5 things that used to be free in Ghana but now cost money
Here are some products and services that, back in the good old days, used to be free of charge but now will cost you.
Businesses are constantly coming up with more ways to nickel and dime customers, and many items that used to be gratis now come with a fee.
We can only imagine how much longer this list will be in 10 years — and what new items will be on it.
Water in restaurants
There are certain things that people will obviously find it hard to commit some money to. Nowadays, at some restaurants, you have to specify whether or not you want water. Otherwise, the waiter may automatically bring you a bottle of still or sparkling water and add it to your bill. Water used to be free in resturants.
Banking
Once upon a time, free checking accounts were a common occurrence at banks and credit unions. But that has changed and it is eating into bank profits and spurring the institutions to start charging regular fees for checking accounts.
On top of that, banks have added extra charges over the years, including service fees, overdraft fees, and ATM fees.
School sports
There wasn’t always a charge to participate in after-school sports. Parents had to cover the cost of uniforms and some gear, but that was it.
Today, some schools suffering from tight budgets charge each child a sports activity fee simply to participate.
Compressed air
You wouldn’t think that businesses could charge for air — and, for a long time, most gas stations didn’t. It was common practice for a station to allow anyone and everyone free use of an air compressor to fill up their tyres. The story is different now!
Information on the Internet
In the early days of the Internet, almost everything online was free. Now granted, it wasn’t exactly the same caliber of content you’ll find nowadays, but you couldn’t beat the price.
Today, membership sites aren’t uncommon. You may have to join to post on a message board or view content or download reports.
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