Big corporations try their best to make it easy on themselves to operate while still offering services at affordable prices to consumers – except Verizon. Sure, $2.00 isn’t much to tack on at the end of a bill, but it does add up when paying for Verizon’s ‘not-so-cheap’ 4G plans. And when consumers build their plans, they construct them to be as cost-efficient as possible. That’s why it’s hard to just let this one go.
There are a few ways to dodge this tiny bullet. The first, is to pull out that dusty checkbook and mail in your bill. The second, is sign up for Verizon’s ‘Auto Payment’ option to automatically withdraw funds through a monthly cycle. Then again, if your bank has their own automatic bill payment methods, that’s an option as well. Verizon Wireless gift cards are also not subject to the convenience fee.
I’ve been on many other carriers, and Verizon’s 4G LTE network has been the fastest by far – but that is expected when paying their steep prices. It’s not that you’re forking over another $24 a year to Big Red, it’s that your bill was already more expensive than the average cell phone company – and that’s when the nickels and dimes start to count. The $2.00 will not make me change carriers, but if their 4G LTE outage continues – that’s another story.
[via Droid Life]
Chase Online Bill pay is free with an account as are many other such programs.
You somehow left off the easiest method of saving the funds. While you mentioned “pull out the dusty old checkbook” to mail it in, you glossed over “pull out the dusty old checkbook and pay by electronic check (ACH)” like it clearly states in their list. Easier, faster, and free.
I don’t like this either, but let’s not purposefully ignore that they did leave a decent free online option right there that doesn’t require autopayment.
Great point, but overall, it’s a pathetic cash grab. Paying to pay is an extremely consumer-unfriendly way to do business.
You should never, EVER be penalized for paying your bill with your choice of payment method.
Wow these guys are pathetic. We should all pay by check again to force them to hire more people to process everything manually. Makes me sick.
And, I might add, keep out USPS in business.
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I agree this $2 fee is a pretty shitty practice. However, one thing that is nice is that they will let you pay your phone bill with a credit card (even when using their free automatic payment service). That means you can earn cash back and/or rewards on your credit card just for paying a regular monthly bill. Most utility companies don’t let customers pay regular monthly bills with a credit card unless you pay some sort of fee to do so, and it is usually more than $2. My monthly Verizon bill is over $300 (6 lines), so even at 1% or 2% cash back that is like getting a $3 – $6 discount on my bill.
Go here to sign the petition and get Verizon to scrap the plan: https://www.change.org/petitions/stop-verizon-wireless-from-charging-2-to-pay-your-bill-2
It appears that Verizon does not want to be in the business anymore.