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Felonious Fees
Once, when I was kid, I paid $3, a week's worth of lawn mowing, to see the Alligator Lady at the county fair. "Half reptile and half woman!" the promoter barked. I was hooked. When I got inside, all I could see was her silhouette. "Whaddaya think, electricity is free?" demanded the carny. I coughed up the 50-cent electrical surcharge, the lights came on -- and the Alligator Lady was revealed to be a woman in a bathing suit with a bad case of eczema. How could I be such a sucker?
These days, fees no longer surprise us, and companies know that. In fact, many businesses are raising fees. "Consumers have not revolted, so companies are getting bolder," says Diane Clarkson, a travel industry analyst at JupiterResearch. "They're charging for more things, and charging more for them."
As a result, Americans are paying billions of dollars a year in fees that are not part of the advertised price, on everything from late credit card payments to battery disposal to clean sheets when you stay at a hotel. (Can I waive the housekeeping fee if I use the last guy's towels?) Here are some of the most felonious fees, plus tips on what you can do about them.
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