Billing Policies

[earthandspace.info]

Me and Andrew has gone back and forth on the billing several times. I offered a simple solution of paying my account ahead by one month. Man, this dude will not budge!! It should be understood that many people get paid every two weeks or once a month. Since I get paid every two weeks, I keep all my accounts paid one month ahead knowing that it will take up to 3 weeks to dispense the money when recieving invoices. This saves me ALOT in late fees by the way! I think it would be a good idea for new customers to have the option of posting a deposit for one month's service when signing up for new accounts. What's your take on this? I love the services Dathorn has to offer and that is really the reason why I tolerate this.

[Andy]

I have no problem with this billing. He bills me the first of the month. For me, it works perfectly. I wouldn;t change it. I can understand why he would not want to have users prepay, as it would probably be a pain for his billing.

[AndrewT]

This goes right along with the post just below this. Our billing policies are not going to change. Everyone knows exactly when they are going to be billed (1st of every month) and should plan accordingly.

http://forums.dathorn.com/showthread.php?t=1626

[Buddha]

I have one customer who insisted on paying a year in advance for hosting. I made an exception normally it would have killed the deal. However, now I understand why Andrew doesn't want to take advance payments. Their money is sitting in a bank account till the contract expires next February. Next year the price of their hosting goes up, I need to add a the cost of managing their money to the deal. Wonder how much a banker would get for this service?

It's not really the money that bothers me but the extra responsibility.

[openbox]

Maybe I just live too high on the hog, but I don't understand how people have such difficulty managing $15/month (even $40/month with the corporate) for Dathorn's service. If people really have trouble setting aside $15 per month ($7.50 paid bi-weekly, $3.75 paid weekly), I honestly have to question whether you can afford to have this service in the first place.

I think I'll be a financial planner in my next work life.

[ChrisTech]

Me and Andrew has gone back and forth on the billing several times. I offered a simple solution of paying my account ahead by one month. Man, this dude will not budge!! It should be understood that many people get paid every two weeks or once a month. Since I get paid every two weeks, I keep all my accounts paid one month ahead knowing that it will take up to 3 weeks to dispense the money when recieving invoices. This saves me ALOT in late fees by the way! I think it would be a good idea for new customers to have the option of posting a deposit for one month's service when signing up for new accounts. What's your take on this? I love the services Dathorn has to offer and that is really the reason why I tolerate this.

If you have problems paying your bills on time, you need to create a budget, and follow it. I get paid bi-weekly and have never had trouble paying for a bill. Know what you can and cannot spend per paycheck, and make sure you put some in savings every paycheck, so you have something to "fall back on" in case of an emergency.

[earthandspace.info]

DOUGH!

That's why I pay ahead one month! And, I do put $$ in cash savings. Sorry to say, Dathorn is considered a luxury that gets paid after rent, food, gas, etc... Typically, I use one check for housing, food, and transportation and the other check for everything else....... That leaves me with only one day a month to pay bills. That one day can fall somewhere between the 1st and the 15th depending on the pay cycle for said month. Since due dates often fall before the 15th, I just stay paid up one month ahead to avoid late fees. Two credit cards, phone, electric, cable, and add up all them late fees, it's really cheaper to stay ahead. Just wanted to do the same with Dathorn :-)

[Frank Hagan]

There is a way to do this ... overpay your credit card by the amount of Dathorn's bill if the billing cycle doesn't match up. Since it is a fixed amount every month, that should give you the breathing room you need.

[earthandspace.info]

Add extra $$$

I don't use a credit card for Dathorn. It's a check card. That is an idea. Just add extra money to the account without accounting for it. On the most part, the first deposit goes through before the 10th anyways. There are those 2 or three times a year when it might go through lets say between the 1th and 14th. But, never laster than the 15th.

[Frank Hagan]

A credit card makes it easier, but using a check card ensures you won't pay interest!

I'm also paid every two weeks, so two months a year I get an "extra" paycheck (26 pay periods divided into 12 months). We started paying our house payment every other pay period, until we built up a cushion of three months house payments. It was a painless way to provide a three month cushion if one of us loses our jobs.

[earthandspace.info]

Extra Checks

There's two such months a year for me too!! I set that aside for VEGAS!! I'm going this October when it's cooler in Nevada :-) That's why I use my check card for thinks like food, entertainment, and of course Dathorn. Save the CC for emergencies when I really need it. The transmission on my T-Bird went out last October. Can't imagine not having a CC at such times. And, when it comes down to job loss, I GET AN EMPLOYMENT ATTORNEY!! Believe me, I came out ahead on the money both times.

[rsowen]

There is a way to do this ... overpay your credit card by the amount of Dathorn's bill if the billing cycle doesn't match up. Since it is a fixed amount every month, that should give you the breathing room you need.

Actually, I'd have to pay the credit card about thee months in advance to pay Dathorn one month in advance. Dathorn gets charged to my credit card, and then I get the credit card bill three weeks later, and then I actually send it three weeks after that. In the mean time, that money is sitting in the bank drawing interest rather than doing something useful. Life really sucks when it takes so long before you can pay your bills, eh? :-)

[ChrisTech]

Actually, I'd have to pay the credit card about thee months in advance to pay Dathorn one month in advance. Dathorn gets charged to my credit card, and then I get the credit card bill three weeks later, and then I actually send it three weeks after that. In the mean time, that money is sitting in the bank drawing interest rather than doing something useful. Life really sucks when it takes so long before you can pay your bills, eh? :-)

Hmm, I get my bill online, and then pay it same day. Well before its due. With the amount of interest you get anymore from the bank, it's hardly worth having money in there. If you have the savings, CD's are where the money's at anymore it seems. That or a money market account.

[timg]

Yeah...

Yeah, CD's definitely.

Just look at how much money those rock stars are making. . . .

[Hamtramck Rick]

Here's an idea. Get a free checking account at a bank, get the free debit card that comes with it, pre-pay it a year or 2 months or whatever in advance, and don't use it for anything else. Pretend it is Dathorn. Let a bank be your bank.