This paper discusses the increasing use and enforcement of fines in Australia, especially in New South Wales (NSW). Fines have become the most common penalty imposed by courts, and out-of-court penalty notice provisions are used for a growing number of offenses. However, little attention is given to the human impacts of fines, assuming them to be inherently lenient because they involve only money. The paper highlights three reasons to reexamine fines: their soaring use since the 1980s, the lack of understanding about their effects on different groups, and recent changes in fines enforcement that lack public scrutiny. A deeper understanding of fines can lead to fairer penalties that do not disproportionately harm vulnerable individuals.