Verizon Charging for Online Payments

I must admit I had to laugh at the news that Verizon Wireless was going to charge a $2 fee for paying bills online.  I don't think it's funny from the consumer's point of view, but rather, that the banks are charging Verizon enough to process payments that the fee was considered necessary to begin with.

I've seen and read a lot of talk about how people can't understand why a fee would be charged "for the privilege of paying the bill".  You are going to have to pay the bill anyway - Verizon is well known for it's aggressive collections.  There is no charge for paying at a Verizon Wireless store or mailing in your payment the old fashioned way.

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Yes, it takes an employee to process the free payment methods.  But these employees are already on the payroll - no new expense.  The fees for credit card processing - the kind done online and over the phone - requires ever increasing bank fees.  Thus, like any other business, the cost of this increase is paid for by the consumer.

Verizon could have transferred these increased bank charges by raising their rates, but instead chose the more transparent route of a processing fee.  I applaud them for this tactic, as it just might raise enough awareness of more bank greed that is required to put a legislative cap on it.  Here's hoping that the average consumer will place the blame where it belongs - not with Verizon, but rather with the banks.

How Much Stuff Do You Really Need?

Having a teenage child that is short on cash but wants to donate to Toys For Tots, we came up with an idea.  We are going through the things in her room and donated unwanted toys to the Salvation Army.

Certain items will forever hold memories, and those can be kept.  Most of it, however, can be donated.  We came across unopened items that were duplicate gifts in the same year.  These went to Toys For Tots.  In the process of going through things, we eliminated the clutter from the room at the same time as giving the toys a new life for another child.

It occurred to me that this same process can be used in the remainder of the house.

• Kitchen:  How many small appliances does a family actually need?  If it hasn't been used in over a year, it's time to let it go.
• Living/Family Room:  Pillows and throws, unused video games, VCR tapes - go through it!
• Bedrooms:  Sheet sets (especially ones with children's characters) that are no longer used, toys, books, and any other items that have not been touched in a long time that have no sentimental value.

If you cannot afford to donate these items, you can try to gain a little extra cash for them.  EBay, Amazon, and Craig's List all offer online marketplaces.  It does not take a lot of time to set up accounts, but EBay and Amazon each charge fees.  Craig's List is free, but you can expect many emails and/or phone calls.  Be careful of how much information you give out on Craig's List.