Just say no!

I was on the phone with my local phone/cable/internet bundler yesterday. I won't name names, but here's a hint: it starts with V and ends in erizon.

The woman helping me was very friendly and thorough and cleared up my billing question for me in about 90 seconds. Great! I was very happy at that point. At which moment she says, "And since we value you so much as a customer, I'm happy to tell you about some freebies we have for you."

Anyone who knows me know how perky I get at the sound of the word "freebie", so I was eagerly anticipating the benefits they were about to offer me. Silly Perky! As she started to tell me about the "freebies", it became very clear very quickly that these were definitely NOT free. What they were offering was an opportunity to add on features to my account that I don't need and they would graciously wait two weeks before starting to bill me for them.

Now, I understand that they're in business to make money, so that part didn't bother me so much. It's called suggestive selling and anyone in retail whose worth anything will always do it at any opportunity.

Here's what made me mad -- after I politely turned down the first two "freebies", she then said to me, "Okay, well here's an offer I KNOW that you can't POSSIBLY refuse," and then proceeded to offer me something else that we don't need.

Excuse me, but DO NOT tell me that I can't refuse! That's just guaranteeing that I will! I understand that she was just doing her job as it was set forth to her by her managers, but I was doing my job as an educated consumer who is totally committed to improving my family's financial condition, both in the short-term and the long-term!

If not for RockStar's adamant refusal to even consider it, I would have cancelled the cable altogether when we recently bundled our services. As it is, we're paying less than we were before and getting more; however, I don't know how much of the "more" we really need!

The moral of today's story? Don't be afraid to say no. Just because someone is offering, doesn't convey on you an obligation to accept. Be an educated, conscious consumer and only buy what you need and no more!