4 Things You Are Paying for—But Rarely (Or Never) Use

by Miranda Marquit · 1 comment

extra items
When it comes to hidden charges, you might be surprised at what you are paying for. In a number of cases, it probably doesn’t even occur to you that you are paying for something you rarely—or never—use. Here are 4 things that you might be paying for, even though you don’t use them:

extra things1. Cable Channels

Do you really watch all those cable channels you are paying for every single month? If you have cable or satellite TV, you might not be getting your money’s worth. Does it really matter if you have 240 channels when, really, you only watch 10 of them? If you don’t watch sports, you might really be messed over, since ESPN accounts for way more of your cable bill than channels like the Food Network and Nickelodeon.

On top of that, you might be stuck even if you wanted to downgrade to a cheaper package. My satellite company won’t allow us to get an HD receiver/HDR unless we get a minimum package. Perhaps it’s time to look for ways to watch my favorite shows online for less. One way is through Netflix, but at the very least, check out the latest broadband promotions to see if you can save on your existing plan.

2. Software

When you get a computer, it comes stocked with all sorts of software — much of it stuff you won’t use. However, those software programs add to the cost of the computer, and you pay that expense. I’m pretty sure I’m paying for GarageBand and other software that I really don’t care about, but is magically present on my computer. If you are ordering a computer, you might be able to order a bare bones version, or customize a computer with software you actually want.

3. Resort Fees

When you stay at a hotel, you might find “resort fees” added to your bill. This is common if you stay at a place with a nice pool, or if the hotel has groundskeeping costs. And there’s really nothing you can do about it — unless you are willing to do a little sleuthing to get to the bottom of these fees. You can look for hotels with lower resort fees, and lower overall costs. Remember, too, that the fitness room and business center might be built into your bill as well.

4. Extras for Your Car

Before you spring for your car, consider the cost that might be automatically added as a part of your vehicle. The cost of cars automatically equipped with music jacks, power everything, and other features is going up. The worst part? You probably won’t find a stripped down model on the dealer’s lot.

You might be better off buying used if you want to find something that has fewer creature comforts — and a lower price tag. (Before you buy though, make an effort to check out these 5 tips for buying a used car.) You don’t want to be too cheap, but you do want to be careful. Otherwise, you will end up paying for things you don’t need, and may not use.

Bottom Line

A number of items now come with “extras” built in. It doesn’t matter what you want, or whether you use these extras; you are paying for them anyway.

Cable and satellite companies are reluctant to go to a la carte pricing, and you have to look hard to find a computer that doesn’t come stuffed with software that you might not be interested in.

Shop around, and ask about fees. If enough people start asking questions and comparison shop, and demanding that they only pay for what they want, we might see change.

Editor's Note: Did you know about the service called $5 meal plans? For $5 a month, they send you recipes of delicious, healthy, yet cheap food that costs just $5 a meal.

Several of my friends signed up and they are able to eat at home more because the instructions are easy to follow, making everything convenient. The deal also comes with grocery shopping lists, which saves them so much time. Check it out yourself by clicking here and you too may be able to save more and become healthier at the same time.

Money Saving Tip: An incredibly effective way to save more is to reduce your monthly Internet and TV costs. Click here for the current AT&T DSL and U-VERSE promotion codes and promos and see if you can save more money every month from now on.

{ read the comments below or add one }

  • DNN says:

    I used to shop online for lots of shoes, sneakers, fragrances, and steals on eBay and other e-sites. I’m striving to be frugal nowadays. I’m going to strat writing reviews on earning $ gUaP $ from review – product recommendations so I can get this review money accelerated at full strength. 🙂

Cancel reply

Leave a Comment