So Money with Farnoosh Torabi · Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Farnoosh Torabi discusses the often-overlooked costs associated with tech, including high sales taxes that can reach 38% on mobile plans in some areas. She also points out the creeping expense of digital subscriptions that accompany device usage.
“And I found out that the sales tax on a mobile plan because of the federal fees, the state and local fees, it's 38%.”
“And I think so much about the ecosystem because as these devices are more connected to software, right? We don't realize you don't really own that device. You have to take into account the cost of all these digital subscriptions that move along with it.”
“And I think that's where there's just a lot of scope creep. You know, we don't pay attention to the recurring card on our credit card bill, or we don't fully understand all those fees and assume they're justified.”