Unnecessary Expenses
You might have noticed it when you go to a restaurant and pick up your food, visit an ice cream shop, or even a convenience store. But it seems that everywhere you turn there are additional charges to your bill, almost to the point that it feels like we're being nickeled and dimed to death.
Having attended conferences for many years, as a vendor and as a participant, I've gotten used to certain protocols when it comes to acquiring and staffing an exhibit booth. Obviously, there's a charge for the booth space and access to the attendees. That I have no problem with. But in the past, it was standard for the facility to provide at least a table as a part of the exhibit space. And recently, with some conferences, that seems to have been taken away. Now you can rent a table for $500. And forget about anyone supplying a chair or two as part of the space—extra, extra, extra.
In the general public, we're seeing this with an increase in tipping options when you go anywhere. You go pick up food, where there was no waiting service, and you're asked if you want to tip. You go to the ice cream parlor and now they're asking if you want to tip the people who serve you the ice cream. I've seen it at car washes, airports, and various other places. In fact, there are news stories about people who didn't get tipped who were now becoming physically aggressive about their disdain for the person who didn't tip them. Then there are new convenience charges that appear on water bills, hotels, and even normal purchases. What was convenient for me about these charges?
I certainly understand inflation is challenging--for me, for you, and for everyone. But I'd really like to know what the actual cost of the product or service is so I can make a rational decision. If every time I'm asked about additional costs, after I've made the decision about the value of whatever I am purchasing, I don't get a good reading on whether I think it's worth it. Plus, some things just aren't worth tipping. If all you do is hand me something, why should I tip you?
Two decades ago, there was a move around no hassle buying with cars. No dickering. No negotiation. Here's the cost. At the time, I wasn't quite sure I liked it. But as we've moved into a period where literally every time you turn around someone's trying to get more money out of you for things that used to be just part of the sticker price, that no-hassle buying doesn't sound so bad.
All of this is to say that whatever the costs are, and thus what someone charges, include that in the sticker price of the product or service. I can then decide if I think the item or the service is worth it. To me, that's just upfront honesty and openness regarding a buying decision.
