What do you refuse or begrudge paying for?
Discussion
Going through paying people's expenses at work made me think of a few things, I would refuse to pay for.
First was £5 parking to stay at a hotel on the side of a dual carriageway. They know you are going to drive there as you don't have a choice. I'd book a different hotel just out of principle.
Another hotel related one, £5 charge for electric. And no this wasn't for an electric car which I would understand. This was on the booking.com receipt and was an actual hotel not an Airbnb.
Why is there a tyre disposal charge when getting a new tyre at a garage? Just include it in the price.
Paying to choose your seat on a plane, I'll see the person I'm travelling with when I get ther
Before anyone says it's only a few quid get over it, it all adds up and yes I am tight with money.
First was £5 parking to stay at a hotel on the side of a dual carriageway. They know you are going to drive there as you don't have a choice. I'd book a different hotel just out of principle.
Another hotel related one, £5 charge for electric. And no this wasn't for an electric car which I would understand. This was on the booking.com receipt and was an actual hotel not an Airbnb.
Why is there a tyre disposal charge when getting a new tyre at a garage? Just include it in the price.
Paying to choose your seat on a plane, I'll see the person I'm travelling with when I get ther
Before anyone says it's only a few quid get over it, it all adds up and yes I am tight with money.
It depends on how optional the charge is.
If EVERYBODY has to pay it then I agree that there's no point billing for it separately. However if even a small number of people don't need to pay for it then it shouldn't be included. Although I do wonder if some organisations deliberately keep the main charge as low as possible so that they are ranked higher on search engines
Another potential issue is differing VAT treatments - if something attracts a different rate of VAT the billing system needs to show this separately.
If EVERYBODY has to pay it then I agree that there's no point billing for it separately. However if even a small number of people don't need to pay for it then it shouldn't be included. Although I do wonder if some organisations deliberately keep the main charge as low as possible so that they are ranked higher on search engines
Another potential issue is differing VAT treatments - if something attracts a different rate of VAT the billing system needs to show this separately.
I used to absolutely avoid paying for parking. I did relent once and just pay and the convenience just ended up being worth paying for so now I don’t worry about it.
Problem this week was despite being prepared to pay, I spent an hour trying to park at the local hospital because there were no spaces. I definitely would have paid more to have parked an hour earlier.
Problem this week was despite being prepared to pay, I spent an hour trying to park at the local hospital because there were no spaces. I definitely would have paid more to have parked an hour earlier.
I resolutely refuse to pay any more than 5p for plastic bags. I said it would be the thin end of the wedge and so it was, some places charge 60p now. Others switched to paper, then started charging for them!
Not for me thanks, I have pockets and arms, I shall use them for free even if I have to take two trips to the car.
Not for me thanks, I have pockets and arms, I shall use them for free even if I have to take two trips to the car.
I don’t like the “Resort Fees” that many hotels in the USA put on top. I once asked if it was optional since I didn’t use the sun lounger towels, sun bathing area or bikes that Sid fee covered. No sir, they are not optional!
Some hotels in the UK are also starting to do this as well I have noticed - just include it in your price.
Some hotels in the UK are also starting to do this as well I have noticed - just include it in your price.
Hustle_ said:
Booking fees, platform fees, venue fees and particularly ticketing fees added onto event tickets at the checkout, when the 'ticket' is invariably an e-ticket.
These are what I call 'parasite' companies, like Compare the (insert subject here). They just sit in the middle, collect fees and ultimately put prices up for everyone, just because they can do SEO and TV adverts. Booking.com is so complex as to be virtually impenetrable.BritishBlitz87 said:
I resolutely refuse to pay any more than 5p for plastic bags. I said it would be the thin end of the wedge and so it was, some places charge 60p now. Others switched to paper, then started charging for them!
+1. First they charged 5p a bag 'to save the environment'. Then they introduced biodegradable bags, but still charged for them. Now they're back to ordinary plastic but 40p each. The stores must make a huge profit on them. It's not about the environment, it's just more profit. Yet they still won't open another checkout because they don't want to pay one more minimum wage. 'Pay more, get less'.Josemartinez said:
First was £5 parking to stay at a hotel on the side of a dual carriageway. They know you are going to drive there as you don't have a choice. I'd book a different hotel just out of principle.
Another hotel related one, £5 charge for electric. And no this wasn't for an electric car which I would understand. This was on the booking.com receipt and was an actual hotel not an Airbnb.
I'm not sure if they still do but EasyHotel would charge you £5 for a remote control for the telly.Another hotel related one, £5 charge for electric. And no this wasn't for an electric car which I would understand. This was on the booking.com receipt and was an actual hotel not an Airbnb.
BritishBlitz87 said:
Not for me thanks, I have pockets and arms, I shall use them for free even if I have to take two trips to the car.
Isn't that what trolleys are for?The plastic bag thing is actually fine I reckon, we used to have bundles and bundles of the f
king things, now we just have a bag with a dozen in and that's it. Both Tesco and Sainsburys will replace them for free when they are damaged or worn out as well so you only have to buy them onceSimpo Two said:
+1. First they charged 5p a bag 'to save the environment'. Then they introduced biodegradable bags, but still charged for them. Now they're back to ordinary plastic but 40p each. The stores must make a huge profit on them. It's not about the environment, it's just more profit. Yet they still won't open another checkout because they don't want to pay one more minimum wage. 'Pay more, get less'.
From having had a discussion about this with someone who at the time ran one of the big four UK supermarket chains (so a reasonable grasp of the costs/strategy) free bags were there to make the whole purchase process physically and psychologically easier. Charging for them wasn't a benefit!Of course now with footfall lower and far fewer people using the bags charging for them is less of an issue. Not sure it's much of a profit centre though.
I used to get them regardless because it wasn't enough to matter, now I'd just use one of the 'proper' heavy duty ones if I had to.
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