Most-hated-fee contest: Round 2
When it comes to getting nickel-and-dimed, there's plenty of competition. In preparation for a story about 15 irritating fees — and how to avoid them — Money asked readers for the most frustrating fees they've been charged by banks, airlines and other businesses. We received 2,000 responses.
Now we're in the process of crowning the biggest loser: The Most-Hated Fee of All. This week, we're asking you to narrow down the field of 15 outrageous fees by picking your least-favorite surcharge among the two or three we'll be spotlighting at a time. Come back daily to vote — and return for the semi-final and final rounds — so we can choose the worst fee there is.
Here's Group 2:
- Being charged for not charging: A few credit-card issuers are levying fees on customers for not spending enough. Citibank, for example, charges certain cardholders $60 if they don't charge at least $2,400 within a year. (For more about this fee, and how to fight it, click here.)
- Parting with cash to close a HELOC: If you pay off a home-equity line of credit within three or four years of opening it, most lenders will charge you hundreds of dollars to shut it down. (For more about this fee, and how to fight it, click here.)
- Paying to get credit rewards reinstated. Some reward-card issuers punish late payers by charging them at least $15 to retrieve the points they earned in cycles for which they didn't get their money in on time. (For more about this fee, and how to fight it, click here.)
Now you know today's contenders, it's time to vote for your least-favorite fee! Please add your comments as well.
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