CyberCJH's Blog

I don’t know what to make of the se ultra-cheap gas prices.

Since December of 2004, I’ve kept track of how much I spent per gallon, how many miles I’ve driven per tank and where I filled up.

Why? For a couple of reasons. First, it’s proactive. A sudden drop in MPG usually indicates something has gone wrong with the internal workings of your automobile.

Second, if you get a bad tank of gas, you need to know where you last filled up.

And third, it’s just interesting.

Today, I paid $1.649 per gallon when I filled up. This is the cheapest price since I’ve started keeping records … and I started keeping records when I lived in Jersey where the gas tax is significantly less than it is in Florida. In Jersey, the price per gallon is running about $1.459ish.

To see just how far and hard gas prices have fallen, take a look at the chart I made. It’s just incredible.

These cheap gas prices are either this year’s Christmas miracle or the incredibly elaborate scam that caused prices to go up so far to begin with has finally fallen apart.

written by cybercjh

Over the course of the past 6 days, I’ve went to 5 different CVS stores a total of 8 times and completed my first $50 offer to receive the $120 P&G coupon book. I’m planning on submitting the offer twice (under different addresses, of course).

I never went out of my way … all the CVS stores were on my way to places I was going anyway.

Here’s what I ended up getting …

• ×2 Pantene Shampoo (Reg $7.99) Sale $5.99
• ×10 2pk Duracell C Batteries (Reg $5.79) Sale $2.99
• ×2 4pk Duracell AA Batteries (Reg $5.99) Sale $2.99
• ×2 4pk Duracell AAA Batteries (Reg $5.99) Sale $2.99

Subtotal : $97.84
- CVS Sale Savings : $44.00
= Total Towards P&G Coupon Book : $53.84
- CVS Coupon Savings : $35.00 (used 7 $5 off 2 Duracell Batteries coupons)
- Manufacturer Coupon Savings : $5.50
= Out of Pocket Total : $13.34
- Earned Extra Bucks : 4.00
= Net Total : $9.34 … Savings of 90%

Now, time to get started on the second $120 P&G coupon book.

written by cybercjh

Chrysler told its employees yesterday that it is stopping all vehicle production in the US for at least a month.

All 30 plants will close after the last shift on December 19, and employees were asked not to return to work until January 19.  A total of 46,000 employees will be affected.

Chrysler usually shuts down operations between December 24 and January 5, but this closure would add about two weeks to that shutdown.

It makes you stop and think …

Chrysler has recently told the government that it needs $4 billion to survive through March 31. And, the government doesn’t seem to be in too much of a hurry to give money to Chrysler, Ford or GM.

I wonder if this shut-down might end up being temporarily permanent.

written by cybercjh

Back on 12/8, I ordered two DTV Converter boxes from Dish Network. I’m not a Dish Network subscriber, but they’re the seller of the TR-40, the best DTV converter box on the market today in my opinion. DTV converter boxes will be needed in February for TVs that still receive over-the-air broadcasts when the transition from analog to digital will occur. We have a couple of such TVs, so I used my two $40 government coupons to buy two TR-40s.

I paid $19.08 for taxes and shipping on my credit card the day I purchased the converter boxes. But, yesterday I received a statement from Dish Network asking me to again pay $19.08 by 12/28. I went to dishnetwork.com and chatted with Gary. This is what transpired. It gets really funny towards the end – where it’s bold.

Please wait while we find a representative to assist you…
You have been connected to (03) Gary M.
(03) Gary M: Thank you for choosing Dish Network the leader in DVR and HD. I will be happy to assist you today. Please give me 2-3 minutes to access your account and review the information you have already provided.
(03) Gary M: I understand your concern, let me check this for you.
(03) Gary M: Please give me 2-3 minutes to research this.
ME: OK.
(03) Gary M: Thank you for your time and patience.
(03) Gary M: I see that your account has a zero balance.
(03) Gary M: We have already received your payment for $19.08.
ME: Why then Dish Network send me a statement telling me I must pay $19.08 by 12/28?
(03) Gary M: Please ignore this messages.
(03) Gary M: I apologize for the inconvenience.
ME: Will you please send me an updated statement showing I owe $0?
(03) Gary M: Yes, I can do that for you however it will incur $2.00 statement fee. However, you can view this current statement through your Online account.
ME: You’re kidding me, right?
ME: First, you send me a statement telling me I must pay $19.08 by 12/28 which is WRONG, then you tell me I have to pay $2 to get a CORRECT statement?
ME: This is DISH NETWORK’S mistake.
ME: Not MY mistake.
ME: DISH NETWORK can send me an updated CORRECT statement FOR FREE, not for $2.
ME: Anyway, I tried to view the statement through the ONLINE ACCOUNT but it tells me I must be a DISH NETWORK subscriber. I’m not a subscriber. I only bought two DTV converter boxes from you.
(03) Gary M: To confirm it that your account has a zero balance, you can also call at 1-800-333-3474.
(03) Gary M: My OP-ID is VD6.
ME: Or, you can send me a correct statement. For free.
(03) Gary M: I wish I could do that for you.
ME: So, is this a standard practice of Dish Network? To send incorrect statements out demanding money from customers who don’t owe anything?
(03) Gary M: I apologize for the inconvenience.
ME: Can I have the CEO’s name and mailing address, please?
ME: Charles Ergen, CEO and Chairman of the Board for EchoStar Communications … CEO@echostar.com …
ME: Nevermind, I found it myself. I’ll be sending him a copy of this chat transcript.
(03) Gary M: Wonderful!
(03) Gary M: Is there another issue that I may assist you with?
ME: Can you please reconfirm that you will not send me a correct statement, to correct Dish Network’s mistake, without charging me for it?
(03) Gary M: All right.
(03) Gary M: I have your billing address as XXXX XX XXXXX XXX.
(03) Gary M: Is that correct?
ME: That is correct.
(03) Gary M: Thank you for the confirmation.
(03) Gary M: I have mail the statement to this address for you and you will not be charged for statement fee as I have waive this fee for you as you have been a wonderful customer for Dish network.
(03) Gary M: Very soon you will receive your new updated statement.
ME: Thank you.
(03) Gary M: You’re very welcome.
(03) Gary M: Is there anything else I can assist you with?
ME: That’s it. Thanks.
Your session has ended. You may now close this window. 

I would think that the main purpose Dish Network is selling these DTV converter boxes is to obtain a highly valuable list of potential customers. If you start pissing off the people on this list, there isn’t going to be much value to it.

Funny though how Gary changed his tune the minute I threatened to e-mail his boss’s boss’s boss’s boss’s boss’s boss.

written by cybercjh

First, go here and claim your $27 P&G coupon book.

Now, Proctor & Gamble is running a promotion where they’ll send you a $120 coupon book when you spend $50 on P&G items by 1/31/09. The details are here.

They seem like pretty good coupons they’ll be sending … $1 off Bounce … $1 off Duracell … $2 off Pampers.

I CVS’ed at lunch today. I walked there from work – it was only 0.4mi, but I won’t be doing that again in a hurry. It’s too hot in the sun. And, I’ll be hitting the CVS next to Winn-Dixie later tonight.

• (×2) Pantene Shampoo (Reg $7.99) $5.99
• (×2) Duracell AA 4pk (Reg $5.99) $2.99
• (×2) Duracell AAA 4pk (Reg $5.99) $2.99

SUBTOTAL : $39.94
CVS Sale Savings : -$16.00
Manufacturer Coupons : -$5.50 ($2 off Pantene ×2 + 75¢ off Duracell ×2)
CVS Coupons : -$10.00 ($5/2 Duracell Batteries ×2)
Earned ExtraBucks : -$4.00 (for purchasing Pantene)
NET TOTAL : $4.44 … Savings of 89%

And, that’s $23.94 towards the $50 needed to qualify for the P&G $120 coupon book.

written by cybercjh