E.J. Smith

Money, money, money.  My dad used to say, “The almighty dollar rules men”.  It’s true, isn’t it, that “money is the root of all evil”.  Money sure does give some of us many problems outside the ones we cause ourselves with it. It makes drug companies, some doctors, dentists, eye doctors, (please note: I said “some”, not “all”), insurance companies, many so-called “helping groups” rich while some of us cannot afford their services.  Why? We do not know, except that greed does indeed rule.

It would be more understandable if companies and service providers would let us know why their prices/costs keep increasing. I know, we hear it on the news, but there is not enough information for us to completely understand.  Also, they use professional jargon, which is designed to confuse those of us outside the sphere of  their inner groups.

Today, we are bringing  up the satellite and cable t.v. companies: Do you ever wonder why your bill goes up when they have not told you it would? My friend, Janice’s went up $5.00 this month and there was no explanation. Turns out they are now charging her for Wi-fi and internet. I guess that’s the way it is done, since they are not the same thing, but why have they not charged for it before now and why did she not get a notice of the change?  It’s worse when they add taxes and/or “fees”. You receive your bill and boom! It is several dollars higher and will continue to grow as time goes by. Why? It is all a ruse to acquire more money for their owners, CEO’s and other high ranking employees. If it is necessary for any  reason, we deserve to be warned of an increase, don’t we? 

I doubt we can change the way costs for this “service” rise, but at least we can demand an explanation of why our bills keep going up, up and up. Janice canceled two of the services she received and still paid a high price for internet and Wi-fi.  Fortunately, there are companies that do not require one to sign a contract, one of which is available where one can receive internet and Wi=fi only without being forced to take on the tv and the phone that come with others. That is called bundling and if it is cheaper for you, great. Still, not everyone needs bundling or cannot afford it.

How can we change the way companies and service providers gouge us for more money?  We can shop around for the best deals, finding one we can afford, install an antenna and purchase a streaming device, or we can eliminate them from our budget.

However, not many of us can do without internet, Wi-fi and television, so we do the best we can with what we have to work with. Here is how Janice did it: She canceled two of the services she received from her provider and kept the internet and Wi-fi for which she  still pays $75.00 per month. Yesterday, after looking at several companies we found one that has these two services for $49.00 per month for life. This is for one user; they have a plan for $65.00 a month if you have several users and they all use the internet frequently. She doesn’t need to sign a contract and gets the deal for life! They promise no unexpected charges. I like the plan so much I think I will get it as well. Here’s hoping!

Until next week and you are in my prayers,

E.J.