There are some things that people will spend their money on no matter how big of a rip off it is. Whether they are on a budget and watching their wallet or simply don’t care about what they spend, these are rip off schemes that everyone falls for.
Bottled Water
A bottle of water can cost a couple of dollars. However, you can get water for free if you just take it from the tap. Luckily we live in a place where the tap water is safe to drink, so why waste your money and create plastic waste when you don’t have to?
Product Warranties
When you buy an expensive electronic or appliance, you’ll probably feel inclined to pay extra for an extended warranty. However, most times it would be about the same amount of money to replace the item than to buy the warranty.
Oil Changes
We are told to get our car’s oil changed every few thousand miles. However, that doesn’t mean you need the most expensive oil on the market. Ask your mechanic to use the regular stuff.
Travel-Sized Toiletries
With the TSA restrictions on liquids, you probably go out and buy travel-sized toiletries in compliance with the rules. However, you can save your money and just buy refillable containers and fill them with the products you already have.
French Fries
French fries are actually super cheap for restaurants to make. Think 15 cents a pound. Now imagine paying $2-$3 for a service of them! That is quite a mark up.
Razor Blades
Razor blades aren’t cheap and that’s because they are marked up 5,000 percent. The companies were marking up the prices so much that the authorities had to step in at one point.
Stadiums
Did you know that your tax dollars are used to build stadiums in your community? Stadiums are often built with the hope that the local economy will increase. However, that rarely happens.
Starbucks
Starbucks coffee is a luxury that many people enjoy even though it makes their wallets pretty light. Why spend over $2 on a basic cup of coffee when you can brew an entire pot of it at home for just a few cents?
Printer Cables
The tech industry is absolutely booming. With such high prices for electronics, they are definitely making great profit. You know those printer cables you have to spend $30 on? They are produced for less than $5!
Funerals
Unfortunately, a funeral can cost thousands of dollars. We’re talking about $6,000 on average. People will willingly spend that money because they are in grief and don’t want to seem like they didn’t love the person they just lost.
Fountain Soda
The next time you order a fountain soda at a restaurant, pay attention to the price. It’s probably about $2, which is about the price of a bottle of soda. However, restaurants will fill up your cup with ice meaning you get less soda than a bottle would give you.
Printer Cartridges
Ink cartridges can be so expensive. Sometimes it would make more sense to just buy a brand new printer every time you need to replace the cartridges.
Car Brakes
Mechanics are known to up sell products to make more money on your car. However, when they tell you that you need new brake pads, ask to see the pads for yourself. Most of the time you don’t actually need to replace them.
Gym Memberships
Gym memberships make sure it’s hard to cancel them if you stop going. Some require you to pay a fee to quit while others make you finish your contract. Remember, you can always exercise for free on your own!
Managed Investments
When you have someone manage your investments, you’re probably under the impression that you’ll make more money. The fact is, you’re probably losing money on the commission fees and such.
Premium Gas
People have a special attachment to their cars. However, if your car doesn’t require premium gas, stop wasting your money on it. Your engine will be fine, we promise.
Buffets
All-you-can-eat buffets are actually quite a rip off. Imagine spending $15 on a meal at a restaurant and you’ll probably eat the same amount of food that you get at a buffet.
Hotel Mini Bars
It’s super convenient to have a mini bar in your hotel room, but the prices of the items are outrageous. It makes it worth it to run to the grocery store or nearby restaurant and buy the items yourself.
Free Credit Reports
If you live in the US, then you are entitled to one free annual credit report. If you see a company offer a free credit report, then you can expect that they are going to try to sell you something that you definitely do not need.
Name Brand Medicine
The next time you go to the pharmacy for some over the counter medicine, choose the store brand and save a few extra dollars. By law, store brand medications must contain the same chemical compositions as the name brand medication.
College Books
A brand new college textbook can cost hundreds of dollars. Rather than buying them new, choose to rent your books or buy them used. You’ll thank yourself once you realize you have to start paying back your student loans.
Texting
Hopefully by now you have free unlimited texting with your cell phone plan. If you don’t, you could be paying up to 20 cents per text! Meanwhile your phone company only pays about $0.0003 to send and receive them.
Popcorn
We all know that movie theater snacks are marked up, but popcorn may be the most marked up snack on the menu. Why are they so marked up? It’s because Hollywood gets about 75% of the theater’s profit, so they have to find a way to make a little extra cash.
Cell Phone Cancellation Fees
Some cell phone plans require you to pay a large fee if you want to cancel their service. Before quitting or even signing up for a new plan, always read the fine print.
Lottery Tickets
Everyone likes to talk about what they would do if they ever won the lottery. However the chances of winning the lottery are so slim that you have a better chance of dying than winning it.