Top 10 Things That Used to Be Free

Once upon a time, many food outlets were known to deliver orders directly to customers at no extra cost. In fact, a lot of pizza stores had “free delivery” as their watchword for a long time. Needless to say, that is no longer the case. With the rise of third-party delivery services like UberEats and Postmates, consumers have found themselves having to pay extra for the convenience of having their meals brought right to their doorstep. And if you thought this fee was going to the delivery person, then think again. In addition to having to fork over the extra charge, you still have to tip the driver.

In October 2022, months after he first announced it on the platform, business magnate Elon Musk acquired Twitter and became its CEO. This takeover brought with it several changes to the social media site, most notably the introduction of a paid subscription service. Referred to as Twitter Blue, this program placed an $8 price tag on the app’s verification badge. Up until that point, the popular blue checks were used to identify public figures for free, and had become some sort of status symbol. Since its implementation, however, the company has faced criticism from many who claim that it will only make it easier for people to impersonate others and spread false information.

Engaging in school athletics has technically never been absolutely free. Back in the day, your parents would probably have had to shell out a few bucks to buy the necessary gear for the sport. But it turns out these days, parents have an additional cost to think about when it comes to school sports, and that is the participation or ‘pay-to-play’ fee. Depending on the school and the sport being considered, these charges could range anywhere from $75 up to almost $1000. Under these circumstances, participation in school sports has been on a steady decline, with a significant number of parents blaming the fees for the decreased engagement.

We’ve all had the experience of clicking on a news article online, only to be hit hard in the face by a paywall. While this can be frustrating, some of us may remember a time when it never really happened. Back when the internet was still in its infancy, many online newspapers provided their content to users for free. But as the landscape of electronic publishing evolved over time, several publications underwent a dramatic shift from free access to paid subscriptions. Regardless, there are still a lot of newspapers that allow users to read their content at no cost, and a good number of the paid ones even permit a few free articles per month.

It once was the case that when you paid for a hotel room, you got all of the added amenities at no extra charge. But these days, hotels now tack on what they refer to as ‘resort fees’ for services used during your stay. These include things like Wi-Fi, swimming pools, gyms and even very basic amenities like shampoo and towels. Sometimes, the hotels find deceptive ways to hide these charges, only revealing them to the customer at checkout. It’s gotten so bad that in 2012, the Federal Trade Commission had to issue a direct warning to nearly two dozen hotel chains condemning the practice. They, however, don’t seem to have heeded that warning.

In the past, when landline telephones were the primary means of communication, you could just pick up the phone and find a number or address for free. In the United States and Canada, this local directory assistance was provided by calling 4-1-1 without a charge. Over time, telephone companies gradually transitioned from unlimited free calls, to only a few per month, until they began charging a fee for every call placed. These days, ringing up 4-1-1 will set you back a couple of bucks. Although an ad-sponsored toll free directory assistance was subsequently made available by certain companies, they all eventually scrapped the service in 2020.

For the longest time, gas stations have served as a one-stop solution for everything from fuel, snacks to car maintenance. Years back, you could get a free tire air pump as a complimentary service after buying fuel at a gas station. In certain states of the U.S. like Connecticut and California, this service is still available to use for free. But most other places will charge you anywhere from 25 cents to $1.50 just to fill up your tires. Gas stations have cited the cost of maintaining and operating the inflation devices as a reason for transitioning from free to paid. When they said air is free, they apparently only meant the one you breathe.

It can be particularly frustrating having to pay a fee to access the money in your bank account. Although that is the sad reality for almost everyone today, things weren’t always that way. There was a time when banks didn’t charge you to use the ATM or open a checking account. But as the years have gone by, certain regulatory bills by the government have resulted in lower interest rates and poor revenue for banks. This, in turn, prompted them to reassess their fee structures and introduce charges for certain previously free services. As a result, checking accounts now come with maintenance and overdraft fees, and you should expect to cough up a charge if you intend to use an out-of-network ATM.

It is true that adjusted for inflation, flight ticket prices have significantly reduced between the 1960s and now. Although many factors are responsible for this reduction, it seems many airlines have just broken down the costs and made some of them the customers’ responsibilities. In the early days of aviation, it was normal for passengers to receive many perks, such as free checked baggage, in-flight meals, and unlimited beverages, at no added cost. However, with time, carriers began to implement fees for some of these once complimentary services. These days, you pay more for the convenience of bigger legroom and even choosing your own seat. While these charges may seem small individually, they can easily add up to a massive total.

Back in the day, it was the norm for families to convene around the TV as the only source of entertainment. This was because pretty much everyone relied on traditional over-the-air broadcasting, where channels were financed with advertising money and available to viewers for free. However, with the advent of cable and satellite television, many households were presented with a wider array of options for a subscription fee. This changed the landscape of television, and although the local channels remained free, a lot of people opted to pay the price for cable. With streaming now taking over the industry and most young consumers veering away from traditional broadcasting, it seems the concept of free TV may soon entirely be a thing of the past.