Hogwash

(This entry took a Daily Winner prize at the Everyday Hogwash site)

I was thinking about hogwash today...

Not just any hogwash—Everyday Hogwash, in particular. It's a new Web site that's dedicated to airing the grievances we endure as consumers every day. You know... all those annoying little things like extra fees, network failures, and telemarketers—the stuff that makes you want to shout, or cry, or both! The idea is that you'll feel better by sharing your humorous Hogwash stories—and you'll help others to cope with a smile, too. They call it group laugh therapy.

Here's an example of a personal Hogwash experience:

When we moved from California to Washington state, my husband and I visited a local bank to set up a new account. After considering our choices, we selected their ATM account. We understood that our regular banking transactions should be handled only through an automated teller machine, that we would be charged a fee if we required service from an actual human, and that the fee would be waived if the ATM was unavailable.

Inevitably, the day came when the ATM was down. Annoyed and wary, but desperate for cash, I entered the bank and spoke with a teller about the situation. I left with my money and an assurance that I would not be charged a fee for the transaction.

The next month (can you guess?) our account statement showed a teller fee! A notch below fuming mad, I phoned the bank and—after navigating an automated menu prompt that left a callus on my fingertip—I reached a sympathetic bank representative who apologized and agreed to remove the unjust charge.

My sense of vindication lasted until the next account statement arrived. The original teller fee was reversed, but I'd been charged a fee for the phone call! We switched banks the next day.

If you have your own Hogwash story, don't just grin and bear it... share it! Check out Everyday Hogwash and laugh a little today!

Comments? Send me an email.