Frugal DNA

The benefits of talking gadgets, technology, and college buddy competition in "toys" is the discovery of cost and value.  When I asked R.M. what his cable, internet, phone bundle package cost per month I discovered I was "asleep at the switch".  R.M.'s 200mbs download, premium cable channel package was close to what I was paying per month for 30mbs, and no HBO. 

To add misery to the moment, I discovered my own promotion packages had run out (over 3 months ago) and the cost increase was $55/mth (yes just the increase!) - a mere 44%!   This was large enough that I actually considered calling the EVIL EMPIRE -Time Warner (whom I hate and vowed never to become a customer again) to find out what they could offer.

Now I have blogged about this constantly over the years (but silent for almost 3 yrs):
Cost of Speed  7/2/13
Entertainment Inflation 2/14/12
Rate Prison 11/25/11
Delighting the Customer 9/6/11
Contracts vs Expectations 9/1/11
Cost Meter  1/29/11
Individual Prices 10/31/10
A shift in Time  1/25/10
Cost of Communications/Entertainment/Subscriptions  9/1/09   The Granddaddy of them all!

My desire and attention to analyze this in my normal "analysis paralysis" was dormant for 3 years - would this cause it to regenerate? I decided to call CBT FiOptics to give them the opportunity to save me the time and allow them to keep my business without the normal ANALYSIS PARALYSIS.

The result was a 25 minute call and a reduction of $28/mth for one year (that was at least 51%  of the way to reducing the inflation pain).  Just enough to keep me from going the extra "analysis" mile.............. UNTIL ........  

I looked in my office mailbox (was it a coincidence?) and lo and behold appeared a Time Warner teaser offer -  my package that I had just negotiated Time Warner offered for $15/mth lower.  UGH!!  My equilibrium was shattered.  Should I .... could I......  would I......  attempt to see if it was comparing apples to apples?  Was it worth the deadline call before June 13?

Add to the teaser rate - Time Warner's offer for a 30 day money back guarantee and the final temptation ---  "Ask how to get a $300 Visa Reward Card available with select packages".  This sounded worse that the free vacation packages you win with the telemarketers.

So -  is it worth $180  ($15/mth times 12 months) to even consider switching to the Evil Cable Company?

NO  -   But looking back at 9/1/2009 and doing an analysis of the total costs of communications/entertainment/subscriptions is probably worth re doing.  You just can't get the frugal out of my DNA :)