with no fight and not paying might have an effect, but I for one would fight it even up to and including hiring an attorney to write a letter.

I agree. I doubt the attorney is necessary. I doubt a small claims judge would rule against Lammie because 1. The exact same number was previously toll free and I think she said it was dialed without a prefix. 2. AOL said it was toll free 3. It costs money to take Lammie to court. 4. She lives in the district which elects the judge. The phone company doesn't live there or vote. I suppose the phone company might want to make an example, but they will lose money doing it.

 

[Alice]

I agree. I doubt the attorney is necessary. I doubt a small claims judge would rule against Lammie because 1. The exact same number was previously toll free and I think she said it was dialed without a prefix. 2. AOL said it was toll free 3. It costs money to take Lammie to court. 4. She lives in the district which elects the judge. The phone company doesn't live there or vote. I suppose the phone company might want to make an example, but they will lose money doing it.

5. They might draw a judge that's been stiffed for the same thing by the same phone company... 8)

Alice

 

[john250]

I agree. I doubt the attorney is necessary. I doubt a small claims judge would rule against Lammie because 1. The exact same number was previously toll free and I think she said it was dialed without a prefix. 2. AOL said it was toll free 3. It costs money to take Lammie to court. 4. She lives in the district which elects the judge. The phone company doesn't live there or vote. I suppose the phone company might want to make an example, but they will lose money doing it.

5. They might draw a judge that's been stiffed for the same thing by the same phone company... 8)

Alice

Yep.

 

[dun]

Sounds like shades of Ernestine. "A gracious good morning to you"

 

[karlie45]

I guess the thing that confuses me is why parents today think kids are entitled to cell phones, cars etc.
I can help but shake my head every time I drive by the high school and look at all the new vehicles sitting in the parking lot Momma and Daddy bought and every kid in the lot is using a cell phone standing next to twenty others. In the next sentence they are screaming cost.

Alright, I get a little ticked when someone says this. Not every parent/teen relashionship is like this! I work a partime job at a bakery, i know, "tuff stuff" right? Yeah, most people dont think so, but it is work. I took out a loan (which I pay, on time , every paycheck) for my car (a 2000 ford taurus). I pay for my gas, if I cant pay for it, I cant drive it. I pay for insurrance.

Yeah, I've paid $100 for jeans a couple times, and I admit to paying a little to much for other clothes. I buy hairproducts from a salon for my hair, I wear makeup, i go tanning (i know, tisk tisk. But I look sooo much better tan, and I just cant help it, and it's just for a golden tan for SnoBall, I promise!)

But that money comes out of my check! And only after I pay for everything that I need to pay for. Parents give me money for things that I need, NOT want.

I admit, I dont pay for my cell phone. But I'm hardly ever home (aside from traning the calves, I think I live at friends houses) and im VERY hard to get ahold of. I pay for the extra's (texting, extra minutes) but Grandma pays that basics as kinda a birthday present type thing. It's nice, and I appreciate it.

Im a lucky one, I'll admit it, It's nice to be able to get what I get. But I work hard for it. I think i've earned it. It just ticks me off when people assume that my Mommy and Daddy pay for everything. Because they dont! If i wanna buy spendy stuff, with the money I earn. I dont see anything wrong with that.

k, im done. Sorry for the rant, but this stuff just gets me.

 

[Alice]

karlie45,

You know who you are...who know what you do...you know how you do it. You don't have to justify anything...to anyone...except yourself. And you seem to have a pretty good grasp of yourself...and on yourself.

Alice

 

[Caustic Burno]

I guess the thing that confuses me is why parents today think kids are entitled to cell phones, cars etc.
I can help but shake my head every time I drive by the high school and look at all the new vehicles sitting in the parking lot Momma and Daddy bought and every kid in the lot is using a cell phone standing next to twenty others. In the next sentence they are screaming cost.

Alright, I get a little ticked when someone says this. Not every parent/teen relashionship is like this! I work a partime job at a bakery, i know, "tuff stuff" right? Yeah, most people dont think so, but it is work. I took out a loan (which I pay, on time , every paycheck) for my car (a 2000 ford taurus). I pay for my gas, if I cant pay for it, I cant drive it. I pay for insurrance.

Yeah, I've paid $100 for jeans a couple times, and I admit to paying a little to much for other clothes. I buy hairproducts from a salon for my hair, I wear makeup, i go tanning (i know, tisk tisk. But I look sooo much better tan, and I just cant help it, and it's just for a golden tan for SnoBall, I promise!)

But that money comes out of my check! And only after I pay for everything that I need to pay for. Parents give me money for things that I need, NOT want.

I admit, I dont pay for my cell phone. But I'm hardly ever home (aside from traning the calves, I think I live at friends houses) and im VERY hard to get ahold of. I pay for the extra's (texting, extra minutes) but Grandma pays that basics as kinda a birthday present type thing. It's nice, and I appreciate it.

Im a lucky one, I'll admit it, It's nice to be able to get what I get. But I work hard for it. I think i've earned it. It just ticks me off when people assume that my Mommy and Daddy pay for everything. Because they dont! If i wanna buy spendy stuff, with the money I earn. I dont see anything wrong with that.

k, im done. Sorry for the rant, but this stuff just gets me.

If you are a working teenager that is paying for your own stuff congrats .You are almost extinct.

 

[Lammie]

Still have not heard from AT&T. Today is the deadline and I doubt I will hear from them today. I will call the, again. And I will not be on hold and I will talk to whoever I need to talk to. I already threatened to call the AG on this. I think that local news consumer reports would love to get ahold of this too. I will willing to pay what the phone bill would have been without those charges in order to keep everything going while we work through this. I have till the 23rd to do this.

In other words, I am about to get irate. This is bull. To charge me like that, and then to ignore me, not once but twice now, is just too stupid to imagine. I have all this recorded and I am sure the phone company does too. I will get satisfaction from this. I'm mad now. Before I was just baffled.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Sic 'em.

AT&T was always a giant arrogant monolith, but since the merger a couple years ago with Cingular - man! We have AT&T right-of-way down our road in to the HQ - they have a bunch of big fiber-optic conduits underground - two summers ago we had some freak weather and it washed road out completely exposing their cables in several places. Took 'em three months to fix the worst spots - they didn't do and extra INCH on the road. I was getting pretty PO'd with the phone calls and BS I was about to take a hack saw to the line.

Before the merger if there was a problem they would be out the next day to cover it up and 10 years ago they actually did MAINTENANCE on the road every few years!!!

 

[Angus Cattle Shower]

I am also a teen, and yes, I do have a cell phone. I do not pay the bill. HOWEVER, I do not get paid wages or an allowance. I trade honest labor for my phone bill. I know someone is going to say that my work is expected and I should not be rewarded for it, but this is extra work, like doing dad's work on saturdays when I have mine done so he can enjoy the day, or when I get ahead of my work so I can leave for a weekend and I end up not going.... The work I do that day is extra work. My parents have split and I do odd jobs in town for my money, aside from what the cattle bring in. I am hardly ever home, between harvest, seeding, hockey, hunting, fishing and school, so the cell phone was a way to keep in constant communication with me to make sure I'm safe and not in trouble. Yes, I do text, but I don't talk on the house phone. Texting my friends from out of town for $10/month is cheaper then calling and talking to them long distance.

My parents have been talking about buying me a used truck, but I do not like the idea. I am going to pay for one, on my own, because I am sick of hearing about what Mommy and Daddy got you for a vehicle, I want to be able to honestly say I worked for it and earned it. Within six months I am going to a dealership and making a down payment on one.

Not all of today's youth are as above stated.

 

[Lammie]

Called today again and the charges are being adjusted. I was really irate about it, though. My complaint was that I could not get anyone to communicate with me about this matter, and you guys are the phone company!

Turns out, no one was going to call me back in 48 hours. Managers, appearantly, do not have to communicate with lowly folks when they work for AT&T.

BUT someone is supposed to call me back when they do adjust the bill. And that could take as long as 60 days. But it won't go into collections and it wont do anything to my credit rating.

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Congrats and keep your eye out - you will probably have to do a follow up when they screw up the adjustment. I'm like a bulldog with this kind of stuff. Two things make me mad - the amount of money companies like this scam off of people who don't have the persistence to go after what is right and rightfully theirs. The other is the people that don't have the persistence to go after what is right and rightfully theirs. :lol2: