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DFW

(60,311 posts)

20. Following Europe's example

Reply to question everything (Original post)

Tue Apr 14, 2026, 08:27 AM

Tuesday

Europeans have been suffering from this for decades. My mom-in-law's bank once offered her--at age 90, mind you--an "investment" in a 30 year bond of some kind where the fees exceeded the interest earned. My wife was with her, and told the tie-wearing kid at the bank that he was a crook in a suit for even daring to offer such a thing. My wife yelled at him, "do you expect my mother to live to age 120?" He didn't offer much of a coherent answer.

The Europeans tack on fees to just about everything. I guess that when the USA saw that airline passengers didn't revolt with guns and baseball bats at having to pay to check luggage, the rest of the country decided the airlines were on to something.

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Highlight:

Surcharges Are Suddenly Everywhere--And Grumpy Americans Are Paying Up [View all] question everything Tuesday OP

Kick dalton99a Tuesday #1

This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Tuesday #2

My spouse's dentist added a surcharge because he used credit card! question everything Tuesday #4

This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Tuesday #6

Paper checks work like cash. Demobrat Tuesday #10

Also debit cards. My auto mechanic encourages using them to avoid these charges. question everything Tuesday #21

My dentist does the same. Doctor charges for all cards. Demobrat Tuesday #28

I just use a debit card. They can't charge the 3% if you use them. llmart Wednesday #38

Mine (recently retired) didn't take cards. Alice B. Tuesday #17

I guess they don't make enough. demosincebirth Tuesday #12

Look at your checks closely demosincebirth Tuesday #11

Chances are, you encounter it multiple times per week. Torchlight Tuesday #18

Yup. SheltieLover Tuesday #3

Are you all just noticing... r�is�n_dubh Tuesday #5

it's why I pay in cash Skittles Tuesday #8

I'm shocked I tells ya... r�is�n_dubh Tuesday #19

I used to pay cash a lot Tree Lady Tuesday #31

Cash whenever possible BeneteauBum Tuesday #32

Here in CA if you use a CC then it is 3% of the balance due. Jacson6 Tuesday #24

I needed a plumber this past weekend OnionPatch Tuesday #7

3% for a credit card Old Crank Tuesday #14

I had the appliance guy out for my dishwasher recently. mnhtnbb Tuesday #16

We had guy out to fix ours Tree Lady Tuesday #33

Tell him check today or you'll bring cash tomorrow then order him out. Wonder Why Tuesday #34

Highway robbery. calimary Tuesday #9

The war-criminal's "golden age" is just starting... Justice matters. Tuesday #13

Surcharges make sense for surprise expenses for business Old Crank Tuesday #15

Following Europe's example DFW Tuesday #20

The businesses have to pay a fee for that transaction, so they pass it on. maxsolomon Tuesday #22

Message auto-removed Name removed Tuesday #23

22% at the restaurant I went to on Saturday. maxsolomon Tuesday #25

Message auto-removed Name removed Tuesday #27

Checkout Line Occupancy Fee bucolic_frolic Tuesday #26

They quite literally want to bleed the American public dry clevergrrrl Tuesday #29

"Everything as a service". OC375 Tuesday #30

TBH, we WERE warned shanti Tuesday #36

Another symptom, no more "cash over"... dobleremolque Tuesday #35

Surcharges? Aussie105 Tuesday #37