Current Events > Honestly, I really am done with boomer parents.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Parents were paying $315 for cable and internet. It went up to this past month to $335 because of new service fees, so Spectrum convinced them to get off a better, outdated plan that included more channels and premiums like HBO/Showtime, to a shittier plan to get them 'back' to $315.

I tell my mom she could lock in a new deal for $230 a month for the next two years by discontinuing service for one day to create a new account under my dad's name.

REFUSES TO DO IT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT TV FOR MORE THAN A DAY.

These are people who watch Real Housewives and Fox News 24/7.

None of your business what they do with their money.

Blade_Trinity posted...

None of your business what they do with their money.

When they come complaining to me about how much they pay and want to do something about it, yes, it becomes my business. Thanks for your insightful input though.

Yikes. My parents just retired and they are pretty good with money, but there is a part of me that worries they'll go broke doing something stupid and I'll have to support them >_>

lilORANG posted...

Yikes. My parents just retired and they are pretty good with money, but there is a part of me that worries they'll go broke doing something stupid and I'll have to support them >_>

It's just that older generations get taken advantage of as we all know. And if you are in your late 70s, why change something you've done your entire life? I.e. switch to a streaming service.

Do you live with your parents?

I can relate with boomer parents. My dad is 70 and he calls me over for so many small tech issues. Like, I shit you not, he called me over because his TV "wasn't working"... I get over there and... the remote was just out of batteries.

I love him, but omg lol.

My mom has some awful money habits and is very prone to sleazy predatory tactics from companies. It's frustrating but it's very common. not just in boomers but in young people also.

NoxObscuras posted...

I can relate with boomer parents. My dad is 70 and he calls me over for so many small tech issues. Like, I shit you not, he called me over because his TV "wasn't working"... I get over there and... the remote was just out of batteries.

I love him, but omg lol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSK7H_hNxbM

Spectrum is high as fuck. My parents pay for internet, cable, and the phone line (yes they still have the same landline number they've been using for nearly 40 years since before I was born).

I'm trying to get them to cut some of that.

I got my mom with a 45.99 a month plus bullshit fees actually 80 a month internet.

But streaming service wise, she uses a bunch of the free ones like Pluto and Tubi. Uses my Hulu account and I pay 5 bucks a month for her to have Discovery+.

She makes it a bit easier on me.

It astounds me how much my mother (who is technically a gen x-er, but may as well be a boomer) pays for her TV. She has Internet, phone, and security too and it costs her about that much.

Me, I'm stuck in an apartment-locked plan for $80/month that provides cable and internet. As soon as I can move somewhere else, I'm bumping down to internet only. I only have the TV on for background noise 99% of the time and can easily substitute that with streaming. The only thing I'll miss is Wheel of Fortune lol

WaterLink posted...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSK7H_hNxbM

Thank you that was hilarious. I've seen a clip of that before, but only the torture joke. The whole bit is so much better lol

Blade_Trinity posted...

None of your business what they do with their money.

"None of your business helping your parents financially" sounds like a sociopath thing to say.

TC lives with "boomer" parents and complains about their life decisions but is probably well into his 30's not buying his own groceries.

WarfireX posted...

TC lives with "boomer" parents and complains about their life decisions but is probably well into his 30's not buying his own groceries.

Where in his post does he even hint that he still lives with them?

WarfireX posted...

TC lives with "boomer" parents and complains about their life decisions but is probably well into his 30's not buying his own groceries.

Who cares? In this economy if people are struggling and they still need to live with their parents, they can. Who the **** are you to judge someone?

Frosted_Midna posted...

Who the **** are you to judge someone?

Um you do realize the TC is judging others, right?

TC also judging boomer parents in general, which essentially encapsulates all of our parents on this site lol

Guys stop you're gonna make Warfire have another hilariously dumb melty

*peeks in topic*

I'm gettin outta here.

Eh, this is not a boomer thing. People are always complaining about their bill my way, but make the same excuse of not wanting to switch to save money.

spikethedevil posted...

Where in his post does he even hint that he still lives with them?

I didn't because I don't, so thanks for having my back.

As someone said, trying to help them financially. Just like I did with a car lease back in March of last year (before anyone says anything, they will only lease no matter what).

NoxObscuras posted...

I can relate with boomer parents. My dad is 70 and he calls me over for so many small tech issues. Like, I shit you not, he called me over because his TV "wasn't working"... I get over there and... the remote was just out of batteries.

I love him, but omg lol.

This is almost a bi-weekly occurrence for me. For them, they don't understand changing the source/input. We have gone over it roughly 34 times, it has been written down, but they still struggle and think the TV is broken.

I mean I'm happy to help, but what if I move out of state? What if I die? They were literally trying to pay Spectrum to come out to move a TV to a different room and make sure that the cable box was connected.

The X Dawg posted...

This is almost a bi-weekly occurrence for me. For them, they don't understand changing the source/input. We have gone over it roughly 34 times, it has been written down, but they still struggle and think the TV is broken.

I mean I'm happy to help, but what if I move out of state? What if I die? They were literally trying to pay Spectrum to come out to move a TV to a different room and make sure that the cable box was connected.

How much does Spectrum charge for that?

A_Good_Boy posted...

How much does Spectrum charge for that?

I think it would be billed as a service visit which is like $50-60.

We have a positive resolution! After many long conversations, it looks like they have agreed to switch to a competitor.

It will save them $120 a month, give them faster internet, and more channels.

...I of course will have to do the self-installation for them.

Wtf $300+ for cable?

what the hell is that normal these days?

This is some true dystopan shit with people cheering on the TCs parents for massively overpaying on their cable bill. Like, you guys think Spectrum is the good guy here?

TheGoldenEel posted...

Wtf $300+ for cable?

what the hell is that normal these days?

It shouldn't be. Here is a breakdown of their charges:

Spectrum Silver (mid-tier) $100
DVR $20
6 boxes $60
Digi Tier 2 (pretty sure most of these channels are already in the package) $12
Sports Pack (pretty sure most of these channels are already in the package) $5

Spectrum Internet Ultra (wtf is this) $25
400mbps internet $75

Broadcast TV surcharge $21

Taxes and fees $17

Grand total of $335

The X Dawg posted...

6 boxes $60

Six boxes?! Why do they have that many?

_Rinku_ posted...

Six boxes?! Why do they have that many?

They have a lot of TVs in various rooms....

As far as I know, my dad is still paying for AOL. He got off dial-up a decade ago but is afraid that they will take his email away if he stops paying them.

boomers are beyond redemption at this point.

My dad doesn't want to go to a new cable service because he doesn't want to learn the new channel numbers

lilORANG posted...

Yikes. My parents just retired and they are pretty good with money, but there is a part of me that worries they'll go broke doing something stupid and I'll have to support them >_>

You owe it to your parents to help them when they are making an elderly person mistake. As they get older, there will be people who try to scam them, and its your responsibility as their children to protect them.

The X Dawg posted...

$315 for cable and internet

Wtf

Interstella5555 posted...

This is some true dystopan shit with people cheering on the TCs parents for massively overpaying on their cable bill. Like, you guys think Spectrum is the good guy here?

Its a rule on CE that you have to mock and disagree with TC no matter what, even if you look like a clown in doing so

I'm done with boomer parents too, and I guess God must've agreed because he took both of them from me within two years of each other :/

yemmy posted...

My dad doesn't want to go to a new cable service because he doesn't want to learn the new channel numbers

That was something they had mentioned in the past, but are surprisingly OK with it.

Final resolution after convincing them to switch providers and then negotiating in their behalf:

750mbps
Top tier cable package
Whole home DVR
6 boxes
"Internet security"

- $178 a month with price lock of two years. Going to save them over $1800 a year.

There was going to be a $130 service appointment and $80 activation fee, but got it down to $60 total and didn't feel like going further.

Glad you kept pushing, that's what I was gonna tell you to do. Boomer parents will roll over eventually if you make them

Internet security is probably some McAfee bloatware

JimmyFraska posted...

Glad you kept pushing, that's what I was gonna tell you to do. Boomer parents will roll over eventually if you make them

Think the price difference finally got to them, but yeah it just took a lot of repeating myself:

"Yes you can still get Fox News and Bravo."
"Yes someone will come and install it for you."
"No you don't have to change the passwords you have saved on your computer."
"Yes when you cancel Spectrum on the same day, you'll have cable and internet access."

Haven't told them that I did electronic billing, but I'll cross that bridge when I have to....

Trumpo posted...

Internet security is probably some McAfee bloatware

https://www.cincinnatibell.com/help-center/internet/premier-upgrade

Oh it's a big scam/waste of money. But they were already going to pay the $10 monthly router fee, so might as well "upgrade" them for $7 more a month for "peace of mind".

The X Dawg posted...

This is almost a bi-weekly occurrence for me. For them, they don't understand changing the source/input. We have gone over it roughly 34 times, it has been written down, but they still struggle and think the TV is broken.

I mean I'm happy to help, but what if I move out of state? What if I die? They were literally trying to pay Spectrum to come out to move a TV to a different room and make sure that the cable box was connected.

I used to work for Spectrum and having someone come out to connect the cable box is free. They also wont move your actual TV for you because its not one of their services. Maybe its changed in the last year

pkmnlord posted...

I'm done with boomer parents too, and I guess God must've agreed because he took both of them from me within two years of each other :/

Got you beat.

22 days apart in 2020.