A great debate raged in the US after the Haitian earthquake. The credit card fees and the millions upon millions of dollars that credit card companies were making from the generosity of the people touched a nerve in many. That, coupled with the general Image may be NSFW.
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fatigue in the population over the “other” bank fees — namely the fees that make the bankers fat and the population poor — produced an indignation over certain industries’ profits that the US hasn’t seen in years.
Then, a couple of days after hearing this indignation over the airwaves and reading about it on internet, I opened a newspaper and saw that John Oliver from the Daily Show with Jon Stewart (which is my regular nightly comedy dose) is coming to a theater near me. “Great,” I thought, “that would be a wonderful evening out.” That was until I saw the prices — and it was not the price of the ticket that turned me off. It was the fees. For a $35 ticket I would have paid at least $17 in fees. That’s 50% of the ticket! My reasonably priced $35 ticket would quickly become a $52 dollar ticket. And for what? For me clicking a few buttons on the screen and making a purchase on-line? Why should I be paying this much for them to process a ticket? And whom would I be paying? The ticket agencies that somehow decided that it were OK to rip the spectators off?
This was not the first time I had to pay outrageous fees in the US for getting a ticket to a show or a sports event. I was even told I’d have to pay if I went to pick up my ticket at the theater — a “pick up” fee. Come on. Seriously — a pick up fee?
I’ve bought plenty of tickets for performances in Russia and Argentina and I don’t remember paying any fees let alone such outrageous amounts. Which makes me wonder — why do we, Americans, put up with that? Why do we let them rob us in daylight? Is the “culture of fees” so strong in the American psyche that it’s here to stay?
What do you think? And what has been your experience in other countries?
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Tagged: Argentina, Banks, Credit Cards, Culture Shock, Expat, expatriate, Global Nomads, money, Remembering, Russia, Theater Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
