Today I paid my property taxes. I never enjoy paying this cost. To me it’s like buying tires or a new air conditioning unit. It’s not quit the same as investing a Hermes handbag, that cost about the same thing. Now that gives me a lot of joy and pleasure.

My point today is: over and above my tax bill, I was charged 2.5% of the total to use my American Express credit card.

I’ve had experiences like this in the past, where retailers will do this. They make you pay extra for using a credit card. Which I find annoying. I felt like I was being nicked and dimed by the store and they were a loser business, struggling so much that they added this petty fee, which in my mind should be build in to the price.

Today was different. I wasn’t peeved at all. Why? Because the fee was framed as a convenience fee. I value convenience and had no problem with the 2.5%. It really boiled down to how they presented it to me.

Next time you charge your customer some fee, think about how you package it. This one word made a big difference in how I felt about the cost and vendor charging  me.

For more on pricing and why we pay what we do, check out a previous blog and a book I found very insightful.

For more tips, also check out:
3 productivity tips to prevent eye strain
How I earned the #1 spot on Google

And what would you pay to live 5 more years? These questions and the answers are priceless, especially in  business.

When you think of PRICE what do you think of? Shopping? How much money you’ll have to spend to get something you want? The cost of an iPad, new shoes or a dress?

That’s certainly one form of PRICE but it’s actually so much more.

The video below is not only super cool, but it highlights a compelling pricing twist in consumer minds…

What about The Price of friends? The Price of fame? The Price of Free? Or even The Price of the Future?

Turns out price plays quite a role in daily human choices, but it’s often a radially different cost process than you’d think.

I recently I learned about a new book by NY Times editorial board member, Eduardo Porter, called The Price of Everything: Solving the Mystery of Why We Pay What We Do,  and found it very intriguing.

The premise is very simple: there is a price behind each call that we make, whether we’re deciding to have a baby, drive a car, or buy a book. We often fail to appreciate just how critical prices are as motivating forces shaping our lives. But their power becomes clear when distorted prices steer our decisions the wrong way.

This book is an eye-opener that will make you think. It also will expose you to some realities about PRICE that could shift your perspective in surprising ways.

This book is definitely a recommended read. And if you are interested in winning a free copy of this book, click here (you’ll need to sign up by the 11th) or download a free excerpt.

At this very moment you are putting a price on knowledge by clicking through or blowing it off. What are your thoughts about PRICE and why we pay what we do?

For more on pricing, view: Coupons, Groupon and gambling with a brand.