Reasonable time to pay a bill (Victor: insurance, credit card, loan)
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I don't know where else to discuss this, so as a NYS resident, I'll drop it here....
I'm probably wrong, but I seem to recall that as a consumer, we have the right to a "reasonable time" in order to pay a bill. As an example, I received my cable tv/internet bill approximately an hour ago, on January 17th. I opened it up, to make sure the amount is correct, and I happened to see the "due date"....it's January 26th, nine days from now!!
My complaint isn't about the lack of money to cover it, rather not having a reasonable amount of time to pay it. Yes, I've already written the check, and will put it in the mail tomorrow. But if there's any delay in the mail service, and/or delay in Spectrum's accounting department, I couple be ripe for a "late charge". Seems way too easy for businesses to generate extra revenue by purposely sending out their statements late, on purpose....
I don't know where else to discuss this, so as a NYS resident, I'll drop it here....
I'm probably wrong, but I seem to recall that as a consumer, we have the right to a "reasonable time" in order to pay a bill. As an example, I received my cable tv/internet bill approximately an hour ago, on January 17th. I opened it up, to make sure the amount is correct, and I happened to see the "due date"....it's January 26th, nine days from now!!
My complaint isn't about the lack of money to cover it, rather not having a reasonable amount of time to pay it. Yes, I've already written the check, and will put it in the mail tomorrow. But if there's any delay in the mail service, and/or delay in Spectrum's accounting department, I couple be ripe for a "late charge". Seems way too easy for businesses to generate extra revenue by purposely sending out their statements late, on purpose....
I'm curious. Is this a new due date from previous months? I haven't received my bill yet, but I know it's always due on the 6th, no matter if my bill is lost in the mail.
I have found that most businesses will bill you a late charge if it's received after the due date. Payments to the government, like taxes and water bills will not get a late charge as long as the post mark is the due date, or earlier. Same goes for insurance payments.
I don't know if anyone still does this, I know it was more prevalent in business, but 30 days net, pay in 10 days 10% discount.
If you read the fine print for most credit cars, they say you owe them from the date of purchase. I always pay my cards off, but I believe for those who are making payments, you pay based on purchase date, while those that pay it off, get a sometimes 30 day free loan.
I've already written the check, and will put it in the mail tomorrow. But if there's any delay in the mail service, and/or delay in Spectrum's accounting department, I couple be ripe for a "late charge".
That's why most people pay their bills online now.
Isn’t it the same bill and due date every month for a service like that? Wonder if it got lost in the mail. Is it usually that short of notice ?
I'm not positive, as my method of operation is to open my mail in the late morning, after it arrives, and later in the day, write out the check and then it's in the return mail the next morning. How much faster can I be?? I've been retired for a while, so I have the luxury of time, that allows me to do that.
However, having said that, back when I was working full time, I frequently worked 6 days a week, as well as 10-12 hour shifts. I cherished my free time, what little I had, and writing checks wasn't as big a priority during those hectic weeks. I needed a little time to unwind, at the end of the workday.
My bill paying day was Sunday afternoon. We have a small TV on a shelf in our kitchen, and I'd gather up my bills, my checkbook, go to the kitchen and tune in a sporting event on the TV, then sit at the island writing out checks, and mail them out on Monday morning.
Here's the point that I'm REALLY getting at....the above scenario was my "M.O." for a LONG time, and I never had any issues. Lately, however, I get a bill, and it's due in a VERY short period of time. Fail to get the payment in within that very narrow window, and they're hitting you with a $30 "late fee", and then another $2-3 in "interest charges". I'm thinking that it's far too easy for the credit card outfits to create a situation where you simply can't pay the bill on time, and they get to rack up a tidy sum in late charges.....
I'm not positive, as my method of operation is to open my mail in the late morning, after it arrives, and later in the day, write out the check and then it's in the return mail the next morning. How much faster can I be?? I've been retired for a while, so I have the luxury of time, that allows me to do that.
However, having said that, back when I was working full time, I frequently worked 6 days a week, as well as 10-12 hour shifts. I cherished my free time, what little I had, and writing checks wasn't as big a priority during those hectic weeks. I needed a little time to unwind, at the end of the workday.
My bill paying day was Sunday afternoon. We have a small TV on a shelf in our kitchen, and I'd gather up my bills, my checkbook, go to the kitchen and tune in a sporting event on the TV, then sit at the island writing out checks, and mail them out on Monday morning.
Here's the point that I'm REALLY getting at....the above scenario was my "M.O." for a LONG time, and I never had any issues. Lately, however, I get a bill, and it's due in a VERY short period of time. Fail to get the payment in within that very narrow window, and they're hitting you with a $30 "late fee", and then another $2-3 in "interest charges". I'm thinking that it's far too easy for the credit card outfits to create a situation where you simply can't pay the bill on time, and they get to rack up a tidy sum in late charges.....
I recall 30 days to pay a bill back before the internet. Now, it seems, the bill is do now obviously because one can pay online in most cases. I don't follow that ....I do my bills twice a month, in the middle of any given month and at the end of each month regardless in what their due date states. I've had no issues with this method, late payments etc..
I don't know where else to discuss this, so as a NYS resident, I'll drop it here....
I'm probably wrong, but I seem to recall that as a consumer, we have the right to a "reasonable time" in order to pay a bill. As an example, I received my cable tv/internet bill approximately an hour ago, on January 17th. I opened it up, to make sure the amount is correct, and I happened to see the "due date"....it's January 26th, nine days from now!!
My complaint isn't about the lack of money to cover it, rather not having a reasonable amount of time to pay it. Yes, I've already written the check, and will put it in the mail tomorrow. But if there's any delay in the mail service, and/or delay in Spectrum's accounting department, I couple be ripe for a "late charge". Seems way too easy for businesses to generate extra revenue by purposely sending out their statements late, on purpose....
They really really really do not want you to send a check. That costs them money because they have to pay people to handle that piece of paper.
They want you to pay online and preferably by automatic deduction from your account.
So they make it annoying to pay the way they don't want, and short due dates is part of that. Have you been subjected yet to the bills that come on oddly sized pieces of paper and in envelopes that open from the bottom? They aren't doing that to add fun to our lives.
They really really really do not want you to send a check. That costs them money because they have to pay people to handle that piece of paper.
They want you to pay online and preferably by automatic deduction from your account.
So they make it annoying to pay the way they don't want, and short due dates is part of that. Have you been subjected yet to the bills that come on oddly sized pieces of paper and in envelopes that open from the bottom? They aren't doing that to add fun to our lives.
Yes, I believe that one of my wife's credit account statement is some weird size, and not only that, they don't include a return envelope.....
Where the real issue for us, is this. So far, the only accounts that we've had issue with, are the cable TV/internet bill from Spectrum, and my wife's fairly new accounts with Gap/Banana Republic and Victorias Secret. The solution with my wife's card is to simply use my Visa account, which hasn't been an issue, with respect to billing dates, at least so far. The only down side to that, for my wife, would be losing the "points" that they give her, for using those store's card. The Spectrum bill, which is what really annoys me, might require some other sort of remedy.....
Some of these clowns won’t even let you pay with a credit card. They want electronic check or direct account debit.
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