Request for Courtesy Adjustment - First-Time Free Tier Overage

Question

Dear AWS Support Team,

I am writing to respectfully request your assistance with an unexpected charge on my AWS account. I recently discovered a bill for INR 892.37 (USD 10.06) for the September 2025 billing period (Statement #: 2331287837), which came as a complete surprise.

I have been using AWS under the understanding that I was operating within the Free Tier limits while learning cloud technologies. It appears I misunderstood the specific limitations of Amazon RDS Free Tier allowance, and unintentionally accumulated charges by leaving database instances running beyond the free usage limits.

Important context for my request:

* This is my first significant overage in my AWS account history
* The charges resulted from unintentional educational use while learning AWS services
* I have immediately taken corrective action by terminating all non-essential resources
* I have now set up billing alerts and budgets to prevent any future surprises
* The amount of INR 892.37 represents a significant financial concern for me as a student/individual learner

I understand that AWS has policies regarding charges, but I would be extremely grateful if you could consider this as a one-time courtesy adjustment or refund given the circumstances. This was a genuine learning experience about cloud cost management.

I value AWS services and want to continue using them for my learning and projects, but this unexpected charge has been quite discouraging.

Thank you for your understanding and for supporting the developer learning community. I appreciate your consideration of my request.

Account Details:

* Account Number: 337909766210
* Statement Number: 2331287837
* Statement Date: October 1, 2025
* Amount: INR 892.37 (USD 10.06)
* Billing Period: September 1-30, 2025

Sincerely,
Lourthu Xavier M

re:Post Agent · Answer

I understand your concern about unexpected charges on your AWS Free Tier account. This is a common situation for new AWS users who are learning the platform.

While the AWS Free Tier offers many services at no cost, it does have specific limits and conditions. Even as a Free Tier user, you can incur charges if you exceed these limits or use services not covered by the Free Tier. In your case, it appears you exceeded the RDS Free Tier limits by leaving database instances running longer than allowed.

For unexpected charges like this, the best course of action is to contact AWS Support directly by creating a billing support case. AWS Support can review your account usage and charges in detail. While refunds aren't guaranteed, AWS Support may be able to provide a one-time courtesy credit, especially since this is your first significant overage and you're using AWS for educational purposes.

It's good that you've already taken corrective actions by:
- Terminating non-essential resources
- Setting up billing alerts and budgets

For future reference, I recommend:
- Regularly monitoring your usage through the AWS Billing and Cost Management console
- Using AWS Budgets to set cost thresholds and receive notifications
- Checking which services are covered by the Free Tier and their respective limits
- Terminating (not just stopping) any resources you're not actively using

AWS Support understands that new users face a learning curve with cloud cost management, and they often work with customers in situations like yours, especially for first-time overages during the learning process.  
**Sources**  
[Request for Billing Assistance - Free Tier Account | AWS re:Post](https://repost.aws/questions/QUpz6rGEP_SbWbSAz6P2XnRw/request-for-billing-assistance-free-tier-account)  
[Bill unexpected in free tier | AWS re:Post](https://repost.aws/questions/QUN7t5qIr4SbicTnKvjbJH_g/bill-unexpected-in-free-tier)  
[Unexpected AWS Charges on My Free Tier Account | AWS re:Post](https://repost.aws/questions/QUrsagY_qlTRaw3232OLB0Aw/unexpected-aws-charges-on-my-free-tier-account)

Request for Courtesy Adjustment - First-Time Free Tier Overage

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