We live in a consumer society where companies and businesses pay marketing specialists millions of dollars for strategies that will get us to part with our hard-earned cash.
While some tactics involve selling the benefits of a product or service, others can be misleading, unethical, and even manipulative, and use scare-mongering, or dodgy tactics to make us think that “we need to buy” their goods.
This can end up with us paying for things that aren’t necessary, or that are a total rip-off.
Here’s a list of 18 things that just aren’t worth the money:
Bottled Water
Next, you will be able to buy fresh air, and we aren’t sure how unrealistic this is, seeing that we are already charged for basic drinking water. Some firms have built entire empires by selling one of the most essential components for life, water.
Even though Americans have access to clean drinking water from almost every kitchen tap for free, some hot shots decided to put water in a bottle and make people pay for it. What a rip-off.
Printer-Ink
Printer-ink has reached extortionate prices, and we aren’t exactly sure why. We think it is most likely because this industry operates on a business model where printers are sold cheaply, but, ink has a heavy markup price.
In some instances, a set of new ink cartridges will cost you more than the printer itself.
Extended-Warranties
Extended warranties operate on extending people’s fear of “what might go wrong,” a favorite tactic of car salesmen; by suggesting that the customer would be much “safer” by investing in an extended warranty, as they might run into “trouble down the line,” many unsuspecting customers end up spending extra on warranty’s which can end up costing more, than the eventuality of any future repair work.
ATM-Fees
Some ATMs have come up with the genius idea of making you pay money, to get access to your own money, which, although sounds quite manipulative to us, is probably making someone a lot of (your) money.
Cinema Snacks
Snacks at the cinema can set you back more than the price of a pair of movie tickets combined. Can anyone please explain why we can buy popcorn in the shop next door for $2, but the moment that we step inside a cinema the price automatically jumps to $10?
Branded Shampoo’s
The last time we tried to buy some nice shampoo, we were shocked to find price tags of $15 upwards on some of the branded bottles. Now, unless we are missing something, shampoo is pretty much bubbly cleaning stuff for your hair, and we can’t seem to find the justification between a $2 bottle, and a $15 bottle, make it make sense, please.
Hotel Mini Bars
Have you ever noticed how a bottle of cola suddenly becomes $8 dollars the moment it enters a hotel mini-bar? Hotels often add a markup of five times the price of regular snacks and drinks, precisely because they know that you are in a hotel room, most likely in a dressing gown, and you are not willing to go out into the world and seek out a cheaper deal. This sounds like financial abuse to us.
Apple Computers
Look, we know that Apple is a super cool brand, we get how sleek, cool, and stylish they look, but, what is this computer going to do to justify the fact that it costs $1000 more than my Windows laptop?
If an Apple computer is going to do all my work for me, sure, take my money, but, if it’s just a way to signal status at the office, I’ll stick with my Android operating system, thanks.
Pre-Cut Fruit and Vegetables
Buying prepackaged, pre-cut fruit and veg can cost you an arm, and a leg, meaning, it can be super expensive. For some reason, supermarkets see it as their duty to charge you over the odds for the fact that someone cut up an apple for you.
Individual Greeting Cards
Have you ever bought a multipack of greeting cards, for example, you usually get 20 in a box, and often these are sold for around $3 or $4. However, for some reason, if you attempt to buy one of these cards on its own, you will be charged the same price as an entire box. And honestly, it feels like you are being robbed.
Flashy Gym Memeships
There are two types of people in this world, those who will pay over, and above for the “health club experience” at a flashy gymnasium, and those who are happy to go low-key, low-price at their local leisure center.
People who pay for the expensive flashy memberships think that they are somehow signaling to their world that they have status and style, however, much of the marketing of these places creates a false image in people’s heads, which is engineered to leave their bank balances a lot lighter.
Branded Potato Chips
Have you ever compared the price of branded potato chips, to supermarket own brands? Wow. You are in for a shock. While you can get a whole multipack of 6 bags of cheese, and onion potato chips at Walmart for $3, you’ll be forced to pay that for one small bag of a branded name. Not cool.
Branded Medications
Whenever a doctor prescribes a generic form of medication, he usually says tells you that “it does exactly the same job,” but if this is the case, then why does the branded version even exist at sometimes up to ten times the price?
It feels like an attempt by pharmaceutical companies to exploit sick people in need, and that definitely feels like a rip-off to us.
Designer Labels
The cut, the design, the tailoring, yes, we get it, but, some designer items are basic wardrobe stables like a white t-shirt, socks, or a hoodie, and in these instances, we don’t see the point in paying hundreds, if not thousands of dollars more for an item of clothing, just because it has a designer label stitched in the seam.
Coffee
Some well known coffee chains can charge wild prices for a pretty average cup of coffee. Why should we have to pay $7 for a coffee just because it’s in a paper cup with a certain logo on it?
Feeling forced into paying far too much for a basic coffee because you are desperate for your morning fix can make us feel like taking a hot flask with us to the office in the mornings, as at least this way, we wouldn’t feel like we were willing victims of day light robbery. .
Airport Food and Drinks
Before you depart for a flight, airlines know that they have got you in one place that you technically, can’t leave unless you want to run the risk of missing your flight, therefore, businesses, and food chains take advantage of this fact and give you no option but to pay $15 for a hot-dog. I mean, please.
Premium Gasoline
Premium gasoline is only required by some specifically high performing engines, therefore, why do some people feel the need to pay the extra charge on it when most cars run perfectly well on regular, unleaded gasoline. We don’t know the answer either.
Cable TV Packages
Cable TV sales people will promise you the world, and will have you feeling like your life is about to transform, just because you have invested in a TV package with more channels than you will ever watch.
These salesmen will have you dreaming about streaming, but, the truth is that you will most likely stick to your regular five or so channels, but keep having to pay the expensive monthly fees anyway. Ouch.
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