"Toll" free calls...I don't think so

When the phones rings at my house lately...baby do we do some screening.

What irritates me is creditors calling me...they are ALWAYS a "TOLL" free call. That is a bunch of bull. They are not toll free, they are LOOKING for a toll. They are looking for money and looking for someone to talk to to remind them that they are struggling. I pay my bills, I pay them every month, Granted sometimes I am late, but who gains from that? THEM!! They zap me with a late charge and I pay more money to them just to get on track again.

My husband takes care of all the household bills, utilities and insurance. I have two credit cards that I am paying off, not having charged on either of them for two years. Of course I also buy the groceries ... household items and the kids school supplies, lunches and extra curricular activities and pay the medical and dental bills.

I will admit that I am NOT nice when I speak to them. I tell them of our current situation, tell them that I FAITHFULLY send them a check every month...and when it is late, it is to their DEFINITE advantage. I also tell them that there are millions of people totally defaulting on their debt, ignoring notices and statements...why not harass them a little more and take me off the hit list? LEAVE ME ALONE!!

I probably have a red mark by by name on the calling list and I couldn't care less. I would NEVER think of not paying my debts. It is true I have been struggling, but THEY are the ones reaping the rewards of my misfortune.

I do not need people calling me seven times a day to remind me that I owe them money, I am well aware of the fact...almost brutally aware.

I used to hang up when I answered the phone to hear "Please hold for important information regarding your..."
Then I decided to fight back.

I would tell them "Did you not receive my payment last month"? When they began with "Yes, but..." I stopped them dead in their tracks.

I told them the last thing that I needed in my life right now was a phone call reminding me that I owed them money. When Citi Group called the last time, I asked them if my being late caused them to lose any of their bail out money, and if it did maybe they could make up that revenue in the new stadium they had stupidly built with my late fees?

You know what? The calls have dwindled, I can actually answer the phone now. You have to stand up for yourself. There are millions and millions of people so in debt that they have no way of being able to settle their debt. I am not one of them, so why not call THOSE people!

Granted we are hurting, but I am not ignoring nor defaulting on anything that I owe anybody.

My husband said that they call me because I am one of the few that actually sends in a payment.

Well then send me a "Thank You" note and leave me alone. You know I send you a check with a fat late charge tagged on.

I ought to be "Customer of The Year". They should be sending me a plaque. Hell, I probably BUILT the new new "CITI" stadium.

Once my writing career takes off, I may write a book entitled "How to Tick Off Creditors and Influence The No Call List".

I feel like telling them if I have ONE more phone call to remind me of our plight, I will join the millions of others that ignore debt...live under a bridge and THEN how will they find me?

After writing this, I am almost WAITING for that next phone call...TOLL FREE of course and giving them a toll free ration of crap that they will wish they had never heard.

I pay my bills, I have had to pay them late , but I pay them...call someone that doesn't pay them at all and THEN get back to me!