Do you know about these things that aren’t free anymore?

When it comes to free things, most people are all in. After all, why you wouldn’t be, right? But freebies are rarer and rarer, and there are a bunch of things that aren’t free anymore.

What’s up with that? Why don’t we get free stuff anymore? Well, anything that a business gives away costs money to produce, purchase, or provide, and this is the exact reason why we are not as spoiled as we used to be.

It is kind of weird to have to pay for something that was free years in a row, but the reality is that businesses are not required to offer anything for free, and we can’t do anything about it.

If you are wondering about things that aren’t free anymore, then you are in the right place because we are about to present you with a list of such services.

1. Exit row seating on an airplane

Remember those days when choosing a seat on a plane felt like a breeze and it was a simple matter of “window or aisle”? Those days are long gone, and airlines are trying hard to maximize profit, as a result charging you for anything.

Now, there is a strategy known as “unbundling,” and what it does is to separate the cost of the basic ticket from other previously included amenities, like seat selection.

So, even if you’ve booked your seats, one of the things that aren’t free anymore are the exit row seats. If you don’t pay attention, you might end up paying a fortune for your seats, and we are sure you don’t want that to happen.

Exit-row seats used to be popular because they offered travelers more legroom, but they’ve become a prime target for extra charges, and this makes many people stay away from them. A few years ago, they were treated just like “normal” seats; now you have to pay extra. And even if they come with some advantages to you, as an exit row passenger, you also have additional responsibilities, such as assisting flight attendants in case of emergency.

2. Using the ATM

Back in the 1980s, ATMs were simple tools that dispensed cash without any extra fees. Those were some great times because now these machines are among the things that aren’t free anymore, and sometimes we simply can’t stand it.

Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) revolutionized banking accessibility, and while banks avoid charging you when you are operating their ATMs if you dare to venture outside of this safe zone, you might be surprised by how much you have to pay the bank for a regular transaction.

But in order to make things more clear, let’s look at a 2023 survey that tells us more about this. According to a Bankrate survey, the average out-of-network ATM transaction costs around $5.00. Maybe it doesn’t sound that much, but comparing it to the times when this used to be free, that is a lot. And after all, it’s just withdrawing money from an ATM. Why does it have to cost?

Hopefully, you can still avoid these fees using a few tricks. Always use in-network ATMs. Remember to plan your withdrawals each time you are traveling, and keep in mind that sometimes you can use alternatives such as mobile check deposits.

3. Extra sauce and condiments at restaurants

These are some other things that aren’t free anymore, and most of us can truly feel the endless ketchup packets and bottomless dipping sauce cups that we used to have in front of us every time we dined out.

But this is a trend that is slowly disappearing, and now if you want some sauce extra, you’ll be charged for it.

You might say that a little bit of ketchup given for free will not bankrupt the restaurant, but condiment abuse is real, and for some businesses, this adds up. Many restaurants assume that customers are simply wasting sauce, and charging extra is a good way to combat condiment waste. Also, there are restaurants that see extras as an alteration to the original dish, and because of this, they will charge extra.

You need to always remember that condiments are now among the things that aren’t free anymore, and before adding, ask politely if there will be any extra charge if you use extra sauce.

4. Watching sports on TV

Flipping through broadcast channels and being sure you’ll find a game airing? Sadly, not anymore. These days are long gone, and now we are caught in a complex web of cable packages, streaming services, and exclusive content. Not fun at all.

Back in the day, you knew for sure that major sporting events were always available for free on broadcast networks. Maybe the selection was limited, but you were able to see the event that interested you no matter what.

Then cable TV exploded, and ESPN was the first dedicated channel for sports content. Initially, all cable packages offered ESPN and some other sports channels for free, but after a while, they became some of the things that aren’t free anymore.

At first, there were premium cable subscriptions for these niche channels, and with the rise of streaming services, ESPN+ and Peacock joined, and they started to offer exclusive sports content that was not available through traditional cable.

There are still some major events you can watch for free, but right now the future of them is shaky, and the days of solely relying on free broadcast networks for sports events are numbered.

5. Access to resort amenities

Finding the perfect hotel for an affordable price is not an easy thing, and most of the time you are looking for something that is comfortable and also has desirable amenities.

When looking for a good place to stay, you might be surprised to notice that there are a multitude of locations with tempting amenities such as swimming pools, spas, or fitness centers that have attractive nightly rates.

But don’t be fooled by this, as resort amenities are some of the things that aren’t free anymore. Yes, most probably you’ll have to pay numerous resort fees that will raise your cost per night in a matter of seconds.

Resort fees are additional charges hotels charge on top of the advertised room rate. This was a trick that was used by high-end resorts, but nowadays this is a practice that is more and more common among regular hotels.

Most hotels that practice this argue that these resort fees are a must because they will cover the cost of maintaining those amenities, and this allows them to offer rooms for affordable prices. But many see this as a deceptive tactic that simply makes guests pay more.

Resort fees vary greatly, but most of the time they are somewhere between $20 and $50 per night for basic hotels.

What do you think about these things that aren’t free anymore? Do you miss them? Tell us in the comments!

If you want to learn more about how to take care of your money, this might be a great book: Budgeting For Dummies

You should also read: 7 Name-Brand Products That Are Worth Splurging On