The World of Fees!

Why do some places charge everytime you use your debit card? I can understand they get charged by the company... BUT I also know no processing company charges 39 cents per transaction for credit purchases. Especially if it is VIsa and Mastercard... they are cheaper to process than Discover and American Express because they are bigger companies. Small businesses get charged between 9 and 15 cents per transaction and bigger businesses get charged much less... maybe 3 cents per transaction. SO tell me how companies as big as McDonalds and Taco Bell can charge between 39 and 59 cents per transaction? THATS HIGHWAY ROBBERY!!! They not only are letting you use the service they already offer, but they are then making money off the deal. I understand that the machine to process the cards costs money too... but for companies as big as these... that will be paid off in one days worth transactions.

This is just fast food... How about gas stations!

I went to a gas station that posted a price of $1.89 a gallon. I was thinking... WHAT A GREAT DEAL! (I remember when gas was $0.99 a gallon bt that is a whole nother blog) Anyways, I went to the pump and put my card in and then looked at the price and it said $1.95 a gallon. I was like WHAT THE HELL! It says $1.89 on the sign! Then I look at the small print. THAT IS A CASH ONLY PRICE! WHAT THE HELL!!! If I use my credit card they can charge me that much more a gallon? Like the price of the credit transaction directly effects their processing fee? I DON'T THINK SO! I hate fees that don't make sense. How funny is it that if the fee is justified I have no problem paying it. It is these damn hidden fees and the unneccessary fees that kill me.

We are in an initiative state. WHERE is the initiative that regulates fees on credit/debit transactions???