I am so mad now...

[Suzyq9241]

O.k. My problem is we are on a family plan for our cell phones right...dd, daunt, dh and myself...

I pay the bill every month with getting not a penny from anyone else.... the bill is around 300.00 a month....

Well my daughter notice that she gets an upgrade .... I told her NO
well my aunt decides to take her to get it and than she puts this text message thing on the bill which remind you I pay.... not her, not my daughter, not my dh but me I pay it.....

So my question is what do I do ....

If I cancel it ... I pay 175.00 per phone to cut it off...we have 4 phones ... everytime I talk to her it goes in one ear and out the other...

HELP.....

 

[alleonna]

oh. this is only a simple suggestion.. why don't talk things out with your daughter and explain to her the situation that your having a hard time paying the phone bills and that upgrading her phone would cost you more problems. Try a heart to heart talk... try also to listen to her side why she really need the phone. Good luck!

 

[epcotking]

I say, cut it off...or at least suspend service. Freak them out, and tell them that they'll have to start helping to pay it.

Secondly, I think this would have done a little better in a different thread, so don't be surprised if it gets moved.

 

[momrek06]

OKAY..same thing..I have 4 family members on the phone bill...2 DS' and DH and me...

DS #1 pays for his own. I called Verizon to give me the breakdown of each phone (as I had trouble figuring out the entire bill)....I know what each person owes.

DS #2 is away until Jan 2007 studying overseas with his college. His BASIC bill was $45.00 a month. I was able to put the phone ON SUSPEND through Verizon for $5.00 a month as he will NOT be using it.

TELL YOUR DD and anyone else NOT PAYING THEIR SHARE that their PHONE will go ON SUSPEND until they pay YOU.

Even if you do not have Verizon, call your carrier and ask about it....

BUT, OP, there is nothing wrong with THREATENING to do that....why should they have the phone and add features w/o tell you and you having to PAY the BILL month after month.

 

[Indianadisneyfan]

Who's name is on the account. If it's just yours call them and say that she can't add any new services to your account,and you want it removed NOW(text messeging) I had this problem with work. They would'nt let my manager ask about the acccount because she wasn't on the contract. If they say no just ask her to help pay the bill and if she says no than you have no other option but to take her phone away for about 2 weeks or so until she gets the hint.

 

[Lisa_Belle]

Personally, I would keep the phones and remove the upgrade (I am assuming this is a service upgrade) because most companies will let you change plans as long as you keep service. If it's a phone upgrade you might be better off keeping them. Then, I would take away DD's phone because she went behind your back after you told her no. Tell her when she pays you back for the implemented costs she can have her phone back. Then I would take dear auntie off the plan for pretty much the same reason. After DD (and auntie) earn phone privileges back, I would tell them they have to pay their share of the costs or forfeit their phone(s). It sounds harsh, but your job as a parent is to teach your kids responsibility. In the real world, if she didn't pay her bill, the phone service would disconnect her faster than she could say "Can you hear me now?"

 

[PaulaSue]

How old is she?

I would take the phone and keep until she starts paying a share of her bill or earning it with good grades/behavior. I would see about putting a limit on DD phone too and only you can change it.

I would also tell daunt to fork over her share too.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Where's your aunt in all of this? I think that since she (assuming she's a grown adult) was the one to authorize the upgrade, Daunt should be the one to pay for it.

My (and my DH) family would never hear the end of it if they superceded my authority as a mother and my right to tell my child no. Daunt should have conferred with you before making changes that affect your bottom line.

 

[Luv'sTink]

Remove the text service and put phone on suspend for a while.

 

[Katwillow1]

definitely SUSPEND!!!

 

[Suzyq9241]

My daughter did not I repeat did not get the phone but.....
the aunt did change the bill.... and now instead what is supposed to be only 89.00 is now 165.00.... I am not trying to save not spend....

 

[nephthys43]

if the plan is in your name, aunt has no legal right to change anything. i'd call the company and have everything switched back. then suspend the lines until everyone reaches an agreement about who's making the payments. if it's in aunt's name, stop paying the bill and hand it to her. she changed it, she pays.

 

[byoung]

Put the plan on hold.

 

[nurseypoo5]

Who's name is that phone in. I know several have asked but i dont think you addressed it yet. THat makes a huge difference.

If its in YOUR name only (you pay the bill afterall, its an assumption) then I would call the carrier and raise holy hell! How dare anyone (that means i can call your company and add something to your bill?) do that? Unless you've in writing given permission, then your out of luck. Phone companies are notorias for giving attitude.

In the meantime, i would SUSPEND those accounts (except DH). They need to be paying. Your DD if she's old nuff for a phone, in my opinion she's old nuff for a job. (not sure why little kids need phones, but thats my opinion), if no job, no phone. DA needs to get off her butt and pay too, she's an adult im assuming?

Yup suspend them. Most if not all carriers do that now days, for 5 bucks a month. It doesnt take time off your plan (say you have a 2 yr contract) but it will FREAK THEM OUT.

DO not let that company give you a new contract. I would also suspend text messeging privledges. Kids use them when they are in school, church whatever, why cant they just get a call after 9pm or on weekends. My daughter once had 3,000 in one month. She is 21 and no longer has a phone, and hasnt in 2 yrs.

 

[UP Disney]

My DH couldn't even make changes to our service until I gave written permission for him to do so. If you have your aunt on as being allowed, minimally I would take her off so that she can't ever do anything like this in the future regardless of how you resolve the current issue.

 

[Suzyq9241]

The phone bill is in her name... but for some reason I took over the bill paying...I don't know how it happened but now I am paying the whole thing...

 

[Sneezie]

Oh well that's easy.

Stop paying!

It's not in your name. You have paid your share (and more) it would seem.

If you wouldn't feel right doing that, pay your and your dh's share, have your dd pay her share and your daunt pay hers.

If they don't like that deal, let the phones get cut off and get your own (separate) account

 

[bemily]

I would take your phone and DHs phone and have that moved to your own account. Then either let your aunt pay for hers and your daughters (since she seems to be approving all these expensive changes), or let your daughter pay her own. You are nuts to pay that much!

 

[UtahMama]

Tough Love...you deep down alredy know the answer to your own delema.
Good Luck! Dont allow your child to take advantage of you anymore...you're doing her a favor even if it's ugly for a while! Meltdown Eminent

 

[alleonna]

hmmm... if its really a problem talking with her.. i believe you better stop paying. Anyway it was not in your name. Then if she can't pay it, telecom company cut it off... no more phone.. no more problem.