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*I originally posted this back in 2012 and a lot has changed since then so I wanted to provide all of you with an update.
Dear Verizon,
We are never ever ever getting back together!
Sincerely,
In all fairness Verizon did provide excellent service and fast speed over the years but it was the billing department that made me look elsewhere. If I had received just one correct bill over the course of our long term relationship I would not have got a wandering eye.
Sorry Verizon it’s not me, it’s you.
Here is the 411 on our break up.
These are the four things I wanted from my relationship with Verizon. I am guessing most of you have the similar wants and needs.
- Phone
- Internet
- Cable
- Cell Phone, with unlimited minutes, text and data
I wanted to receive these services at a reasonable price with a consistent bill. What I got was a never ending circle of incorrect bills that left me going in circles with Verizon’s billing department month after month after month. Every representative I talked to would leave me with false promises of receiving the perfect bill the following month. All I wanted was to receive a bill that was actually what I expected, yet that never happened. The new bill would come and the entire circle of calls would start all over again. It got to the point that when the mail came my husband would try and talk me out of opening it. Once I realized how bad this “relationship” was effecting me I knew it was time to cut the cords and look elsewhere. So that’s what I did. I searched and searched to find the best prices and I have significantly cut the costs on all my services that were formerly provided by Verizon.
Are you ready to cut the cord?
Are you currently paying for a home phone, internet , cell phone and cable? How much are you spending? Go grab your bills and add them up. Figure out what your total monthly expenses are and then see how much you can save by cutting a few of the cords!
Here is how I did it;
Home Phone:
I signed up for a FREE phone number and service via Google Voice. Currently Google voice is 100% FREE and you can make and receive Free local and long distance phone calls with your computer. This is great if you are always on the computer but let’s be real we need mobility. I want to be able to walk around make coffee, let the dog out and do laundry while I am chatting on the phone. I did some research and that is when I found the OBi100. The Obi100 is a small device that plugs into your computer’s router and then you plug in your digital phones. This connection makes your digital handsets work just like always. The device sells for about $40.00 on Amazon. That’s it, $40.00 one time fee and you no longer have a phone bill, ever! The only problem I foresee happening is if Google decides to make us start paying for Google Voice but so far so good. Google Voice has been free for years. If Google Voice decides to charge their still are other free options.
**Update** When I originally posted this back in 2011 it was free and remained free until about 2 months ago when I was required to pay a one time $10.00 software update fee. This is still worth it to me and my phone still works great and I continue to pay no monthly phone bill.
Internet:
This was a tough one for me and took some time. I run a website so it’s a service I have to have and it has to be high speed. I did what we all do when searching for better pricing. I picked up the phone and started calling all my local carriers. I was offered better deals than what I currently had but they weren’t good enough. I then started going online seeing what online deals were out there. Again, I found good deals but not good enough for my frugal appetite. I then decide to go out and search for a deal. I was in my local Best Buy and noticed a Comcast rep in the back of the store and I thought to myself Bingo! Having done enough retail sales in my life I know there is always a better deal if you go direct to the one that earns the commission. They are the ones that can make deals happen! I spoke to the rep and was offered another pretty good deal. The deals were getting better but I knew the ultimate trick. Walk away and wait for it. I thanked the man and said I am still going to continue my search for the best deal. That is when he called me back over with one last offer. He offered me high speed Internet for $19.99 a month. Sold! My new Internet is fast enough to handle my Internet based business, stream all my movies and handle my new VOIP free telephone service.
*Update* After a few years they raised my price to $39.99. I begged and threatened to break up with them but they called my bluff. Maybe they read this post and knew they were my only option since going back to Verizon was not a choice for me.
Cable:
Oh boy this was a tough one. My kids just about ran away when I told them to kiss the cable man goodbye. Talk about drama TV! I personally don’t watch a lot of TV so it didn’t faze me one bit but the kids and hubby were not pleased. I was determined to prove to them we could survive this and still provide them with the shows that apparently “they would just die” if they did not get to watch them. I dropped cable completely and purchased a RCA antenna. Not a rabbit ears antenna but a large one that you can hang in your attic or on your roof. The antenna that I purchased gives us 23 channels all the basic channels plus more. This antenna cost me $45.00. That’s a onetime fee and I will never pay again. Our TV comes in great and we live in the middle of nowhere. The reviews on the antenna state if you live close to a station you will receive lots more channels than I do. The antenna cured the basic channels problem but wasn’t enough for to keep the kids from whining.
Next I purchased Roku. You can get a Roku for around $39.99 (the price has significantly dropped since 2011.) The Roku provides us with free movies via Crackle and free music via Pandora. I decided to take Netflix for a test run as they do offer a free one month trial. I am now temporarily hooked to Netflix and we love having a few series shows like Orange is the New Black, Breaking Bad and Weeds at our fingertips. I may just keep Netflix for the $7.99 a month cost. But we shall see.
The next TV drama problem we had was sports. My son was not happy when he thought my cutting cable meant him not being able to watch the Celtics ever again and mumble something about me ruining his life. Determined to prove him wrong I quickly went on NBA.com and there was the Celtics opening game Live and streaming. I just connected a HDMI cord from my computer to my TV and there it was on the big screen, problem solved.
**Update** We have added a Android Box with Kodi. The Android box provides us with more movies and TV Show than we could ever imagine. The first one we purchased was a G Box and few had it for a few years but have recently had some issues with it so we are now purchasing the MXQ box, it is similar to the GBox but the cost is much lower and is currently retailing for just $37.99 on Amazon .
**Update** We got rid of Netflix and as fate would have it my kids want it back! There is no pleasing them!
Cell Phone:
This is one I could have gone lower on for myself but decided to splurge a little considering I need email and web access. I bought myself a Virgin Mobile Apple phone. I have unlimited text, phone and data. My plan is $35.00 a month but if you register a credit card to make auto payments it dropped to $30.00 per month.
My hubby is not a phone person and can’t even email never mind text . I do want to be able to get a hold of him in case of an emergency like a really good sale that I can’t get home in time to pick up the kids. Hubby got a Tracfone. The phone itself cost $9.99 and I got it free with ECB’s at CVS. The phone came with 10 free minutes which 30 days later he still has a few left. The plan I got for him is about $6.50 a month.
Update*My husband got rid of his phone because he never used it.
To recap this is what I now pay for the 4 services
Telephone:
0000 ** 9/2015 Update ** 9.99 for annual software update = 83¢ a month
High Speed Internet
$19.99 Update my 2 years ran out and they raised it to $39.99
Cable
0000 I dropped Netflix and got an Android Box ( 1 time fee for the box , no monthly fee)= 0000
Cell Phones
Virgin Mobile $ 35.00 Unlimited -5.00 discount for registering for credit card payments = $30.00
Tracfone $6.50 = $41.50
Total Monthly expense = $70.82
Compare that to what you are paying now, do the math, challenge yourself and cut the cord!
How much can you save?
**Verizon Relationship Update**
Since our breakup I have received tons of mail from Verizon asking me to give them a second chance. Kind of like what you would expect from a crazy stalker ex boyfriend. I am getting letters begging me to get back together and offering me amazing deals that I am finding really hard to resist. They are telling me that “they have changed” and even wrote to me admitting the billing was an issue and it was their fault but they worked through that problem. Maybe they went to to see a billing therapist, who knows! I cringe everytime I find a offer from them in my mailbox. I want to just throw it away but curiosity makes me read it and damn it every time I do it makes me second guess our break up! They are telling me everything I want to hear! But I am trying to stand firm and stick to my guns. Once you break up and get back together it never really does work out the second time, right? Taylor Swift is a perfect example. Nope, sorry Verizon when this girl says we are never getting back together she really means it…. I think!
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