As far as I know, a glass of water at a restaurant is still free. At least for now. Books, magazines and movies at local libraries are still "free". Sort of unless you count your tax dollars.
Way better than free!
The library component of our property taxes is a little over $90 a year. DW and I are avid library users, and we get many times that much value out of it, so I consider this one of the best possible uses of our tax money.
(On the side: Libraries are kinda obsoleted by, among other things, the Internet aren't they? I haven't been in one for about ten years). Prior to that it was at least weekly.)
That's because of the need to use credit card or PayPal to pay online. Those services charge a fee, which would get passed on to everybody in your municipality (including you) through higher taxes.
Amethyst
In Tx if you pay by credit card for property taxes or auto reg there is a fee since the state wants the full amount, and will not accept the fee, so you get to pay. Note that in the early 1980s in Harris County you had to buy license tags with currency, no checks were accepted, so progress has been made.Here in Mass, not only is nothing free, it's damn expensive sometimes!
There's a fee/charge/tax on just about everything except hot air. There's even a charge to pay our property taxes online.
Anyone under the age of 40 won't relate to this one:
Free "tube testers".
I was aware of that! In our town it is a fee on top of that fee. It is called a 'convenience fee' and the reasoning is that you don't have to put a stamp on it or bring it to town hall.
There's a fee/charge/tax on just about everything except hot air. There's even a charge to pay our property taxes online.
In Tx if you pay by credit card for property taxes or auto reg there is a fee since the state wants the full amount, and will not accept the fee, so you get to pay. Note that in the early 1980s in Harris County you had to buy license tags with currency, no checks were accepted, so progress has been made.
If I go to the courthouse I can pay with CC no extra fee and I get my cash back reward.
I'd say that was about the last time for me, too. I'd guess I was about 10-12 when I saw them for the last time, and I was born in 1965 so you can do the math on that one.Oh boy! Yes! I think the last time I saw and used one at a Radio Shack was in 1975 or 76. How late did anyone see or use a tube tester in stores?
Which makes the point exactly. As soon as the anti-tax people hear your "shouting from the rooftop," they will start whining about paying for your use of the Library. Taxes will go down and your usage fee will sky rocket... or we will be be reminising about the Libraries of yesteryear.
(On the side: Libraries are kinda obsoleted by, among other things, the Internet aren't they? I haven't been in one for about ten years). Prior to that it was at least weekly.)
I still love turning pages of a real book.
(On the side: Libraries are kinda obsoleted by, among other things, the Internet aren't they? I haven't been in one for about ten years). Prior to that it was at least weekly.)
No Kindle nor iPad for me yet. I never really care to read books on a computer screen, although I will admit that searching for specific items in a long technical report is great with a pdf file, compared to a printed book. Additionally, archiving and storing them would be a daunting task for a person as sloppy as myself, as well as taking way too much room.Obsolete or not, I still use it and will continue to do so until they are no longer funded or available. I still enjoy getting free "reads".
If I traveled more I might have to use that Kindle my kids gave me for Christmas two years ago but so far I haven't used it. I still love turning pages of a real book.
At least you didn't overpay...Advice is still free on this Forum... and worth every penny.
Here's a thought experiment.As far as I know, a glass of water at a restaurant is still free. At least for now.
I wonder if they're at pharmacies because they also sold cigarettes. That's what I seem to recall doing on many a Saturday morning-- playing with our latest electronic project on the tube tester while my Dad was picking out a carton.Last tube tester visit was probably mid '70s. The tester unit was at a pharmacy, which still seems an odd place for electronics.
Here's a thought experiment.
What would happen if you go to a nice restaurant, get seated by the host/hostess, peruse the menu, ask the waiter for a glass of water, consume it over the next five minutes while checking the menu, and then tell the waiter "I've decided to dine elsewhere today. But thanks for the free water!"
Maybe their response depends on whether you've unfolded the napkin or not. But I've run that experiment several times (accompanied by a fussy baby/toddler), and in just about every case I felt obligated to leave a few bucks to tip the staff for their time/effort.
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