What's the biggest ripoff?

[LTF]

And by ripoff, I don't mean a deceptive scam. But rather something we HAVE to buy, but the marketers are practically price gourging us.

I was going to do a poll, but I figured you guys could think up a lot more options than I could. Here's a few to get started -

- Bottled Water
- Shaving Razors
- Gasoline
- New Cars
- Health Insurance

[Quackers]

You don't need to buy bottled water or new cars. Lots of people don't need to buy petrol either, I bet loads of us on FC use public transport. If you d use public transport train and bus prices are a rip off though :1orglaugh:

[Big Ozzie]

And by ripoff, I don't mean a deceptive scam. But rather something we HAVE to buy, but the marketers are practically price gourging us.

I was going to do a poll, but I figured you guys could think up a lot more options than I could. Here's a few to get started -

- Bottled Water
- Shaving Razors
- Gasoline
- New Cars
- Health Insurance

Must agree with the Water and Health Insurance, but the Health Insurance is mostly caused by the Doctors high fees to cover for malpractice insurance.
Gasoline is actually cheaper than it was 75 years ago.....IF you consider the cost then and now vs. the cost of living/average earned income then and now. Back then, a higher percentage of your income was spent on Fossil Fuels if you used them!

I would have to add the cost of a cup of Coffee and a Glass or Mug of Beer.
The average cost of a 10 oz pilsner glass or mug is about .12 to .13 cents per glass to the Bar-owner. Yet the friggin bars charge several bucks to enjoy a cold one!
That is why these "Private" clubs like the VFW's and American Legions serve it for about .40 cents! Plus I am told that they do not pay the extra tax that the public pays!
In Philadelphia and several other big cities, they now have a "Per Drink" tax which is utter BULL SHIT, IMO!

Coffee is also a rip off! WTF, it is only flavored water, fer Christsakes! $1.50 and up at most places for a 20 or 24 ouncer!
Fucking Bull Shit! Maybe us Yanks should dress up like Indians and dump some coffee and Beer in teh Boston Harbor!
Howz dat fer an original idear?

[JooX]

HB threw up a post thats about rip-off's... parking meters.

You pay your taxes, register your vehicle, that goes to the up-keep and maintaining of roads and what not... then you get charged to park on them as well.

Local councils love that shit if they are in a business district.
I dont remember the last time I saw a parking meter next to the distillery.
(Unless it was a beer distillery)

[JooX]

Oh yeah Big Ozzie... I forgot about the coffee places.

Those bastards know how much we need that black sweet, hot, caffeine filled, granulated, urghhh uh uhgh mmm drool, ambrosia of the gods in piping hot liquid form..... anyway...

You whack some fancy flippin sign on a coffee house, throw some Jazz on and it justifies a buck thirty coffee costing $7.50? I think not you BASTARDS!

And yes, coffee isn't a luxury, its a necessity.

[Raidenator]

I'd have to say (possibly soon to be in the U.S.) socialized medicine.

I never get sick and never have to go to the hospital. I don't wanna pay an extra 20%(?) in taxes so that the fatass who's working on a coronary after not taking care of himself at all can get a transplant.

I appreciate the idea that those who actually need the medicine and shit can get it, but ffs it's just stupid IMO. Maybe I'm a republican after all.

Anyway, I'd have to say liquor prices in Utah are fucking outrageous. Pretty much the only place you can get liquor at is at the state stores and they are fucking overpriced out the ass.

[loadrunner]

-Sigarretes, the farmer gets payed $1.50 a tray pure tobacco leaves


-fastfood company....
-bread 5 cents
-meat 10 cents
-pickle 0.5 cent
-ketchup n mustard 2 cent

cost to company : $0.175
cost to customer $1.00

profit :$ 0.825

http://briancjohnson.blogspot.com/2005/11/potential-effects-of-next-100-billion.html

lol

Ad they fucking payd me $7.00 an our????

[Big Ozzie]

I'd have to say (possibly soon to be in the U.S.) socialized medicine.

I never get sick and never have to go to the hospital. I don't wanna pay an extra 20%(?) in taxes so that the fatass who's working on a coronary after not taking care of himself at all can get a transplant.

I appreciate the idea that those who actually need the medicine and shit can get it, but ffs it's just stupid IMO. Maybe I'm a republican after all.

Anyway, I'd have to say liquor prices in Utah are fucking outrageous. Pretty much the only place you can get liquor at is at the state stores and they are fucking overpriced out the ass.

I already pay $800.00 a month for Health Insurance that I have to pay a Doctor's copay of $20.00 w/specialist $40.00 per visit (my Cardiologist and Orthopedic Surgeon) and Rx at $25.00 copay (generic $15.00). I have 9 Rx's filled monthly...2 are generic. So my meds cost me an additional $205.00 a month. My Health Care (if I do not see a doctor) costs me over $1,000.00 a month. If my wife and I are both sick at the same time...we are FUCKED!
IMO...the Government has to do something about it! I am fortunate that I can afford it, but there have been times that I was worried about filling an Rx!

[Raidenator]

Oh OH

Gold's Gym. They're my latest rant. Those assholes will milk you for everything you're worth, and aren't really worth the money.

I can get a same pass to my gym on a month to month basis for only 20 bucks a pop when I gotta pay 25 bucks a month to Golds and be locked in a 2 year contract. That or I can pay 300 bucks upfront and have a contract for a year. Fuck that.

[Raidenator]

I already pay $800.00 a month for Health Insurance that I have to pay a Doctor's copay of $20.00 w/specialist $40.00 per visit (my Cardiologist and Orthopedic Surgeon) and Rx at $25.00 copay (generic $15.00). I have 9 Rx's filled monthly...2 are generic. So my meds cost me an additional $205.00 a month. My Health Care (if I do not see a doctor) costs me over $1,000.00 a month. If my wife and I are both sick at the same time...we are FUCKED!
IMO...the Government has to do something about it! I am fortunate that I can afford it, but there have been times that I was worried about filling an Rx!

I agree Ozzie, like I said there are a lot of people who could make good use of it. I just don't think socialized medicine is the answer.

[jammin91]

having to pay to play games you can only play online and also having to pay a monthly fee.

[UnregisteredSexOffender]

And by ripoff, I don't mean a deceptive scam. But rather something we HAVE to buy, but the marketers are practically price gourging us.

I was going to do a poll, but I figured you guys could think up a lot more options than I could. Here's a few to get started -

- Bottled Water
- Shaving Razors
- Gasoline
- New Cars
- Health Insurance

Definitly, razors are way too expensive. Last time I bought replacement blades for my Mach III, it was almost $20 (US) for six fucking blades. That is bullshit. I hate using the really cheap single blade razors, they tear up my skin. Why so damn expensive, I bet those things are so cheap to make. I rarely shave anymore, so whatever.

[Big Ozzie]

Oh OH

Gold's Gym. They're my latest rant. Those assholes will milk you for everything you're worth, and aren't really worth the money.

I can get a same pass to my gym on a month to month basis for only 20 bucks a pop when I gotta pay 25 bucks a month to Golds and be locked in a 2 year contract. That or I can pay 300 bucks upfront and have a contract for a year. Fuck that.

DAMN! That's cheap for a Gold's Membership!
I belonged to one 10 miles away and it cost me $40.00/month and that was over 10 years ago!
I quit and have since joined where I am at now for $25.00/month, no contract or yearly fee.
Gold's lives off a Rep and charges you for it!

[PlaneswalkerX]

your face

[jammin91]

Must agree with the Water and Health Insurance, but the Health Insurance is mostly caused by the Doctors high fees to cover for malpractice insurance.
Gasoline is actually cheaper than it was 75 years ago.....IF you consider the cost then and now vs. the cost of living/average earned income then and now. Back then, a higher percentage of your income was spent on Fossil Fuels if you used them!

I would have to add the cost of a cup of Coffee and a Glass or Mug of Beer.
The average cost of a 10 oz pilsner glass or mug is about .12 to .13 cents per glass to the Bar-owner. Yet the friggin bars charge several bucks to enjoy a cold one!
That is why these "Private" clubs like the VFW's and American Legions serve it for about .40 cents! Plus I am told that they do not pay the extra tax that the public pays!
In Philadelphia and several other big cities, they now have a "Per Drink" tax which is utter BULL SHIT, IMO!

Coffee is also a rip off! WTF, it is only flavored water, fer Christsakes! $1.50 and up at most places for a 20 or 24 ouncer!
Fucking Bull Shit! Maybe us Yanks should dress up like Indians and dump some coffee and Beer in teh Boston Harbor!
Howz dat fer an original idear?

if idiots would stop sueing doctors for stupid reasons they wouldn't have to charge so much. its called practicing medicine for a reason.

[Big Ozzie]

your face

Say WHAT?????
I'll grab yer lower lip and pull it over yer face and make ya look like a Head o Cabbage!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Rocker Kid]

And by ripoff, I don't mean a deceptive scam. But rather something we HAVE to buy, but the marketers are practically price gourging us.

I was going to do a poll, but I figured you guys could think up a lot more options than I could. Here's a few to get started -

- Bottled Water
- Shaving Razors
- Gasoline
- New Cars
- Health Insurance

You do not need bottled water use tap. Instead of plastic razor blades you could invest in an electric one that lasts for years. You could use public transportation. You don't need to buy new cars, you could buy used. One really doesn't need health insurance until a certain age I suppose.

All of the things you listed could be reletively cheap.

[LTF]

You do not need bottled water use tap. Instead of plastic razor blades you could invest in an electric one that lasts for years. You could use public transportation. You don't need to buy new cars, you could buy used. One really doesn't need health insurance until a certain age I suppose.

All of the things you listed could be reletively cheap.

WTF does that have to do with anything?

Sure, there are ways to get things cheaper. But that does not detract from the fact that most NEW cars are rip offs. Just because I could invest in an electric razor does not mean that replacement blades ARE overpriced.

The purpose of the thread is clearly stated in the title. I didn't ask how to circumvent ripoffs.

KTHXBYE!!!

[Rocker Kid]

WTF does that have to do with anything?

Sure, there are ways to get things cheaper. But that does not detract from the fact that most NEW cars are rip offs. Just because I could invest in an electric razor does not mean that replacement blades ARE overpriced.

The purpose of the thread is clearly stated in the title. I didn't ask how to circumvent ripoffs.

KTHXBYE!!!

So? I was just pointing out that the things you listed don't have to be rip-offs. You clearly stated that these are things we NEED and we do not NEED all of the things you listed so you:
:xyxthumbs:

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii306/onthetrailtoolong/FAIL.jpg

[skunk the disc golfer]

Biggest ripoff?

The Pet Rock.....it didn't do shit. :smokin:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc243/Star_Valkyrie/PetRock.jpg

[HeyBuddy]

I have to go with bottled water. There isn't any need for it. It's processed less than soda, but costs as much or more. Water comes out of my tap. It's the same stuff. Bottled water costs more than gasoline.

[brownbearclan]

I have to go with bottled water. There isn't any need for it. It's processed less than soda, but costs as much or more. Water comes out of my tap. It's the same stuff. Bottled water costs more than gasoline.

That's a good point. I see people buying bottled water and then turn around and bitch about the price of gas...:eek7: It's like you wanna grab them by the face and yell, hey dumbfuck, you realize that you just paid MORE for bottled fucking water, gallon for gallon than you did for that gas you're bitching about!? :1orglaugh:

About gym's in general, isn't it bizzare that in just a century or so, modern society went from worrying about getting enough to eat to keep meat on their bones to having to go to the gym to work off all the extra fat?

[Skyhigh]

Carlos Mencia

[YourAfuckingMoron]

BATTERIES

BATTERY MANUFACTURES HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE BATTERIES LAST 100 YEARS BUT THEY CONTINUE TO PRODUCE BATTERIES THAT DIE FAST. AND BATTERIES IN IPODS AND SHIT ONLY LAST LIKE A FEW YEARS SO U GOTTA GO OUT AND BUY A NEW IPOD.

EDIT- IPODS ARE ALSO WAY OVERPRICED.

[skunk the disc golfer]

BATTERIES

BATTERY MANUFACTURES HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE BATTERIES LAST 100 YEARS BUT THEY CONTINUE TO PRODUCE BATTERIES THAT DIE FAST. AND BATTERIES IN IPODS AND SHIT ONLY LAST LIKE A FEW YEARS SO U GOTTA GO OUT AND BUY A NEW IPOD.

EDIT- IPODS ARE ALSO WAY OVERPRICED.


That's why they call it "JOB SECURITY".

Without this conveniently annoying feature the economy would crumble....faster than it is now.

Just saying. :smokin:

[SolarBear]

I have to go with bottled water. There isn't any need for it. It's processed less than soda, but costs as much or more. Water comes out of my tap. It's the same stuff. Bottled water costs more than gasoline.

It has also been suggested that bottled water isn't any healthier or better tasting than tap water.

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Health/story?id=728070

[HeyBuddy]

I remember when I was young, they found some sort of micro-organisms living in Perrier that were making people sick. I thought, isn't that nice? You pay more money for your water, so that you can get sick. Excellent!

[YourAfuckingMoron]

That's why they call it "JOB SECURITY".

Without this conveniently annoying feature the economy would crumble....faster than it is now.

Just saying. :smokin:

OH FUCKING REALLY? HOW IS MY POST DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER ITEM THAT WAS POSTED?

[skunk the disc golfer]

OH FUCKING REALLY? HOW IS MY POST DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER ITEM THAT WAS POSTED?


I didn't read the others, why? Did I neg rep you again? :smokin:

[Quackers]

It has also been suggested that bottled water isn't any healthier or better tasting than tap water.

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Health/story?id=728070

That depends on where you live.

[rubicks]

electrical goods that cost a fortune .THEN you need extras to make them comlete(example electric keyboard came with batteries but no power adaptor $20extra:eek7:

[Cheb]

Bottled water prices are quite fine here. Probably because most of what we buy isn't imported.

What drives me mad though is our telecommunications company. They make more money per person than any other tele company in the world. Fricken Monopoly!!

[evil ernie]

i would say ....

-healthy take out
-cigarettes
-booze
-most extramural activities (yoga, martial arts, etc.etc.)
-going to the movies (tickets, popcorn, coke, etc.)
-bank charges (transaction charges etc.)

[rubicks]

:sad-smiley-019: yup you noticed complete not comlete

[evil ernie]

Bottled water prices are quite fine here. Probably because most of what we buy isn't imported.

What drives me mad though is our telecommunications company. They make more money per person than any other tele company in the world. Fricken Monopoly!!

telecom's rape you in soooooo many ways ..... the worst are the guys that activate roaming on their phones .....

[Afronaught]

^^^ I figured Eishkom would be on the top of your list at the moment....

[Heero Valentine]

Public transport with their insane high prices...
if i look at the amount of times i use it...it would be cheaper for me if i'd get a motorcycle...

[verticalkiller]

I thought we were listing things needed? Anywho....

toilet paper, well expensive if you don't want crappy quality where you have to use half a roll up your ass to not get it on your hand. even the generic brands are expensive when you consider the quality.

gasoline, its like £1.03 a litre, it takes £80 to give my car a full tank......what kinda shit is that? Goof thing its only driven on the weekend, otherwise i'm on the bus. Which leads me to my next gripe

buses, they're well expensive here. Granted the one we take is only £1 for all day but it only goes to hospitals and a nurses uni. So, were just lucky that the place we need to go is by hospitals and shit. back in Houston it was $1 anywhere, you could ride the bus all day long if you wanted, $2 for a 24 hour ticket. Here you tell the driver where you want to go and he charges you accordingly. UHM ghey? yes!

[loadrunner]

electronic transactions.... stores here charge 25 cent every transaction below E 20... :O

[Heero Valentine]

electronic transactions.... stores here charge 25 cent every transaction below E 20... :O

yeah and their reasoning is that otherwise they don't make enough money of you if you have stuff under 20 euro's...
like 25 cent is going to make a big difference O_o...purely ripping us off i say...

[JooX]

electronic transactions.... stores here charge 25 cent every transaction below E 20... :O



I was wondering if someone could let me know whether or not I am about to set a precedent here.
Im thinking of tallying up the kilometres, and average petrol prices, per month that I travel to use my banks ATM machine, only to find it is 'currently out of order/out of money/moved' - and then tally up the extra kilometres I need to drive to get to another of my banks ATM machines, which have the same damn problem.

I need my money, my banks ATM is no good to me, I use another banks ATM, I get my money... happy times follow as I go all consumer on the local business communities arse.
WRONG!

No happy times follow because I know what awaits me at the end of the month.
My bank sends me out a statement; -
"Dear Mr Joox, thanks for using us for all your banking needs, love you love you... now look over there please Mr Joox so you don't see the $22.50 in extra fee's we have charged you for using a competitors ATM for your withdrawals, and while you’re looking that way we would like to slip something up between your butt cheeks and also charge you another $3.50 for having to let you know that you used another ATM not of our bank...
(take a breath)
AND you can have another fee, which we will hide, for using more than your allotted monthly transaction limits for internet banking and ATM usage while you tried to get money out that wasn’t there and then went online looking for it only to find it was there so then you went back to the ATM to withdraw it and we screwed you again by telling you you cant do that at this time... (take a breath) and then forced you to use that foreign ATM for which we will charge a ridiculous fee on top of the other three fee's already handed out to you today JUST because you wanted your money from our bank... thanks sucker, yours... that big bank you get shafted by."


So, I compile a travel account for each day I go out and need to use an ATM, record time, date, and length of travel. Then If I am in need of funds and my banks ATM is, for whatever reason, not working - I can then send an itemised bill to them at the end of the month explaining my fee's for the hassle of having to use a bank that will fire 1500 workers over three years to cut costs, close down 30% of their easiest to access branches... to cut costs, encourage internet banking and ATM banking so less staff are required at branches... to cut costs, and I can charge them for my costs associated for me to bank with them.
It only seems fair. They have implemented a cost saving course of action that was claimed to work in the interests of both parties, the bankee and the banker, and they have failed to deliver on their promise.



So I charge them for the added costs of my banking with them, and I think I will take a lesson from the banks directly...
I think a surcharge addition to the fuel cost is only fair, say a $1.50 addition to any actual usage costs due to running of the engine - a further 'On/Off' charge for the turning on and off of the engine as I have to make the extra trip to find a working ATM, and at $2.00 per re-ignition they are getting a good deal.

A small fee for the internet usage to re-check my account should the ATM be insisting there are no available funds when there clearly is... 55cents per minute taken to double check the error was not mine online sounds reasonable. And I suppose I should add in another $5.00 for running costs, download usage, and wear and tear on equipment per 're-browse'.

Im told by the bank that I am a valued customer, so a fee for the time I have to take chasing up my own money through no fault of my own seems fair too. I wouldn’t put myself in CEO wage territory, but I think a $300.00 per hour (rounded up, minimum cost will always include any part of the first and subsequent hours as a whole hour for accounting purposes) would feel acceptable to me.

I should probably include an additional fee on a yearly basis should this happen more than once a year, and no doubt with the implementation of this new system I will need to make upgrades and purchases to keep track of my costs, and the charges to the bank, so there will need to be a yearly fee charged to the bank on top of existing fee’s.
I will also need to store the documentation, so storage costs should be included. And I think it only fair to make a contribution to a worthy charity... which will means additional fee's will have to be charged so as not to cut into my profits - errrrrr - re-imbursements.

I wonder if I should hire staff too?
Please note there is a small fee attached to reading this as it cost someone somewhere time and money to do something or other to allow you to be able to read it... or some bull-shit like that.

[Josh85]

Stamp duty.

Got to pay a percentage of the price I paid for my car to.... I dunno.. the government? .. for doing "paperwork".. you know.. running the transfer papers... apparently this can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on how expensive your car is.

[jammin91]

I thought we were listing things needed? Anywho....

toilet paper, well expensive if you don't want crappy quality where you have to use half a roll up your ass to not get it on your hand. even the generic brands are expensive when you consider the quality.



Toilet paper isn't a need either its a luxury. there are many place that don't have TP

[sib]

Subscription services are generally the biggest ripoffs for consumers, imo. Things like cable, cell phones things that come with sales contracts and monthly fees.

Cable TV in America is the biggest ripoff, imo, and that's because of how it's marketed. It's not a free market product, cable TV companies don't compete, they divide up areas and I've never seen where a consumer can choose between two competing companies. Additionally, they lack menu ordering, where you the consumer select the channels you want and you receive only those channels. Cabel bundles "packages" so you get a ton of pure shit channels with a few good ones. That's like buying a case of beer that has 6 good beers and 18 shit beers in it. That's bullshit, imo, so I don't purchase cable.

[loadrunner]

triple tax payment.


You earn a dollar

the state steals 20 cent

you keep 80 cent.

The factory pays tax, to keep the place running, and pays tax for the materials, and supplies ( grain, water, salt)

The mart, buys bread, and pays tax again,

You buy the same bread, and pay tax again.

80 cents for a bread.

17 cents tax

97 cents for a bread.

this means you have to earn two dollars to buy 1 bread. worth 50 cents

[Nanabunga]

Just about fucking everything IMO.

.

[SnakeBabe]

Oh OH

Gold's Gym. They're my latest rant. Those assholes will milk you for everything you're worth, and aren't really worth the money.

I can get a same pass to my gym on a month to month basis for only 20 bucks a pop when I gotta pay 25 bucks a month to Golds and be locked in a 2 year contract. That or I can pay 300 bucks upfront and have a contract for a year. Fuck that.

My Golds membership is only $149 a year. seems fair.

[_LISA_]

Funerals are a major ripoff, £1,000 - £3,000 with a 22% deposit before they will bury you...WTF, births free why not death too.

[Raidenator]

My Golds membership is only $149 a year. seems fair.

Psh, it seems to help if you're a good looking woman. Plus, you're something of a celebrity, naturally they'd treat you differently.

I don't know anyone who pays less than I do, and a lot of people pay more than I do.

[SnakeBabe]

Did you try blowing the Mgr.?

Hugs and Hissessss,
Maria

[Nanabunga]

Did you try blowing the Mgr.?




Now that's funny.

Maybe he did Maria and that's why he's getting charged so much.













j/k Raid

.

[Raidenator]

Did you try blowing the Mgr.?

Hugs and Hissessss,
Maria

Now that's funny.

Maybe he did Maria and that's why he's getting charged so much.


j/k Raid

.

First of all, ouch Nana. I hurt on the inside now.

Secondly, I tried to give her a blowjob but the damnedest thing, it wasn't working?

[Nanabunga]

First of all, ouch Nana. I hurt on the inside now.



LOL

I had that a few days back myself. Try some bran flakes, within hours I was feeling much better.

:)

[mousewallrat]

For the Greatest Rip-Off of all time, it has to be our Government. Did you know that at the present rate of inflation (using 4% as a baseline) and spending, in twenty years, 100% of our national income will be spent on our non-discretionary spending? That means interest on the national dept and so on. Not in fifty years, TWENTY. How could anything be worse than that, I wonder?