15 most hated fees
Stand up to the pesky charges -- from checked-bag costs to retirement plan expenses -- that bug you the most.
1. Being charged for not charging
What it costs: $--$$
What you're mad about: A few credit card issuers have started levying annual fees on less active users to encourage them to spend. Citibank, for example, slaps a $60 fee on certain cardholders unless they charge $2,400 within a year. (Spokesman Samuel Wang blames it on the "increasing costs of doing business.") And US Bank Visa Platinum dings you $40 if you don't use your card during a 12-month period.
How to fight back: Happily, such fees are the exception, not the rule. So vote with your feet, says Curtis Arnold of CardRatings.com. Look into switching to a card issued by a credit union (findacreditunion.com). Credit unions typically charge fewer fees than big banks do.
NEXT: Parting with cash to close your HELOC
What you're mad about: A few credit card issuers have started levying annual fees on less active users to encourage them to spend. Citibank, for example, slaps a $60 fee on certain cardholders unless they charge $2,400 within a year. (Spokesman Samuel Wang blames it on the "increasing costs of doing business.") And US Bank Visa Platinum dings you $40 if you don't use your card during a 12-month period.
How to fight back: Happily, such fees are the exception, not the rule. So vote with your feet, says Curtis Arnold of CardRatings.com. Look into switching to a card issued by a credit union (findacreditunion.com). Credit unions typically charge fewer fees than big banks do.
NEXT: Parting with cash to close your HELOC
Last updated June 11 2010: 3:40 PM ET
