Buzz
Bills—it's something we all face. Whether it's income taxes, rent, or your phone bill, eventually, we all need to cough up the cash. It’s not fun, but money runs the world, and we’re all part of that system.
Yet, some people struggle more than others when it comes to parting with their money. They come up with some truly outlandish reasons to justify avoiding bills that have been overdue for ages. Ten of these audacious individuals have made it to this list.
10. My Dog Watched Porn, Not Me
Even now, the porn industry is reportedly worth billions. After piracy took a heavy toll on profits, adult film companies reinvented their business strategies. Today, they rake in significant sums from licensing deals and event hosting. Yet, they still generate revenue through satellite TV in some rather surprising ways.
One day, Thomas Barnes, 58, called his satellite provider to contest a $70 charge on his bill for subscribing to Hustler’s adult channel. Irritated, he claimed that it wasn’t him who had clicked the remote to order the explicit content—it was his dog.
According to Barnes, his playful bichon frise, Marino, had jumped on the remote one evening and inadvertently ordered the risqué pay-per-view channel. Barnes also insisted that he contacted the company immediately after the adult content appeared on his screen. At the time, Barnes was on Social Security disability, and money was tight.
It turns out that one call wasn’t enough to resolve the issue. It wasn’t until Barnes filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission that he received a resolution. Ultimately, the company’s management reached out with the good news that his account would be credited.
9. I Am Not A Person
Income tax is collected annually by governments worldwide. This revenue is used to fund public services, settle governmental responsibilities, and provide goods for the citizens.
In Australia, the federal government implemented the first income tax in 1915.
Virtually no one enjoys paying taxes, but perhaps the person who dislikes it the most is Glen James Polglaise from North Bendigo, Australia. He loathed it so much that he outright refused to submit an income tax return from 2012 to 2017.
Why? Because he argued that he isn’t a person.
Polglaise told the court, “By waiving my right to be recognized as a person, I am not a resident for tax purposes.” He further stated that his claim was backed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Universal Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. He also insisted that the individual named in the charges was not him.
Magistrate Michael King wasn’t amused. He reprimanded Polglaise, stating that citizens have no right to pick and choose which laws apply to them. King found Polglaise guilty on all six charges, slapping him with a fine of $6,000 plus additional costs.
8. The Cake Was Half Gone When I Found It
We all try to save a bit of cash here and there. Whether it's through coupon collecting, joining loyalty programs, or scouring the town for the best deals, we love shaving off a few dollars or cents from our purchases.
The more inventive among us go a step further, like the woman shopping in mid-2019 who ate half a cake and refused to pay the full price.
The manager of a Walmart in Wichita Falls, Texas, had to call the authorities after the woman stood her ground, insisting that the cake had been half-eaten when she picked it up and placed it in her cart.
The officers were able to persuade her into paying the full price, and as a consequence, Walmart issued a ban, prohibiting her from returning to the store.
7. Construction Nightmares
It’s a real headache. You find an amazing apartment with a fantastic view, only for bulldozers and jackhammers to start working next door. That’s exactly what happened to Dale Arnold from Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. He became so frustrated by the new building going up just a few meters from his window that he decided to stop paying his rent.
“We have lives; we’re working people. [ . . ] They’re tearing our building apart,” Arnold vented. He had had enough of the constant noise, dust, the always-broken elevator, and the restricted access to the outdoor green spaces.
The property manager attempted to resolve the situation with cupcakes and a barbecue, but it didn’t make a difference.
Arnold took his complaint to the Residential Tenancy Branch but was unsuccessful. Chris Bryan, a spokesperson for the City of Burnaby, didn’t offer much reassurance either. Bryan stated, “When the concern was not after the fact or was ongoing, we investigated, took measurements, and responded accordingly.”
6. Goose Poop
It seems to be true—money doesn’t buy happiness.
Take, for instance, Tom Golisano, a billionaire and the former owner of the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres. He became so furious at Canada geese using the front yard of his upstate New York mansion as their personal restroom that he refused to pay $90,000 in taxes.
Clearly, he had reached his breaking point. He stated, “This past summer was awful. We’d drive in and see 100 to 200 geese parked on our lawn. [ . . . ] You can’t walk barefoot, can’t play Frisbee, can’t let your grandchildren run around. [ . . . ] Here I am paying all this money in taxes, and I can’t even use my property because of the geese droppings.”
Town supervisor Daniel Marshall wasn’t impressed. He responded, “That’s a resident’s problem, not the town’s. [ . . . ] After all, it’s a lake.” The New York Department of Environmental Conservation supported Marshall’s stance, pointing out that the Canada geese problem was occurring on private property, making it not their concern either.
Golisano, the founder of the New York Independence Party, which advocates for tax reduction, wasn’t giving up. He intended to file a class-action lawsuit.
5. I Could Have Been With A Psychopath
Traffic tickets are a real pain. We’re all juggling busy schedules and often in a hurry. The last thing we want is to be stopped by a police officer. But, rules are rules, and when a ticket is handed out, we usually just pay it and move on.
Amy Rush from Minnesota, however, has a different story. About 30 years ago, at 15, she was a runaway hitchhiking through Hamilton County, Iowa. While traveling in a car that was pulled over, the driver was issued a speeding ticket, and Rush was fined for not wearing a seatbelt. She still hasn’t paid it, and her reasoning is truly unique.
“The officer who pulled us over didn’t ask for ID or a license from me and never seemed to care about me at all. For all he knew, I could’ve been with a dangerous psychopath,” Rush expressed, clearly frustrated.
She also felt upset that the officer wasn’t concerned about her being so young and traveling in a vehicle with an older man.
Fifteen years after the incident, Amy received a letter at her parents’ house about the overdue ticket. The collection notices have kept coming ever since. Amy remarked, “I can’t even fathom the postage they’ve spent trying to track me down for this $35.”
4. Buried Father Who Was Not Dead
One day, Joey Pellegrino went to his Connecticut bank and withdrew $2,175 from his account. Due to a system glitch, that money wasn’t deducted from his balance. Pellegrino didn’t inform the bank about the mistake. Instead, he withdrew even more money, eventually leading to his account becoming overdrawn.
When the bank discovered the error and contacted him, Pellegrino agreed to return the funds. However, he didn’t. Instead, when pressed, he claimed he had given the money to his mother to cover the costs of burying his father.
The problem?
His father was still alive. To make matters worse, Pellegrino's father claimed that he had given him the money to repay the bank.
After much drama, Pellegrino eventually came clean about the situation.
3. You Didn’t Let Me On Your Show
In Ireland, the national broadcaster, RTE, operates on both television and radio. RTE receives partial funding from a TV license fee, which the government collects from all households, businesses, and institutions with a TV. If the fee is not paid, you might end up in jail.
In 2005, 66-year-old Richard Behal from Killarney found himself in trouble after refusing to pay his TV license fee for 21 years. Eventually, he was sentenced to 15 days in jail.
Behal explained that he refused to pay the fee because RTE had excluded him from a live election show in 1984, despite him running for the Sinn Fein Party, which was seen as the political arm of the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
The IRA, a paramilitary organization, fought Britain for an independent Ireland. Between 1969 and 1994, the IRA was responsible for an estimated 1,800 deaths. Due to the group's violent actions, the Irish government passed a law in 1971 banning any groups that sought to overthrow the State, incite crime, or undermine its authority from appearing on TV or radio.
This exclusion from the RTE election show in 1984 was the catalyst for Behal’s refusal to pay the TV license fee for over 20 years, ultimately resulting in his 15-day jail sentence.
2. God
Regardless of your beliefs, it's hard not to admire Delila Hernandez from New Mexico for her extraordinary faith.
One day, the 30-year-old woman placed an order for takeout at a local restaurant. When the cashier asked for payment, Hernandez casually replied, 'This one’s on God,' before walking out.
The server attempted to collect payment, stating, 'That’s not how this works,' but stepped back when Hernandez threatened him. Subsequently, she was charged with felony robbery.
After expressing regret, a public information officer indicated that Hernandez would likely face a lesser charge, potentially a petty misdemeanor instead of a felony.
1. Name In Capital Letters
In the UK, anyone who is at least 18 years old and either rents or owns a property is required to pay council tax. It's that straightforward.
However, 54-year-old Adrian May from Mansfield disagreed. He refused to pay his council tax because his name appeared in all capital letters on government correspondence. To May, this signified that he was deceased. So, despite being very much alive—demonstrated by his protest against the bill—he still refused to pay.
In fact, May went without paying for the tax for three years. Only after being dragged to court and threatened with jail time did he relent. And that only happened once he was shown that his name was written in lowercase letters on all other tax-related documents sent to him.
