That's precisely why the average punter only forks out hundreds of dollars to see their favourite musicians in concert, or to watch the sporting team they support, rather than spending willy nilly to catch every attraction that comes to town.

In other words, it's not a small commitment to head to the checkout in the knowledge you're about to part with a (metaphorical) arm and leg.

So, when you reach the checkout as I did recently with Ticketek and discover you've also got to pay $5.80 to receive your tickets, even if that means printing them with the printer and ink you've already paid for, you're bound to wonder where else you're being ripped off.

Before you even have time to investigate other transactions, Ticketek's $4.85 "service and handling" stops you in your tracks.

I bought these tickets online. Surely the company's not having to pay its own automated booking system a wage and passing some of that cost on to its customers.

I asked Ticketek why people should pay to print their own tickets. A spokesman said its fees were "fair and reasonable in relation to the many services provided", and that the fees varied between venues, sports and entertainment genres according to the cost to service those events.

In today's world, it's not enough to just be careful with your spending. Get your magnifying glass out and read the fine print, because I guarantee you're squandering money on things that make little sense without even realising the money has disappeared from your bank account.

Want to book tickets to a movie online? Before you decide whether you think that flick's worth paying whatever the theatre's charging, click through to the next screen and check out the booking fee they're going to hit you with.

Weekend surcharges remain a fixture at many restaurants and food chains, despite a decision by the Fair Work Commission that saw penalty rates fall substantially in July 2017.

The list goes on.

Given that these sorts of charges almost never reveal themselves until the last moment, how often is the advertised price actually the price these days?

Minister for Consumer Affairs Shane Rattenbury recently shepherded through legislation that bans service stations in the ACT from confusing motorists by displaying discounted prices on fuel boards, ensuring they must show the full price on their most prominent signage.

He, too, is disappointed with the lack of transparency from some companies in advertising the true price of a product or service.

"It is frustrating that consumers get stuck with fees for services that aren’t being rendered," Mr Rattenbury said.

He said the ticketing example was a particularly important one to be aware of, given Canberra was attracting more events and shows than ever before.

Mr Rattenbury said people should only use official ticket sellers, but also urged vendors to be clear in their language so people knew what they were really having to pay.

The ACT Greens leader makes a good point when he warns people to be steer clear of scalpers.

But it's important we don't close our eyes to the tricks the bigger players, across all industries, could be rolling out, too.