Filed under: Audio, Humor, iTS, Video, Cult of Mac, iTunes
Man runs up 8k tab in iTunes Store, fiancée dumps him
In response to a call for readers' most embarrassing DVD purchases on Entertainment Weekly's website, Dalton Ross got an interesting comment from a woman named Susan who thought it might be fun to share with the world why her engagement was called off.I used to wonder how my husband-to-be had more than 700 music CDs and more than 300 movie DVDs and hundreds and hundreds of record albums until I discovered that he had $43,000 in credit-card debt. In looking at his last bill (for one month) he had charged more than 8,000 iTunes at 99 cents each and had charges at places that sell music and movies, too. This guy made $45,000 a year. Called off the wedding.
If true - and since it's on the Interwebs it must be true - Susan made the right choice! And she saved both of them from even more debt.
8000 songs from the iTunes music store?
$7920
Average cost of a wedding in the US?
$27,490
Posting about your failed relationship and shattered dreams on the Internet?
Priceless.
Perhaps someone should introduce this guy to Free Tuesdays? Is there an iTunes Anonymous chapter for guys like this? There's a reason why 1-Click purchasing should be off by default.
[via TheAppleBlog]
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jason said 1:11PM on 11-16-2006
HAHAHA, I am taking this with a grain of salt, but it sure is funny.
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Marco Senf said 1:14PM on 11-16-2006
I am actually shocked ... how expensive an average US American wedding is. I wonder how much LasVegas-Elvises are included in this price.
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Stefan K said 1:18PM on 11-16-2006
I already struggle with listening to a few albums I buy over a couple of weeks. I mean 8000 songs should keep him well busy for quite some time.
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Macobyte said 1:39PM on 11-16-2006
I hope at least a few of those are breakup tunes, I'd hate for him to have to charge more on iTunes!
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Austin said 1:41PM on 11-16-2006
What is that ben folds album??
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Joshua Ochs said 1:43PM on 11-16-2006
Weddings are so expensive because of the wedding industry, and how it encourages "bridezillas". Everything has to be "perfect" - matching colors for everything (even the food!), overpriced venues, overpriced dresses (bridesmaids have to match "perfectly"!)
I was married last year - we went to our favorite bakery for the cake, our favorite florist for the flowers, and favorite restaurants for the rehearsal dinner and reception. When all was said and done, we spent maybe $12,000 to host 80 people. And people loved it, because it wasn't over-produced and artificial - it was really personal and fun.
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Laurie said 1:45PM on 11-16-2006
The song "Song For the Dumped" (which i felt appropriate for this post) is on Ben Folds' "Whatever and Ever Amen" album.
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Richard Williams said 1:55PM on 11-16-2006
In Zune points that would only have been
8000 x 79/99 = 6485
Purchased in $5.00 increments of course!
Maybe M$ could have saved a marriage!
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Rors said 1:57PM on 11-16-2006
Ok, the guy had a problem but dumping your fiance because he's in debt? Sounds like she was all about the benjamins.
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sight_unseen said 2:00PM on 11-16-2006
Ok, so the man she supposedly loves (or 'loved') clearly has a problem with compulsive spending. A problem he would need professional help with and support... one would imagine from the woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with. It's not unlike a person having a drinking problem, or something to that effect.
Her solution- don't try to help the wallet.. oops i mean 'man' she ostensibly loves. Nooo. Easier to break it off and shame him on the internet. Ain't love grand...
Now I think that those amounts are EXTREME, and suggest a major problem, but his biggest problem was clearly the one that no one has mentioned in the comments thus far-- the gold-digging bitch that abandoned him at first sign of a problem.
Yeah, that level of compulsive spending is a big problem but no less so than fighting cancer, losing a child, and all those other things that a couple would or could conceivably struggle with. Together.
I'm sure the guy's not reading this, but if you are, you're better off without someone who would abandon you when you clearly need help.
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Matthew said 2:05PM on 11-16-2006
Or maybe someone should have introduced him to allofmp3 a LONG time ago. It would have saved him about 7 of those thousands. Oh well, its the compulsive side of him I guess. Best she got rid of him either way. But come on. Higher resolution tracks for 1/4th the price? I'll take allofmp3, thanks.
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Matthew said 2:05PM on 11-16-2006
Sight_unseen,
I completely agree with you.
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Mitchell E. said 2:09PM on 11-16-2006
Nice Folds reference! Two of my favorite things—Folds' music and Apple news—have just been married in a happy, blissful union of scrumptiousness.
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ffh said 2:37PM on 11-16-2006
Who pays for music anymore???
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Ian Scott said 2:40PM on 11-16-2006
Joshua Ochs, you consider $12,000 for 80 guests to be an inexpensive wedding? Wow.
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Navvy said 2:59PM on 11-16-2006
Is it possible to even listen to 8000 songs in a month? Figure each song ≈ 4 min.
Unless he has a terrible commute, or listens to music at work, I can't see it.
(I wonder if he has his iTunes collection backed up.)
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Tara said 3:06PM on 11-16-2006
He had secret debt and a serious mental health problem that he didn't share with her or even begin to try to work on or address himself. She is absolutely justified in calling off the wedding. Besides, if he's only earning $45K and spending $8k a month on music alone, *he's* probably the gold-digger.
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Jeff said 3:24PM on 11-16-2006
Microsoft is hoping that the American public cannot do math. Comment #8 is either a Microsoft troll or someone proving they may be right.
Zune points are 1.25 cents each (bought in $5.00 increments). Sony cost 79 points which equates to 98.75 cents (79 x 1.25).
The article states more than 8000 songs. But for comparison, 8000 songs on iTunes = $7920. The same amount of songs on Zune = $7900. (This would be the only person saving money with Zune - all others will have worthless points expire in Microsoft's pockets.)
The whole thing is comical as it highlights Apple's corporate ease of use advantage over Microsoft. (single click sony purchase vs. exchanging your money for points, etc...)
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Matt Stocum said 3:54PM on 11-16-2006
sight_unseen,
When you find out someone's credit card debt is equal to their gross annual salary, it's time to head for the hills. As soon as they get married that becomes her debt too.
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Juz said 4:19PM on 11-16-2006
8000 songs in a month.
Hmmm.... there's 44,640 minutes in a month. Lets take out 6 hours a day for sleeping.... thats 33480 mins left. Now assume 1 minute download per song, plus 1 minute of overhead each (perusing catalog, clicking, switching between apps etc). Thats 16000 mins gone...
Leaving him about 9 hours a day to work, see the girlfriend, and get to the shops to buy all the other DVDs (I assume he listens to his music while downloading).
Yeah... your dumped.
And sure, your partner will help you through troubled times AFTER you have had a few good years together and her love for you has deepened, but to use the same metaphor above: yes, I would see my wife through alcoholism now, but it's tougher to wonder if I would have married her if I knew she was alcoholic when we were engaged.
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