Wednesday, December 31, 2003

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The short version of the post right below is--if you want to get a better deal from a service company, ask to speak to cancellations. Even if you are just bluffing. Can't hurt, usually helps. 11:29:29 PM    comment []

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Beating Discounts Out of Companies I'm getting tough. I've had the same Sprint PCS plan for the last year. $79 for 2000 anytime minutes, shared between two lines (no extra $20 for the sharing!). In all honesty, I thought that was a pretty good deal. But, with the advent of number portability, I decided, on principle, they needed to sweeten the pot. So, I called and laid out my request. I had to jaw quite a while, and only made progress once I threatened (idly) to cancel, and got passed over to "retention", who found a way to knock an additional 5% off my bill with a corporate discount (I did have to enter a new 1-year contract). Then I destroyed my cell phone by closing it in my car door. That was my fault, but I hadn't gotten a new phone from Sprint in 2 years, so I figured I was entitled to a subsidized one, if I would extend my service contract. But they have a rule that you only qualify if you have had the same phone for at least 18 months, and that wasn't the case, because I had bought a new phone--out of my own pocket--earlier this year. So I went the cancellation route again, and after more jawing, they said they had no way to waive the 18-month requirement, but they could give me a $100 credit. Deal. My next victim was the cable/internet/digital phone company, Comcast. I'm paying $46/month for full-speed cable internet, which is about the going rate, but the price hasn't gone down at all. Plus, I am also a Comcast phone and cable TV customer, so my total bill is close to $100/month (we only have el-cheapo $7/month basic cable). I didn't get a lot out of them, even after going the cancellation route. They started making noises about giving me a richer cable TV offering, but I never even got to the point of finding out how how good a deal they had in mind, because I just don't want that (bad for kids). Anyway, all I could get out of them was a temporary, 6-month rate of $40. So my calendar is marked in June to beat some more! My father-in-law, who really relishes this sort of combat (I am only just getting a taste for it) will be proud! 11:28:36 PM    comment []

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Just got a Logitech cordless mouse/keyboard MX combo. I really like the MS Intellimouse (a 5-button mouse is a must), which I have at work, but I never saw that for less the MS combo for less than $99, and I found this for $60 after rebate. The keyboard is nice, has all kinds of buttons I've never had before, as does the mouse, which is really an 8-button mouse. Not sure about the value of the extra 3 buttons; they are small and not as easy to reach. 11:15:26 PM    comment []

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The state of Minnesota has a law that the county administrator can make no more than 90% of the governor's salary. How absurd. It is equally absurd that the governor's salary is so low, that this is a problem not only in principle, but also in practice. 11:10:51 PM    comment []