The thing I detest is all these ads about people who owe the IRS tens of thousands of dollars settling for pennies on the dollar. The scofflaws get a break while honest people like use get hit with fines? Not fair. But of course, fighting back with the IRS might get one audited…of course, they'd probably wind up owing me!

Last week I discovered one of the banks I deal with was collecting $10 monthly fees from a seldom used account. When I called, they outlined several ridiculous ways to avoid the fees (basically deposit more money that I don't currently have or make 10+ ATM transactions per month, when I normally make none). I said, "At this rate, I'd be better off withdrawing all of the funds from all three accounts and leaving them under my mattress since the fees are more than any interest they're earning." He agreed to refund $20 in fees and waive the fees for the next few months so I'll have time to get the balance back up to the minimum.

Sometimes companies just need to realize how stupid and damaging their policies really are. Another case in point:

One month ago today it was announced my neighborhood grocery store would close May 31. The store thrived for nearly 60 years before a large chain bought it and intentionally mismanaged it. (How else do you explain the fact that they closed the in-store pharmacy a year ago and let all that floor space sit empty?) Half the city is outraged because the chain told the media it would be highly unusual for them to lease or sell the property to a competitor when they have another store just two miles away.

Bear in mind, the store that closed was the only supermarket in the center of the city, and most of the others are on the extreme eastern (wealthy) edge of the city several miles away. Shoppers are so outraged they're boycotting the chain's other stores, especially the "nearby" one they keep trying to steer us to. In a letter to the CEO I said, "If we have to go out of our way to buy groceries, it won't be from one of your stores. We're not loyal to YOU, we're loyal to our neighborhood store."

After realizing the company was unwilling to work with the city to allow another grocery in that location, our Aldermen and several citizens launched a social media campaign. We got loud and garnered a lot of news coverage. People contacted the parent company on our own. We held a rally at the store denouncing the no-compete clause. The day before the closure, the chain's PR person issued a carefully worded denial, saying "At this time we have no such clause in place …" A complete reversal from what they'd told the Aldermen. When I mentioned that quote to my Alderman at a second rally, he grinned and said, "We're getting to them!"

Other signs that chain is losing customers due to the store closures? They're having a local contest awarding $3000 of free groceries (most of that $3000 is made up of $50 gift cards). That's on top of $5 off coupons they handed out last week with any purchases at the store that closed.

It's taken time, but that chain is finally realizing their standard policies have hurt more than helped them. Why? They took their customers for granted.

Last time I ever went to that doctor's office.

We're about to tussle with a bridal salon seamstress this week. She was stressed the last time we were in, and it may have been the reason she kept saying "What haaapened?" to my daughter's dress not fitting (medication-related weight gain). If she had said one more time "I'll take it out as much as pah-sible" one more time, we'd have had to come up with my bail money.