PRICEY PLASTIC
A NYPIRG Report and Survey of Plastic Card Fees  

Spring 2004
By  

Tracy Shelton
Consumer Attorney  

Susan Craine
Consumer Advocate

Katie Nadeau
Campus Organizer

Kate Sabato
Legislative Intern

Field Study Participants, Data Analysts and Editors: Rebecca Ahuja, Justin Aguinaldo, Ali Ahmadi, Toyin Ajasin, Yves Antenor, Nidhi Arora, Jaquie Bachman, Padraic Bambrick, Daniel Botting, Dion Brown, Charity Carbine, Enrique Cepeda, Tanisha Clark, Jake Conarck, Gianna Crespo, Chad Denton, Jihan Dinkins, Aisha Fraites, Christine Francisco, Diana Fryda, Michael Grenetz, Alanna Gothard, Darren Hearn, Arelis Hernandez, Alex Hoefinger, Jessica Hu, Rebecca Johnston, Vanessa Joseph, Harmonica Kao, Sharon Kelleher, Desiree Kelly, Christopher King, David Kocaj, Megan Koskovich, Peter Lang, Alice Lee, Amanda Lefton, Eileen Maldonado, Nicole Mariconda, Danilda Marin, Linoy Mathews, Karisa McFarlan, Kelly Moore, Theo Moore, Keli Morrison, Katie Nadeau, Spandana Nallapatti, Meagan Nosovich, Grace Zita O’Toole, Catherine Palma, Hilary Peney, Stephanie Perkins, Laura Prussin, April Putney, Wendy Reyes, Dan Reynolds , Mary Rocco, Cara Rohrer, Katheryn Ross, Adebisi Salau, Amanda Sisenstein, Rebecca Sklaren, Melinda Sobin, Jaimie Soto, Miriam Spungen, Carla Sterling, Katy Stevenson, Ryan Suser, Gen Tahang, Erin Tracy, Josh Turner, Sean Vormwald, Justin Webb, Artis Whitfield, and Alex Wojcik.

Special thanks to Li Howard, Trevett McCandliss and Martin DeBenedictis for the design and production of the cover and graphics for this report.

For Additional Information Contact:

NYPIRG

9 Murray Street , 3 rd Floor
New York , NY 10007

(212) 349-6460

107 Washington Avenue
Albany , NY 12210

(518) 436-0876

The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) is a not-for-profit, non-partisan research and advocacy organization established, directed and supported by New York State college and university students. NYPIRG’s staff of lawyers, researchers and organizers works with students and other citizens to develop citizenship skills and shape public policy. Consumer protection, environmental preservation, fiscal responsibility, political reform and social justice are NYPIRG’s principal areas of concern.

This report would not have been possible without the help, support, research and work of Russ Haven of NYPIRG, Gail Hillebrand of Consumers Union and Ed Mierzwinski of USPIRG.

ATMs—Always Taking Money | Debit Card Confusion | Pre-paid Cards—The Priciest Plastic of All | The Credit Card Trap
Bye-bye Paycheck—Payroll Cards | Don't Save that Gift Card for a Rainy Day | A Tale of Two Wallets | Recommendations | Methodology | Attachments | Credits