Also, never, under any circumstances, allow a company to automatically withdraw funds directly from your bank account.
“Ope, we’ve changed the terms of service, and charged you a backdated amount based on the new terms of service you’ve already consented to by paying us”
They don’t get a dime until I know for damn sure I’m giving it to them. If an organization refuses to do business with you without direct access to your bank account, it’s because their business model depends on them being able to fuck you.
Credit cards and physical paper checks only for recurring transactions. Amex if they’ll take it. Don’t let them keep your debit card on file either.
I submit a payment manually through my bank. Every month. Paying all of my bills this way takes about 5 minutes, once a month. At some point you have to ask yourself how much you’ve given up for the illusion of convenience.
What you gain throug these “5 minutes” is the illusion of control. You repeat a manual task over and over just to tell yourself that this changes something. You don’t have the choice not to pay. You don’t have more control over what you pay.
I check my account movements every months. It really only takes five minutes. If there was a mistake, I’ll have the bank to check it or call the company myself. You have to do that too, in addition to doing the bills yourself.
It is so strange and incredible reading americans having issues with auto payments. But I presume you do not have anything like Direct Debit, and the protections that some with that, like having to notify you well in advance of payment changes, or if the wrong amount is taken you get it back.
Go back to sending them a check for every payment, like my 87 year old mother insists on doing. Make them work for it.
Seriously, do this.
Also, never, under any circumstances, allow a company to automatically withdraw funds directly from your bank account.
“Ope, we’ve changed the terms of service, and charged you a backdated amount based on the new terms of service you’ve already consented to by paying us”
They don’t get a dime until I know for damn sure I’m giving it to them. If an organization refuses to do business with you without direct access to your bank account, it’s because their business model depends on them being able to fuck you.
Credit cards and physical paper checks only for recurring transactions. Amex if they’ll take it. Don’t let them keep your debit card on file either.
What? And pay your utilities manually every month? At some point you have to ask yourself what the monetary value of your lifetime is.
Correct.
I submit a payment manually through my bank. Every month. Paying all of my bills this way takes about 5 minutes, once a month. At some point you have to ask yourself how much you’ve given up for the illusion of convenience.
What you gain throug these “5 minutes” is the illusion of control. You repeat a manual task over and over just to tell yourself that this changes something. You don’t have the choice not to pay. You don’t have more control over what you pay.
I check my account movements every months. It really only takes five minutes. If there was a mistake, I’ll have the bank to check it or call the company myself. You have to do that too, in addition to doing the bills yourself.
It is so strange and incredible reading americans having issues with auto payments. But I presume you do not have anything like Direct Debit, and the protections that some with that, like having to notify you well in advance of payment changes, or if the wrong amount is taken you get it back.
https://www.directdebit.co.uk/direct-debit-guarantee/
You can also cancel it directly from your bank app as well, no messing around, its a simple 2 click process.
I worked at a bank and our customers had to pay more money the more checks they brought in. Won’t be surprised if they started charging for that too.