Technically, you're being charged to save already if the rate of interest you earn on your savings is less than the rate of inflation.  No one seems to care, though, for some reason.  Perhaps negative interest rates will trigger some sort of psychological barrier, people might actually take notice and it'll be different then, but I doubt it somehow.  It's surprising how much people are prepared to tolerate if you push gently, little by little, piece by piece.  Theft by subtlety works wonders, it seems.