Gee, that sounds like my life story.

In 1980, after working 14-years as a Mechanical Engineer, I changed jobs and joined a software company where I finally made some real money. 36-years later I retired. And while I never worked in a camera store, I did work a second job one summer selling radios and small appliances at an Arlan's department store (now there's a blast from the past).

That's why I stopped using it. I now just have the Arca-Swiss quick release mounting plate. Note that I have one on each of my tripods as well. And all my cameras, as well as my long 400mm lens and the focusing rail in my macro kit, they all have the matching Arca-Swiss mount so that everything is compatible no matter what the situation is.

As someone once told me, when I showed them the Pergear TH3 Pro Ball Head that I was using with my monopod, "Aren't you defeating the whole purpose of using a monopod in the first place? If you're going that far, just use a tripod."

Or something equally handy, and perhaps even more functional, for less than half the price:

https://neewer.com/products/neewer-gm39-gimbal-tripod-head-66603927

I'm seriously looking at getting this item for my monopod.

Another set of 'A' is for, photos...

Abby - in this case, Westminster Abby, in London, England - May 1991 - Minolta XG-M, 35mm


Accident - which we witnessed, and where I had to later testify in court (the driver of the truck survived but a couple in a minivan didn't), near San Antonio, Texas - September 2002 - Canon IXUS V


Alsace - with a view of the City Center of Colmar, the administrative capital of the Alsace region of France - September 2004 - Minolta DiMAGE 7Hi


Alien - as depicted on a street lamp in Roswell, New Mexico - August 2007 - Sony DSC-H2


Abandoned - an old office in a building where I had worked for 14 years as an engineer (my desk was just about in the center of this image), before the company was moved to North Carolina, in Saginaw, Michigan - April 2014 - Sony A65, 10-24mm


Arcade - as in the indoor courtyard of a shopping arcade in Torino, Itlay - August 2014 - Sony NEX-3N, 16-50mm


Atomic Bomb - a replica of the 'Little Boy', the first operational Atomic Bomb, which was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio - November 2015 - Sony NEX-3N, 16-50mm


Antenna - as used by the KVLY-TV station, and at 2,063 feet (629 m), the tallest structure in North America, in Blanchard, North Dakota - April 2019 - Sony a6000, 10-18mm


Ammo - for a 30-cal M1 Carbine, five-round magazines used for hunting, taken from my gun safe in Irvine, California - May 2020 - Sony a6000, 16-50mm


Ablaze - the trailer from an 18-wheeler, engulfed in flames, on the side of the highway near Silver City, New Mexico -May 2021 - Sony a6500, 18-135mm

Hasn't this dead horse been beaten enough?

I'm more than satisfied with my AmazonBasics Carbon Fiber Monopod, that I purchased six-years ago for $69. Now it might a bit short for your needs as it's only 61-inches high, but being only 5'-10", with a camera mounted, I only have to lean down a bit when standing up. That being said, I've used it mostly sitting down, like when shooting pictures at the high school graduations of our last three granddaughters.

It's very compact, collapsing to less than 18 inches and it weighs just about a pound, even with an Arca Swiss Clamp Tripod Mount Adapter which I added to the rig:

'A' is for...

Automobile - a VW Beetle driving thru a stream near Copper Harbor, Michigan - May 1969 - Minolta SRT-101, 58mm


Arboreal Tunnel - as seen near Houghton, Michigan - September 1968 - Minolta SR-1, 55mm


Abraham Lincoln - his statue as seen at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. - June 1973 - Minolta SRT-101, 58mm


Apple Orchard - as seen in Wapato, Washington - August 1979 - Minolta SRT-101, 35mm


Angel Stadium - as seen during the warm-up prior to a Baseball game with the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim, California - August 1988 - Minolta XG-M, 50mm


Amaryllis - flowers as seen in our backyard in Irvine, California - April 2004 - Minolta DiMAGE 7Hi


Airplane - in this case a B-17 bomber in which I had just experienced a 30-minute flight from the Orange County (AKA John Wayne) Airport in Santa Ana, California - April 2004 - Minolta DiMAGE 7Hi


Allison V-12 Aircraft Engine - as seen on display at the Arizona Wing of the CAF (Confederate Air Force) Museum in Mesa, Arizona - July 2005 - Minolta DiMAGE 7Hi


Autumn - as seen near Lewiston, Michigan - October 2018 - Sony a6000, 16-50mm


Arbor - installed over a fountain in our backyard in Irvine, California - May 2022 - Sony a6500, 18-135mm

This was an 'A-mount' version for the Sony DSLR's. That being said, I'm more than satisfied with my Sony f3.5-5.6 18-135mm lens for my mirrorless, 'E-mount', Sony a6500. Yea, it would be nice to get a bit faster lens, but Sony has done such a good job with their sensors and firmware that shooting higher ISO ranges it not an unreasonable situation, and for close-ups, where I want a shallow depth-of-field, I've still got my Artisans f2.8 60mm macro lens.

What you see is what you get.

The Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 Di lens...

I bought one for my Sony A65 DSLR because I wanted a fast lens. I was fine but I thought the focus was a bit soft. However, since I've moved to mirrorless, it's just taking up space in my camera closet. Perhaps I should try selling it on Ebay.

Another couple of images:

One of the most polluted rivers that I've ever seen in all my travels, the Tiete River, Sao Paulo, Brazil - July 2015 - Sony NEX-3N, 16-50mm


Not far behind was the Moskva River, in Moscow, Russia - April 1994 - Minolta XG-M, 50mm

We do the same, except I use the Amazon Prime card for Amazon purchases and the Costco card for everything else. Last year we got over $1400 back and we also pay the balance each month (haven't paid a dime in credit card interest in maybe 20 or 25 years).

So while I have no experience B&H, we recently remodeled our kitchen and we purchased some premium appliances from Best Buy and were able to get an 18-month, same as cash deal. Now as long as I make a monthly payment larger than the minimum, there will be no interest accrued, as long as the full balance is paid before the end of the 18-month period. Now until then, each month the Best Buy statement shows an interest charge, just that it's not added to your balance and if you do pay-off the full balance within 18 months, it will be cancelled. I suspect that they're required, by law, to show the customer exactly what interest they will be responsible for IF they don't pay the full balance on time. This may be what your B&H statement is showing. Check to see if the interest charge has been added to your balance owed or not. If it has not, then it's just there so that you know what you could be liable for if you don't meet the terms of the agreement.