Read before you buy!

From time to time we're all guilty of failing to read the small print when we make a purchase - but when that purchase is costing over $1,000 then surely it has to be a must. 

Take BC Ferries' Assured Loading Tickets (ALTs), for example. If you're a frequent traveller between Vancouver Island and the mainland, ALTs offer priority travel right up to 20 minutes before departure time. The down side is that you have to pay for ten ALTs at a time, and that's currently going to cost you $1,250 up front. And you have to use your tickets within two years, or the card expires, along with your cash.

The conditions of sale are clearly spelt out by BC Ferries - and so when someone fails to take notice, is it really any wonder that the company says "sorry, not our problem" ?  No matter how clearly terms and conditions are spelt out, there will always be customers who fail to read them and suddenly realise that they're out of pocket. Today's Nanaimo Daily News cites one such case, and without doubt there will be others.

The moral of the story is clear - buyer beware! If you're paying as much as $1,250 to any business, then make sure you understand what you're getting. After all, BC ferries spell out the terms quite clearly.... [click to enlarge]