Some days I am convinced that my life is a train trip that keeps stopping to rest at the Absurdity Station.
We returned from Cuba to face a few bills, as one would expect. One of which was from VISA. It was the usual follow up statement noting we'd paid off the bill in full last time, but it had an exciting twist. Said credit card company has changed the way it charges interest. I can't think how it put it and I refuse to look because it's annoying, but the upshot was that even though the bill had no outstanding charge on it, we were still dinged for interest.
Sixty-eight cents.
Yes, that's right. They spent fifty-seven cents on a stamp, plus two pages of the bill itself, plus envelope, and worker time and ink and dog-knows-what else to charge me $00.68.
First I laughed. Then I realized they are so sticky about this sort of thing they'd send a collection agency after me to get it if I didn't pay up pronto. That vision made me laugh, too, as I could imagine the lousy publicity they'd get when word got out that they'd sicced the dogs on me.
Instead I chose to fight absurdity with absurdity.
I sent them a cheque for the full amount. Sure, there's a cost to me, but someone there will have to go through the trouble and expense of cashing it.
Have a nice day VISA.
Don't spend it all in one place.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
14 comments:
Way to go. I would have done the same.
Thanks, David. Glad to know it.
You are the second person in two days I have heard this happened to.
The other person demanded that they reverse the charge, which they did, and then closed the account.
Yes, it could be a funny experiment to see if they would ultimately take you to court for that, but time consuming.
You handled it well.
Thanks, Messymimi. I was tempted to call them to see if they'd forgive it, but this way was much more exciting.
How absolutely absurd! Yes, I hope they had fun cashing it! I've never heard of a company billing someone for that little interest! Guess maybe they don't want your business!
Oh, Redbush, I hope so, too.
I have had a similar experience. Mine was 23 cents. Honest. The postage alone cost them twice as much as they garnered.
Ridiculous.
dfBag Lady, you win.
This would drive me crazy. Life is .... you used the best word. I'm always amazed at the absurdity of life. :-)
Mary
Mary, absurdity never fails to throw me.
That kind of thing frosts my mudflaps.
Bwahahahahaha! Great move, Leah. Credit card companies commit absolute inanities in the annals of absurdity (and absurdities in the annals of inanity. And asininity. Grrrr!).
Mine, too, Clare.
Why thank you, Thomma Lyn. And I couldn't agree more.
The city of Mississauga decided that I owed them 12 cents interest on my last year's tax bill. I simply added it on when I started paying off this year's bill but they actually sent me a separate invoice for 12 freakin' cents. My tax dollars at work.
Post a Comment