Latest news with #Atkisson
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Free phone? The hidden cost of tempting offers
(WSPA) – Whether it's the cost of a new cell phone or the monthly service, Americans spend $180 billion a year on their mobile devices. Many don't realize there are simple ways to slash the cost of your cell phone plan, and sometimes smarter ways to get a new phone than taking advantage of the 'free phone' offer from major carriers. Bob Atkisson reached out to 7NEWS, struggling to get answers on why his free phone offer that he got with a trade-in over the holidays appears to have raised his bill over the last few months. 'I specifically said to the person on the phone, I said, now just to make sure this will not cost me anything monthly, my bill will not go up. And she said no, as a matter of fact, it's going to go down,' Atkisson said. The Greenwood man had seen a commercial offering an 'Apple 16 pro with Apple intelligence on us.' But he told 7NEWS, after he saw his monthly bills, the offer he thought he was getting didn't add up. 'It actually shows that I've paid more money,' he said, confused. We'll get back to Atkisson, but 60 miles north, Leon Wiles saw the same commercial and ran into the very same bill shock. 'It was twice as much as what they explained to me…I was shocked, I was totally blown away,' Wiles said. He was even more shocked to see the bill he received after he sent back the two new phones, a charge for more than $1800. In a statement, a Verizon Spokesperson told 7NEWS, 'We advise customers to carefully verify that any promotions they intend to use are indeed compatible with their selected service plan. It is crucial to understand the terms and conditions of both the plan and the promotion to ensure eligibility and avoid potential issues.' Edgar Dworsky, Founder of warns that free phone offers can lock you into higher payment plans for years.'Sometimes you wind up being put into a premium plan. I'm just shocked these days when I see $60/$70/$80 a month for one line? Are they kidding at the big carriers?'Dworsky's advice, seek out plans for closer to $25 a month. They're actually offered by major carriers like Verizon and AT&T through their pre-paid service, and they generally have ample instance, AT&T has an unlimited talk, text and data pre-paid plan for $25 a month, if you pay for a year upfront ($300). In addition to pre-paid plans, you could also use a Mobile Virtual Network Operator, which resells service under much cheaper brands, though they may have more usage restrictions. Another way to potentially save money is to look into selling your old phone outright instead of trading it in. Many online sites typically offer more than your carrier, and you'll get cash, which means you are not locked into a lengthy plan. Sites like Swappa, Decluttr and Gazelle specialize in electronic resale, and are generally trusted in the industry because they verify the used phones they sell are what they say they are. Or if you want cash in hand, sell your old phone at brick-and-mortar stores like Fix Phone. The manager of Fix Phone in Greenville, Adam Komilov, warned that when it comes to buying used phones that do not come directly from the manufacturer, do your research on third-party sellers. 'We have a lot of customers that spend like $1000 to buy an iPhone 16, brand new phone, but when they turn it on and check it out, it's an Android phone inside and they find out that they've been scammed,' he said. Komilov also warned, sometimes people buy phones from third-party sites and social media, and end up with a stolen phone that the original user has locked, which means the phone won't work. Back at Atkisson's home, 7NEWS helped connect him with a Verizon rep that settled his billing issue, so he's now back to paying about $240 for four lines, and is comfortable with a credit they gave him for his used phones. Still, he's locked into 36 months of payments, so let's do the math on what he could be saving if he had switched plans to a prepaid one. He would have had to buy the phones directly from Apple for $1600, offset by selling his old iPhone 13 Max Pro and iPhone 11 for an estimated $600. But even with the net $1000 expense, if he had switched his plan to a prepaid unlimited for $25 per phone line, he has 4 lines, he would save $140 each month. In 36 months, he'd have $4,400 extra dollars plus two paid-off phones. Wiles warned that his bill arrived just after Verizon's 30-day return policy ended. And he got nowhere, until he contacted 7NEWS, we reached out to Verizon and his $1800 bill was dropped. 'It was just spiraling. So, when I contacted you, I immediately got a positive response and affirmative response and I hadn't gotten that before. So whatever your magic was, it made a tremendous difference,' Wiles said to our 7NEWS Here to Help crew. The moral of the story, be sure you get in writing exactly what your charges will be including taxes and fees for any 'free phone,' and if you're paying more than 25 to 35 dollars a line, know there are other plan options, some even unlimited, that could drastically lower your bill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump trade war dries up sorghum sales to China but US farmers plan to plant more
By Tom Polansek CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war with China comes at a bad time for sorghum growers like Dan Atkisson in Kansas, who is nevertheless preparing to increase plantings by 25% this spring. China accounted for nearly 90% of U.S. sorghum exports last year, ramping up purchases of the crop it uses to feed livestock and make fiery baijiu liquor. Those purchases have largely ground to a halt, as tit-for-tat tariff increases by the U.S. and China cripple trade between the world's two largest economies. U.S. sorghum exports to China dropped to 78,316 metric tons in January and February from more than 1.4 million metric tons over the same period a year earlier, down 95%, according to U.S. government data. China bought 244 metric tons in the week ended on April 3, a miniscule amount, after purchasing none for the previous three weeks, the latest data showed. The decline is a blow to farmers who largely backed Trump in his campaigns for president. Some are forgoing sorghum plantings due to concerns about market disruptions, while others, faced with few good options, are planning to plant more. Some growers are also now questioning their support for Trump's trade policies. "If we move forward and things are not handled well, we could rethink some of those things," Atkisson said. He plans to plant about 1,000 acres (405 hectares) of sorghum in Stockton, Kansas, up 200 acres from last year, as part of a crop rotation. U.S. farmers on average intend to expand plantings of the grain by 4% this year to the highest since 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said last month. Meanwhile, the agency projected soybean seedings at a five-year low and spring wheat plantings at their lowest since 1970. Dry weather conditions are pushing some farmers toward drought-tolerant sorghum in the hopes of a quick end to the trade war or generous aid from the Trump administration. Economists say prospects for a speedy resolution are uncertain, and Brooke Rollins, the U.S. agriculture secretary, has said the administration could be months away from announcing a bailout plan for farmers. Trump will expand markets for the U.S. agriculture industry and "ensure farmers have the support they need to feed the world," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said. Trump repeatedly raised tariffs on Chinese goods since imposing sweeping 10% duties in February, sparking rounds of retaliation from Beijing. China increased its tariffs on U.S. products to 125% last week. Without Chinese demand, U.S. farmers and grain companies face lower prices for sorghum sold for domestically produced ethanol or cattle feed, growers said. Inventories of the grain, which is grown mostly in the Plains region, swelled 42% from last year to 150 million bushels on March 1 as Chinese demand fell, according to USDA data. "If you price it cheap enough, somebody will use it," Atkisson said. "That's the problem, that they're going to have to drop the price of that warehoused grain so they can move it." Atkisson added that he does not have supplies left from last year's harvest. EXPORTS TO SLUMP 60% The U.S. farm sector has already come under pressure from weak crop prices and stiff competition from Brazil for soy and corn export sales. China, the world's biggest soybean importer, increasingly turned to Brazil and other nations for crops after a U.S. trade war during Trump's first term in 2018. The USDA projects total sorghum exports will fall 58% from last year to 2.54 million metric tons in 2024-25, the lowest since 2018-19. Farmers said they are choosing the crop because it is resistant to dry conditions, and seeds are less expensive than for corn. They hope to boost sales to other importers or shore up potential losses with aid payments from USDA, which doled out billions to compensate growers for lost exports to China during Trump's first term. The USDA did not respond to a request for comment. "We farm in a pretty rough part of the world and we're used to challenges," said Tim Lust, CEO of the National Sorghum Producers group. "We'll work through this but look forward to the opportunity to get trade back moving." Market uncertainty and poor prices are convincing some farmers not to plant sorghum at all. Glenn Brunkow, a farmer in Wamego, Kansas, said he will grow corn instead. Strong U.S. exports have supported corn prices, and the USDA projected corn plantings will rise by 5% in 2025 to their highest in 12 years. "For a long time, the sorghum price was at least equal to corn and sometimes was more," Brunkow said. "That's not the case right now." Don Bloss is sticking with plans to plant about 500 acres of sorghum in mid-May in Pawnee City, Nebraska. He said he voted for Trump last year but thinks the president is abusing his use of tariffs. "We've worked quite a few years to build up the markets for our grain," Bloss said. "It takes a lot of years of trying to build that up to have it knocked down in a day or two by one person." Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump trade war dries up sorghum sales to China but US farmers plan to plant more
By Tom Polansek CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war with China comes at a bad time for sorghum growers like Dan Atkisson in Kansas, who is nevertheless preparing to increase plantings by 25% this spring. China accounted for nearly 90% of U.S. sorghum exports last year, ramping up purchases of the crop it uses to feed livestock and make fiery baijiu liquor. Those purchases have largely ground to a halt, as tit-for-tat tariff increases by the U.S. and China cripple trade between the world's two largest economies. U.S. sorghum exports to China dropped to 78,316 metric tons in January and February from more than 1.4 million metric tons over the same period a year earlier, down 95%, according to U.S. government data. China bought 244 metric tons in the week ended on April 3, a miniscule amount, after purchasing none for the previous three weeks, the latest data showed. The decline is a blow to farmers who largely backed Trump in his campaigns for president. Some are forgoing sorghum plantings due to concerns about market disruptions, while others, faced with few good options, are planning to plant more. Some growers are also now questioning their support for Trump's trade policies. "If we move forward and things are not handled well, we could rethink some of those things," Atkisson said. He plans to plant about 1,000 acres (405 hectares) of sorghum in Stockton, Kansas, up 200 acres from last year, as part of a crop rotation. U.S. farmers on average intend to expand plantings of the grain by 4% this year to the highest since 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said last month. Meanwhile, the agency projected soybean seedings at a five-year low and spring wheat plantings at their lowest since 1970. Dry weather conditions are pushing some farmers toward drought-tolerant sorghum in the hopes of a quick end to the trade war or generous aid from the Trump administration. Economists say prospects for a speedy resolution are uncertain, and Brooke Rollins, the U.S. agriculture secretary, has said the administration could be months away from announcing a bailout plan for farmers. Trump will expand markets for the U.S. agriculture industry and "ensure farmers have the support they need to feed the world," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said. Trump repeatedly raised tariffs on Chinese goods since imposing sweeping 10% duties in February, sparking rounds of retaliation from Beijing. China increased its tariffs on U.S. products to 125% last week. Without Chinese demand, U.S. farmers and grain companies face lower prices for sorghum sold for domestically produced ethanol or cattle feed, growers said. Inventories of the grain, which is grown mostly in the Plains region, swelled 42% from last year to 150 million bushels on March 1 as Chinese demand fell, according to USDA data. "If you price it cheap enough, somebody will use it," Atkisson said. "That's the problem, that they're going to have to drop the price of that warehoused grain so they can move it." Atkisson added that he does not have supplies left from last year's harvest. EXPORTS TO SLUMP 60% The U.S. farm sector has already come under pressure from weak crop prices and stiff competition from Brazil for soy and corn export sales. China, the world's biggest soybean importer, increasingly turned to Brazil and other nations for crops after a U.S. trade war during Trump's first term in 2018. The USDA projects total sorghum exports will fall 58% from last year to 2.54 million metric tons in 2024-25, the lowest since 2018-19. Farmers said they are choosing the crop because it is resistant to dry conditions, and seeds are less expensive than for corn. They hope to boost sales to other importers or shore up potential losses with aid payments from USDA, which doled out billions to compensate growers for lost exports to China during Trump's first term. The USDA did not respond to a request for comment. "We farm in a pretty rough part of the world and we're used to challenges," said Tim Lust, CEO of the National Sorghum Producers group. "We'll work through this but look forward to the opportunity to get trade back moving." Market uncertainty and poor prices are convincing some farmers not to plant sorghum at all. Glenn Brunkow, a farmer in Wamego, Kansas, said he will grow corn instead. Strong U.S. exports have supported corn prices, and the USDA projected corn plantings will rise by 5% in 2025 to their highest in 12 years. "For a long time, the sorghum price was at least equal to corn and sometimes was more," Brunkow said. "That's not the case right now." Don Bloss is sticking with plans to plant about 500 acres of sorghum in mid-May in Pawnee City, Nebraska. He said he voted for Trump last year but thinks the president is abusing his use of tariffs. "We've worked quite a few years to build up the markets for our grain," Bloss said. "It takes a lot of years of trying to build that up to have it knocked down in a day or two by one person."
Reuters
15-04-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Trump trade war dries up sorghum sales to China but US farmers plan to plant more
CHICAGO, April 15 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war with China comes at a bad time for sorghum growers like Dan Atkisson in Kansas, who is nevertheless preparing to increase plantings by 25% this spring. China accounted for nearly 90% of U.S. sorghum exports last year, ramping up purchases of the crop it uses to feed livestock and make fiery baijiu liquor. Those purchases have largely ground to a halt, as tit-for-tat tariff increases by the U.S. and China cripple trade between the world's two largest economies. U.S. sorghum exports to China dropped to 78,316 metric tons in January and February from more than 1.4 million metric tons over the same period a year earlier, down 95%, according to U.S. government data. China bought 244 metric tons in the week ended on April 3, a miniscule amount, after purchasing none for the previous three weeks, the latest data showed. The decline is a blow to farmers who largely backed Trump in his campaigns for president. Some are forgoing sorghum plantings due to concerns about market disruptions, while others, faced with few good options, are planning to plant more. Some growers are also now questioning their support for Trump's trade policies. "If we move forward and things are not handled well, we could rethink some of those things," Atkisson said. He plans to plant about 1,000 acres (405 hectares) of sorghum in Stockton, Kansas, up 200 acres from last year, as part of a crop rotation. U.S. farmers on average intend to expand plantings of the grain by 4% this year to the highest since 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said last month. Meanwhile, the agency projected soybean seedings at a five-year low and spring wheat plantings at their lowest since 1970. Dry weather conditions are pushing some farmers toward drought-tolerant sorghum in the hopes of a quick end to the trade war or generous aid from the Trump administration. Economists say prospects for a speedy resolution are uncertain, and Brooke Rollins, the U.S. agriculture secretary, has said the administration could be months away from announcing a bailout plan for farmers. Trump will expand markets for the U.S. agriculture industry and "ensure farmers have the support they need to feed the world," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said. Trump repeatedly raised tariffs on Chinese goods since imposing sweeping 10% duties in February, sparking rounds of retaliation from Beijing. China increased its tariffs on U.S. products to 125% last week. Without Chinese demand, U.S. farmers and grain companies face lower prices for sorghum sold for domestically produced ethanol or cattle feed, growers said. Inventories of the grain, which is grown mostly in the Plains region, swelled 42% from last year to 150 million bushels on March 1 as Chinese demand fell, according to USDA data. "If you price it cheap enough, somebody will use it," Atkisson said. "That's the problem, that they're going to have to drop the price of that warehoused grain so they can move it." Atkisson added that he does not have supplies left from last year's harvest. EXPORTS TO SLUMP 60% The U.S. farm sector has already come under pressure from weak crop prices and stiff competition from Brazil for soy and corn export sales. China, the world's biggest soybean importer, increasingly turned to Brazil and other nations for crops after a U.S. trade war during Trump's first term in 2018. The USDA projects total sorghum exports will fall 58% from last year to 2.54 million metric tons in 2024-25, the lowest since 2018-19. Farmers said they are choosing the crop because it is resistant to dry conditions, and seeds are less expensive than for corn. They hope to boost sales to other importers or shore up potential losses with aid payments from USDA, which doled out billions to compensate growers for lost exports to China during Trump's first term. The USDA did not respond to a request for comment. "We farm in a pretty rough part of the world and we're used to challenges," said Tim Lust, CEO of the National Sorghum Producers group. "We'll work through this but look forward to the opportunity to get trade back moving." Market uncertainty and poor prices are convincing some farmers not to plant sorghum at all. Glenn Brunkow, a farmer in Wamego, Kansas, said he will grow corn instead. Strong U.S. exports have supported corn prices, and the USDA projected corn plantings will rise by 5% in 2025 to their highest in 12 years. "For a long time, the sorghum price was at least equal to corn and sometimes was more," Brunkow said. "That's not the case right now." Don Bloss is sticking with plans to plant about 500 acres of sorghum in mid-May in Pawnee City, Nebraska. He said he voted for Trump last year but thinks the president is abusing his use of tariffs. "We've worked quite a few years to build up the markets for our grain," Bloss said. "It takes a lot of years of trying to build that up to have it knocked down in a day or two by one person."
