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Some things just feel like they should be free, right? What’s a service you can’t believe still costs money?
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#1
Air for your tires at the gas station. I remember when it was free.
Final score:
14points
Crescent 3 1 month ago
That's why I spent $30 at AutoZone and bought a portable air pump that I keep in the car.
Jaya 1 month ago
Why should it be free? They have to buy the machine, do maintenance on the machine, why should that be a free service? The fact that something USED to be free, is not a good reason for why it NEEDS to be free. That's like saying "My neighbour used to bake me cookies as a free gift, so she needs to keep doing it for free".
RELATED:
#2
parking at hospitals (us specific)
you're already paying an arm and a leg for healthcare; you shouldnt have to pay to park as well
Final score:
12points
Andrew Keir 1 month ago
In the UK , hospital care is free but often the parking has been subcontracted to some avaricious company who charge what they like. Needs sorting.
Stardrop (Submission author) 1 month ago
it's not everywhere, but the big hospital closest to us charges like ~$20 per day
Load More Replies... Jaya 1 month ago
You need to pay for hospital parking in the Netherlands as well. It's not fair when people who have the bad luck of needing to go to the hospital, that they also need to carry the financial burden of the hospital visit on their own. It's fairer if we all collectively pay that, that's why we have insurance. I think hospital parking should be covered by the insurance too. It doesn´t have to be literally free (because then people who just wanna park somewhere in the city will use it as free parking too), but you could easily make a system where you get a parking validation ticket after your hospital visit that just gets added to the hospital bill that goes to your insurer, or that you can send your parking ticket to the insurance company.
Carol Hobbs 1 month ago
A few years ago my husband had a 9-1/2 hour surgery. After all that stress, A $20.00 parking fee was too much! We were there for 12 hours altogether, tired, hungry, and scared about the surgery.....
#3
If you're in the US, basic healthcare.
Final score:
7points
James016 1 month ago
Healthcare is not free anywhere, how it's funded is the question. NHS is free at the point of use but we still pay for it via taxes.
Taffy Renee 1 month ago
Health care can never be 'free' as money is needed. It'll come from somewhere, most likely taxes. So you'll be paying for it anyway.
#4
Drinking water at events like concerts, festivals, fairs etc.
Final score:
7points
Andrew Keir 1 month ago
Why won't they allow you to bring your own? If there were a safety or danger idea (as on aircraft) then, a reluctant OK; but at festivals and especially concerts, where people dance around and just might be trying strange chemicals, there can be medical issues compounded by people being under-hydrated. Sounds like what we call in the UK a "nice little earner" i.e. a rip-off.
Load More Replies... Jaya 1 month ago
Festivals not providing free water, has sometimes led to disastrous results in hot weekends, people fainting everywhere.
Sarah Suelzle (Submission author) 1 month ago
Yes! I would also like to add that it should be actual water for drinking like bottled water quality. I was at a hot summer outdoor concert which lasted all day. I was made to dump out the water I had brought with me. I asked if there was actual free drinking water inside...he said yes. Turns out it was the gross warm cloudy water from the hand washing stations. Not the same !!
Load More Replies... #5
Basic first aid training for everyone
Final score:
7points
DeoManus Argentem 1 month ago
It's available for free in many places, through the American Red Cross, your city's fire department, or civics center (Florida, US, ymmv). But definitely should be everywhere, taught in schools - we had a first-aid "lab" requirement as part of biology in uni, but that's obvs not for "everyone".
Huddo's sister 1 month ago
As a teacher, I have to do CPR refresher every year, asthma & anaphylaxis training every two yeas and a full first aid course every five years. Costs so much each time and work won't cover it (if I was teaching in a school they would cover it.
#6
Bored Panda!
Final score:
5points
Andrew Keir 1 month ago
I've had a look at my bank statement and I can't find any charge linked specifically to my use of BP. Maybe I need a sense-of-humour transplant ?
Chich the witch 1 month ago
Believe they are referring to "premium" membership which is an odd thing to have on a site of rehashed reddit articles. TBH the bulk of the content is really the reader comments .
Load More Replies... #7
As someone said above parking at a hospital (this is a thing in Canada) and to make it worse the employees who work at the hospital have to pay to park there as well.
Final score:
5points
Stardrop 1 month ago
paying to park at your JOB or the UNIVERSITY YOU PAY FOR is stupid as hell.
Rika 1 month ago
Parking at my university was only free under specific conditions because a lot of students who lived within walking distance/took public transport would use the parking lot as a place to "store" their car that they hardly ever used and would take up all the space. You were allowed free parking and a reserved spot if you could prove you *needed* your car (as in, you couldn't use public transport because you had a disability and/or there was no bus available to go from and back to your place.) Again, it's a rule that makes sense but only exists because some entitled AHs ruined it for everyone else.
Load More Replies... Chich the witch 1 month ago
Live equidistant from two hospitals. One has free parking, one has paid.
#8
insulin. at least make it cheaper for people
Final score:
4points
Bonesko 1 month ago
Yes! Same goes for other prescriptions and medical services. I don't have $1000 if I need to get stitches.
Keeva Laurent (Submission author) 1 month ago
its not bad for where I live, but I know it can be bad for other places
Load More Replies... Rosecrucian Roeth 1 month ago
Murica...................land of the mighty dollar, where nothing else counts!
#9
Having a bank account.
Used to be banks paid you to keep your money in their bank. Now, unless you meet their requirements, you have to pay them to put your money in their bank.
Final score:
3points
#10
Paying with a credit card.
Lots of places seem to be adding a "convenience fee" lately if you pay with a credit card.
Final score:
2points
#11
Existing. We have to pay to be born and have to pay to die. In between we have to pay to live. Bulls.h.i.t. way to exist.
Final score:
2points
#13
Adverts - I'm MADE to watch them at a cost to online productivity. It costs.
Final score:
1point
#14
The Dartford Crossing. It was supposed to be free once it had been paid off; it has now been paid for fully, but they've just put the prices UP.
Final score:
0points
Andrew Keir 1 month ago
It worked the other way in Scotland - the Forth Road Bridge initially had a toll equivalent to the cost of petrol to go round by Stirling (the nearest alternative crossing) but even though they've had to build a second bridge (you could literally hear the wires breaking on the first one) it's now free to use.
#15
Using an ATM
Final score:
0points
Adam Belaire 1 month ago
Depending on the ATM. If it's my bank's ATM, it's free. If it's from a different bank then it costs me.
Nichole Harris 1 month ago
I use net spend.... No ATM fees from them!!! Great interest rates on the savings account too
#16
Phone number lookup. You paid for phone service in the past PLUS they gave you a phone book. Now calling 411 to look up a number (in the US) is outrageous.
Final score:
0points
#17
I can't 'do' when there is no space but pop up's. They eat online life.
Final score:
0points
#18
Healthcare from birth to death, tampons/sanitary pads, public transportation, hospital parking, internet, food staples (flours, rice, sugars, salt, baking powder/soda, pepper, yeast, milk, seasonal fruits and vegetables from government farms, cheese, butter, cooking oil, cornmeal, oats, dried beans, meat/vegetable boullions, eggs, peanut butter, vinegar, etc., from which many items can be made), soap, deodorant, toothpaste, museums and historic places, public restrooms, and toilet paper.
Final score:
0points
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