Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Consumers should fight back by trimming their expenses

Forget about the international war on terror! We are fighting another kind of war right here at home. It's a war between those who provide goods and services and their victims, the consumers. Taxes, gas, electricity, water, telephone, cable, food, auto insurance, homeowners insurance, health insurance and anything else you can think of has mercilessly risen in cost. Everything is going up - except the income to pay for it all!

Since my employer doesn't understand that its whopping annual 3 percent cost of living increase does not cover the 200 percent combined rate increases of the above mentioned goods and services, I motivated myself. This week I called the telephone company and canceled all amenities. No more call waiting, call forwarding, caller ID or any other service I hardly used anyway. I reduced my monthly bill from $72 to $25. I then called Bright House and said I'll settle for a "Dark House." I canceled my computer's high-speed cable and also told the company I'll just take basic cable TV, thank you! In so doing, I reduced my cable bill from $78 per month to $28. To offset the electric rate increase, I now keep the air conditioner off while we are at work, and the water heater off except for one hour a day, which provides enough hot water for washing dishes and showering. I now ride my bike to work and save a bunch on gas and get much-needed exercise, to boot. Believe it or not, these simple steps effectively boosted my monthly income by $300.

Do I miss any of the above? "Nope." It's war, remember? War calls for sacrifice and the willingness to give something up today in order to make things better for tomorrow.

Think about the difference it would make if everyone sent the same message and hit the greedy people who offer our goods and services at overinflated prices where it hurts them the most: right in their own pockets!

A perfect economic storm

Re: Many more asking: What can I cut out? Sept. 27.

When I saw this front-page article, I realized that this country has reached a tipping point. The article discussed how people were saving and stretching their money. There was even a call for readers to share their own ideas for the community to save. I haven't seen this kind of thing since the early '90s when I was out of work. That was during a recession. But these are not recessionary times. Not yet! And the people in the article were not unemployed. They were working. But the high costs of gas, housing, insurance and medicines are now creating a kind of perfect storm.

I am in a car pool now, and all around me, I hear people talk about cutting back on expenses. This indeed has a snowball effect, compounding itself as time goes by. And the effect on the economy as a whole will be like another Katrina.

Just say no

Re: Many more asking: What can I cut out?

Cutting costs should be a two-way street, not just a consumer necessity. But I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for the American business community to try to reduce consumer costs, especially those who sell something we absolutely cannot do without.

Yes, far too many things in the United States are totally out of control, and this includes government at all levels. Florida government is surely far too friendly to insurance companies, public utilities and the health care industry. Our government has been far too lax in planning for and spending on such things as mass transportation and public health care, just to name two.

The average citizen in the good old U.S. of A. has no political representation. The Democrats sell their souls for votes to those looking to get something for free from the rest of us and the Republicans sell their souls for contributions from those wanting to sell something to us.

Actually, only those among us who are retired have the option to "cut out." By this, I mean cut out to Mexico or another country where the climate is better, and everything, including fuel and health care, is a whole lot cheaper.

The only way to stop a price gouger is to not buy what he's selling! Just say no!

Vote in economic self-defense

After reading your front-page story, Many more asking: What can I cut out? and Howard Troxler's column, Telephone company still doesn't have to care (Sept. 27), I have come to the conclusion that anyone who votes for a Republican in the up-coming elections is either a fool or so rich that who steals their money is of no concern.

Also it is time to change the name of the Public Service Commission to the Utilities Service Commission. They are a disgrace.

Find some responsible leaders

Re: Telephone company still doesn't have to care, by Howard Troxler.

It is shocking how much arrogance is displayed by our "public servants" in Tallahassee.

It is time to change this administration to some responsible lawmakers who care about the public.

Higher gas taxes would help

Re: Intelligent gas policy.

It is maddening listening to some TV talking heads suggesting tax relief to deal with high gas prices. More tax cuts are not the answer. Conservation and possibly higher gas taxes to force conservation are the answer. Some of these folks do not even have the common sense to look at the record high oil company profits! We are having record high deficits, and now we have the Katrina reconstruction on top of owning Iraq's reconstruction after the president's war of choice.

We need to tax gas to pay for all our debt, and lower the deficits. Higher gas taxes can help pay for the war, hurricane reconstruction, and force a culture of conservation in this SUV-happy country.

Answering machine is the answer

Re: Lose that home phone and leave those telemarketers hanging, Sept. 24.

In response to Sandra Thompson's column, there is an easy solution to that problem. Buy an answering machine and put the following message on it: "This is a private phone, and no business of any kind will be accepted. If you are family, friend or are calling to verify an appointment, leave your message and we will return your call."

Telemarketers and profiteers will not leave a message. And all our family and friends know how to "speak up" for me to pick up.

Unseemly indulgence

Re: A major in shopping, a minor in debt, Sept. 26.

This article at this time is in very bad taste. At a time when thousands of people are left with nothing but the clothes on their backs because of the hurricanes, an article on the runaway spending by college kids on clothes was absolutely obscene. My only thought is, God save America.

[Last modified September 29, 2005, 01:19:16]