surcharges

The first thing I learned as a young investment banker who often stayed in pricey hotels in big cities -- but didn't have the budget that most guests at that hotel did -- was to figure out how a short walk could save me big. Why buy a candy bar or bottle of water for $4 or $5 from the minibar when...

On Monday, the Department of Justice came to a settlement agreement with Visa and MasterCard. The decision was a long time coming (two years), and the details are fairly complex. The upshot for consumers is simple, though: Merchants are now allowed to create pricing tiers based on how you pay, so...

Whether you're traveling, banking, renting a car or buying a concert ticket, you're going to be subject to a host of fees, some hidden and some blatantly obvious. It's one way companies have to collect more money from you on top of the price for the actual service. Here are 10 particularly...

The bad news about summer air fares keeps stacking up like aircraft waiting to land at San Francisco International Airport on a foggy day. First, airlines hiked fares in response to escalating oil prices. Then they stopped discounting seats as the economy improved and travelers started returning...

Yet another airline fee is on the horizon, just in time for the busy summer travel season. Fuel surcharges are likely to push airfares higher to make up for a 25% increase in airline gas prices so far this year, industry watchers warn. "Airlines have gotten pretty good about adding fees on...

In great news for cows but another blow for vacationers, the cruise vacation giant Royal Caribbean has elected to charge $14.95 to anyone who orders New York strip steak in the main dining room. Eat all you want, the line says. Just not that.Much of the fun of taking a cruise has been that...