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| WHAT IT IS: Phone companies are tempting consumers with tidy packages bundling everything from local- and long-distance service to three-way calling and caller ID. WHY IT'S SO BAD: Phone companies' "dirty little secret" is that those extra services don't cost them much--just you, said John Breyault, spokesman for the Telecommunications Research and Action Center, a Washington-based consumer group. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Choose phone-service packages that offer the features you use most often, then order the rest a la carte. Consumers also should regularly compare plans offered by competing providers, Breyault said. |
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WHAT IT IS:
Technology is making text messaging cheaper and cheaper, but cellular phone companies are making the price steeper and steeper.
WHY IT'S SO BAD:
Cingular, Sprint Nextel and Verizon Wireless recently announced they're increasing the a la carte price for a text message from 10 cents to 15 cents.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
If you text message a lot, look into text-messaging packages. Sprint Nextel Corp. offers unlimited text-messaging for an extra $10 for individual lines and $20 for family plans. Verizon Wireless' packages start at $10 for 500 messages plus unlimited in-network messaging, and Cingular Wireless charges $10 for 400 messages plus 1 MB of data use.
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| WHAT IT IS: Just when you've gotten over the sticker shock for that car you've been eyeing, you find out that the dealer is going to tack on a fee to process the paperwork involved. WHY IT'S SO BAD: Document-processing fees aren't required by the state, and the amounts can vary significantly from dealer to dealer. "To me, paying a paperwork fee to a car dealership is like paying an ironing fee to a clothing store for ironing clothing when it comes out of the box," said Deanna Sclar, author of "Buying a Car for Dummies." WHAT YOU CAN DO: "Question every fee," said Sclar. "If you object, you'll get at least some of them taken off. They want you as a customer." |
| WHAT IT IS: Bank-issued gift cards, which bear a credit-card company logo instead of a retailer's, seem handy because they can be used almost anywhere. WHY IT'S SO BAD: They contain a purchasing fee of about $4, and credit-card companies generally start charging a $2.50 monthly inactivity fee if they aren't used in six months. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Check the gift card and any accompanying packaging for the disclosure statement of expiration dates and dormancy fees. Use the card before those kick in, or sell them on such sites as eBay. |
| WHAT IT IS: Dental practices typically add a $5 to $12 fee to offset the cost of sterilizing equipment. It is sometimes referred to as an OSHA fee, an infection-control fee or a sterilization fee. WHY IT'S SO BAD: This fee is not a covered benefit and hits consumers where it hurts the most--in their co-payment. Some insurance providers have cracked down on member dentists, forbidding them to pass on overhead expenses to consumers. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Read the fine print on your insurance plan and comparison shop for a dentist. |
| WHAT IT IS: Many airlines now charge customers who call or stop by an airport counter to book a flight, redeem miles or get paper tickets. Go online, however, and the service is free. WHY IT'S SO BAD: The fees, which can go as high as $75 at United for a paper ticket, force you to go electronic so the airlines can save money. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Embrace change and fire up the computer, or switch to more people-oriented airlines such as JetBlue and Southwest. |
