How we are getting ripped off bit by bit
Anyone who has recently bought fruit and vegetables is likely to have a vague suspicion that the price they are paying is a bit too high. Manufactured goods, coffees at your local coffeehouse- every little cut can hurt and damage your finances in a long-term way. While we sigh and put up with it, maybe it’s time to stop and take stock so we can spend our dimes on something much more worthwhile.
Here are some ways that you’re being ripped off, courtesy of Forbes.
Fitness shoes
I’ve been looking for a no-effort way to losing weight for years now, and my search will probably continue for many years to come. Reebok’s EasyTone shoes, however, don’t seem to quite cut it. These are shoes that are meant to tone you up, even as you do simple things like grocery shopping or walk from the couch to the fridge.
Unfortunately they also damage your ankles and feet, and don’t really tone you up unless you count the placebo effect. If you really want to lose weight and save money at the same time, then start walking every day. It’s free, and your normal shoes will work just fine.
Uni Textbooks
Apparently the price of textbooks in the US has risen at a rate four times that of inflation. It’s not perhaps the best example to set, but I know intimately that it’s pretty easy to get through a university degree without having ever bought one of the $500 monstrosities that you are told it’s imperative to own. Lecturers seem to set textbooks, without much thought for the eventual cost for the struggling student.
It’s an easy fix- buy your textbooks second hand or use the ones kept in the library. That way you don’t have to carry them either, saving on expensive physiotherapy later on.
Ready-to-drink baby formula
It’s 54% more expensive to buy the premade stuff, and you’re losing valuable bicep work in the meantime. If you buy the shake-and-make stuff, you’ll be saving yourself a fair amount of money. You can also view it as a gym replacement, use it to do a couple of curls, and save yourself money that way as well.
Prepackaged supermarket meat
Deli counters can be stressful. There are those number systems, where you have to hold onto your little piece of paper and desperately wait for your number to be called. But if you can steel yourself for that battle, then you’ll save yourself a fair amount of money. You also have a much wider choice, and the meat will taste a whole lot better. It’s a smart decision all-round.
Germ fighting supplements
Every winter, a new cure for the common cold is suggested. The ‘germ-fighting’ supplements that went around ended up in the cold themselves, as they were charged with making deceptive statements and having to pay back millions.
The only preventative for a cold is the general healthiness- get enough sleep. Eat fruit and vegetables and wash your hands.
Cable television
It’s impossible to get cable TV without all the trappings. You have to sign your life away for 24 months, and instead of just getting world movies, you’ve got unlimited access to non-stop world wrestling, the art of crochet and the history of cod.
Investigate online options, or revisit your local video store. You’ll save money, and avoid filling your life with meaningless babble.
What rip-offs do you avoid in every day life?
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