The Convenience Fee

*Read the original article here:

The convenience fee

By Seth Godin

Sometimes it’s obvious, like the $1 that you get charged for using an ATM or a credit card, and it’s simply not worth the hassle to walk a few blocks.

And sometimes it’s not, like the cost we all pay for the conveniently wrapped fruits or vegetables at the market–wrapped in plastic that will not degrade in our lifetimes.

The convenience fee might be the time you spend at the drive-through at Starbucks, instead of walking inside, or, heaven forbid, brewing your own coffee at home.

Or choosing media to consume because it’s right there, not a few clicks away…

But the convenience fees, whether metaphorical or actual, keep rising.

It turns out that a life lived conveniently isn’t always a better one. The cost of convenience ends up being too high.