Seven Things That Should Be Free, But Are Not

It's easy to take for granted everything we can enjoy for free. And there are many free products and services out there if you know where to look. Unfortunately, there are also things that used to be free, but have ceased to be so over time. Shoppers often find costs that have been veiled by free offers.

Photo: Shutterstock

Go banking rates made a list of things that should be free and advised how to avoid being charged.

1. Checking accounts

Gone are the days when free checking accounts were the norm. While nearly 80% of banks offered free checking accounts in 2009, 2016% remained in 46. In addition, many supposedly free checking accounts actually have strict requirements and conditions.

"You'll have to pay fees or dodge to avoid additional costs," said David Bakke, a personal finance expert at the site Money crashes.

One common requirement to avoid service fees is a minimum balance. Luckily, there are still banks that offer free checking accounts with no minimum balance - e.g. Ally Bank, Bank5 Connect and Capital One... Credit unions and local banks also often offer free checking accounts.

2. Space for luggage on the plane

Not so long ago, air travelers could carry a bag or two for free. American Airlines became the first major airline to introduce baggage charges in 2008 year, in accordance with FareCompare.com. Now all major airlines except Southwest Airlinesextra charge for passengers on domestic flights.

Airlines began charging fees to offset high fuel costs. Even after fuel prices have fallen, fees have not been waived. In addition, major carriers such as American и United introduced additional storage charges for hand luggage in the upper compartments, said Benjamin Glazer, editor with DealNews.com.

"When booking flights, check to make sure it's not included in your fare," Glaser said.

3. Hotel amenities

At the hotel, you may have to pay for anything other than the bed you sleep on. It has become a common practice for hotels to make money on additional fees. You may be asked to pay for everything from phone calls and internet access to early check-in and luggage storage if the room isn't ready.

One of the volume surcharges is the tourist tax. The Federal Trade Commission has determined that consumers suffer from the fact that not all hotels disclose the amount of the mandatory tourist tax, which is part of the room price.

The best way to avoid unnecessary expenses is to check the availability of additional fees on hotel sites, when booking or by phone, directly asking for additional fees. Remember that not all resorts charge.

4. Delivery of purchases

What could be more convenient than shopping online? But more and more consumers have to pay for comfort in the form of shipping charges.

“Free shipping is actually a costly expense for retailers,” Glaser said. “So many of them are saving on what has become expected of many online shoppers.”

In other words, one should not expect that free shipping will be available at any time in all online stores.

5. Coin conversion

“Converting coins to bills should be free,” said Michael Srinivasan, owner of a personal finance blog StretchaDime.com. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

For example, if you convert in a kiosk Coinstar or from another seller, you will have to pay 10,9% of the amount. In addition, some banks will convert coins to banknotes for free. If you are a client BB&T, you can use its self-service machines for up to $ 25 for free.

6. Cable TV

“Are you forced to watch all the commercials while your favorite show is on?! You'd think you could watch TV for free," said Chris Brantner, founder CutCableToday.com. However, Americans spend an average of $ 103 a month on cable TV, according to Leichtman Research Group.

However, you can watch TV much cheaper or even for free, said Brantner. You can get a lot of popular cable channels for $ 20 through a streaming TV service, or even watch local channels for free through the antenna.

7. Trial versions

Probably, you have repeatedly come across an offer to try any product for free. Meanwhile, such proposals may be misleading.

If you signed up for a free trial, you could end up signing up for a recurring fee plan without warning.

If you want to try something for free, read the reviews about the company and all the conditions on the Internet.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Stanford 7 courses that you can listen to for free

Walmart will make discounts on one million products

How to get to New York museums for free or almost for free

How to find a free immigration lawyer

7 Myths About America 

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.