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Year in Review…

DebtAway — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:00:28 +0000

I like to spend a little time on the last day of each year and reflect on what I’ve learned.

1. When you pay off credit cards and car loans, banks turn into the very worst version of your mother. They write sappy love notes telling you how much you are missed and wouldn’t it be nice if you’d care to spend the holidays with them?

2. It’s never too early to start teaching children about the perils of debt – but constantly singing ‘If you’re happy and debt free clap your hands’ to your six month old nephew may annoy his mother.

3. It was somehow possible to lower my already sub-par vacationing standards. I went from ‘Motel 4 type establishments’ to ‘tents with 25 cent showers’ – and it wasn’t bad!

4. Marrying my best friend and celebrating five years of wedded bliss was the best decision I ever made – well…other than the decision to wear clean underwear in case of an emergency.

5. Blog readers are awesome, supportive, and helpful. Thanks for helping me grow.

6. I’ve had more than my fair share of laughter and joy. Regardless of the numbers on my bank statement, the interest rate of my mortgage, or drama of life, my family and friends are unchanging. I am a very lucky girl.

Please be safe tonight. Save money, stay home.

Cancel Your Sprint Contract Without Penalty – January 2010

MoneyBlogger — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:45:25 +0000

This is just a reminder that as of 1/1/10, Sprint is changing their contracts to add a “Regulatory Charge” of 20 cents per month. This is essentially a fee that they are adding to your contract, as it is not a consumer tax nor is it required by law. Because of this, you can now cancel your Sprint contract without an early termination fee (ETF). You must do this within 30 days of notification (check your billing statement).

After some early pushback, it appears that most Sprint reps are now aware of this legit exit plan. Commenter Stephan also shared a handy script that has been used successfully by several readers:

“Hello. I’m calling about my current contract with Sprint and the new 40 cents per line regulatory charge that Sprint will be introducing this January. The latest Terms & Conditions contract I signed with Sprint was in [year], and under that contract, it specifically states that as a Sprint customer, I have the right to terminate my contract without paying an early termination fee in the event that Sprint makes a material change to its agreement with me, and so long as I notify Sprint of my desire to do so within 30 days of such a change. This new 40 cent per line regulatory charge constitutes a material change to the Terms & Conditions agreement I signed, and therefore, I would like to exercise my right under the agreement to terminate my contract without any early termination fee.”

A few testimonials:

I called today read the script that Stephan wrote and it was like magic.. she didn’t argue just said.. ok sir.. but you will need to wait to cancel till Jan 1st 2010 and forward me to her managers voicemail to state thats what I want to do.

The beauty of information on the Internet! I ordered two Iphones with At&t last week and placed my call today with Sprint. The call took maybe 35 seconds. All I mentioned was “I want to terminate my contract and port both of my numbers to another carrier because of the 2010 regulatory charge”. The sprint rep said “you’re certainly entitled to do that sir”. Then, he gave me a confirmation number which waived the EFTS on both lines. The end. I already ported one Iphone today, working great.

I gave the spiel that Stephan scripted out above, and it worked like a charm:) I was put on hold for about 10 minutes and when the rep came back on the line she told me that I was set up to terminate on January 26th. (This is because my billing cycle starts and ends on the 26th. They cannot prorate, they set the termination at the end of your current billing cycle so keep this in mind.)

If pressed, you should always focus on the fact that they made a material change to your contract and by law you are allowed to cancel without a ETF. Don’t get sidetracked by your satisfaction with your phone, coverage, etc. If you don’t get satisfaction immediately, either ask for a supervisor or simply hang up and talk to another customer service representative. Good luck!

Update: Instead of *2, you may find it faster to call Sprint’s Cancellation (formally called “Retentions”) department directly if you run into long hold times. Try 888-567-5528, 800-235-1185, or 888-211-4727.

Employee or Student Discounts for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, AllTel

MoneyBlogger — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:25:52 +0000

Just about every major cell phone provider has discount for large corporations or groups, even when it’s an existing personal line. While most people know about their company’s discount, some do a bad job of advertising them. In addition, many folks can get student/employer discounts using their school e-mails. So grab your work or school e-mails, visit these links, and find out what discounts are available to you. You may be pleasantly surprised.

I just found out that I could even get $10 off an iPhone plan from AT&T Wireless. Tempting!

AT&T Wireless: Premier Student & Employer Discounts

AT&T has business agreements with thousands of corporations, government agencies and educational institutions to offer wireless products & services to their employees and students at a significant discount.

Verizon: Employee Discounts

Verizon Wireless offers great discounts on products and services to many companies and government agencies. You may be eligible to take advantage of these discounts and save on:

• New phones and calling plans for you or your family
• Phone upgrades to one of our latest models
• A wide selection of accessories

Existing Verizon Wireless customers that are eligible for a discount can register their phone number with Verizon Wireless and have a monthly discount applied to their calling plan.

T-Mobile Corporate Discount Program

Employees of contracted T-Mobile Business Customers may request a corporate discount. The discount ranges from 0% to 15%, per Business Customer monthly volume. If available, the discount will appear on your monthly bill.

Sprint / Nextel: Employee Value Program

Submit your email address to find out if your employer qualifies for discounts through Sprint Nextel. Sprint has business agreements with hundreds of corporations and government agencies to offer wireless products and services at a significant discount when purchased online or over the phone.

AllTel Wireless: Employee and School Affiliation Discounts

If your employer is a participant in Alltel’s affinity programs, you’ll get great deals on:

* Wireless calling plans for you and your family
* New phones
* Upgrades to your existing phone or plan
* Accessories

These discounts are not just for new customers. Existing customers can begin to receive monthly discounts as well.