It often feels impossible to avoid consumerism in today’s world. While this is true, many companies out there are ripping you off, taking extra money from you without providing any extra benefits. Watch out because these 18 rip-offs are draining your wallet.
Bottled Water
Did you know that bottled water often comes from the same sources as tap water? Installing a water filtration system provides safe water to drink right from the comfort of your home, yet despite this, we choose to give water companies our money every single day.
Latest Gadgets
Many people want to own the latest and most trendy gadgets, even if they cost thousands of dollars and don’t offer new innovative features. Frankly, this is insane and wasteful, and you’re playing into the hands of consumerism every time you buy these unnecessary products.
Laundry Pods
If you currently prefer to wash your dirty clothes using detergent pods, then it may be time to rethink. They’re the same as regular detergent, but they’re less effective and far more expensive in the long run. The NYT claims that some laundry pods even leave stains on your clothes!
Banking Fees
You’d think placing money into your bank account saves you money, but this may not be so true. Alongside transaction fees, banks will charge you maintenance fees and insufficient fund fees just for not having enough money in your account, which feels like a scam when you think about it.
Movie Theatre Snacks
Everybody knows that movie theatre snacks are a rip-off; some theatres charge you over nine times more for regular popcorn! It’s absurd because you’re also forced to buy them, as many theatres have a policy prohibiting food bought outside, so those theatre trips are draining your wallet.
Adjustable Rate Mortgages
When you want to buy your house, adjustable-rate mortgages and their initially low interest offers may seem like the best option. However, after some months or years, these rates will inevitably get “adjusted,” and interest may reach levels that you never would have signed up for.
Poop Bags
This one is for the pet owners out there. Why choose to constantly buy specialized plastic bags to scoop poop when you could use regular grocery bags? You could even use paper lying around your home and flush your pet’s waste down the toilet—at no extra cost.
Brand Medications
Medications will generally always contain the same ingredients, so you’re paying extra for big brands for absolutely no reason. Eric Campbell, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, explains it clearly. Going for brand-name drugs when a generic one is available is a “huge source of wasteful spending that can be prevented.”
Delivery Services
Why are you paying extra for delivery services when your favorite restaurant is just a short walk or drive away? They’re a complete rip-off, marking up the prices of items and often adding an extra 30% to your bill in fees. Just pick the food up yourself, and you’ll save a ton of cash.
Impulse Items at Convenience Stores
In exchange for the “convenience” that the local store on your street offers, you’re having your wallet drained on impulse purchases. From candy bars to gum, convenience stores rely on impulse purchases to increase your bill. In fact, CBC claims that these stores are even designed to lure you into making unnecessary purchases!
Branded Clothing
Luxury fashionwear promises to be of higher quality, which is why brands get to place outrageous prices on their apparel in the first place. It would be fine if they provided high-quality products to match the prices, but you’re often just paying more for branded fast-fashion-grade.
Branded Cleaning Products
Like every other “branded” item on our list, cheaper alternatives likely serve you better when you’re looking for products to clean your dishes, floors, and other surfaces. Generic items work as well as (if not better than) their branded counterparts, and you get to save over 50% of your money.
Accessing the Internet
The internet will always cost something to use, and we’re happy to pay. However, ISPs are ripping you off without you realizing it, promising awesome internet speeds while never fulfilling their promises. Worse still, you’re just letting them do it!
Gas Stations
As if gas wasn’t expensive enough, certain gas stations are also out to scam you. They know you’re in a rush and don’t have much time to compare prices, so they’ll set inaccurate gas prices and charge more when you pay with your credit card. Always do your research when filling up.
Specialized Kitchen Appliances
Sellers advertise specialized kitchen appliances as innovative inventions. In reality, they mostly waste valuable storage space in your home. Do you really need a specialized egg cooker or cookie maker when you have your own pots and ovens to do a better job for you?
Cable TV
Most TV enthusiasts have migrated over to streaming services for their entertainment needs, but some people are still getting scammed by cable providers. Not only do few cable TV subscribers actually watch it that often, but Fortune also adds that these companies overcharge you with hidden fees without you realizing it!
Payday Loans
If you’re strapped for cash, avoid payday loans like the plague. They’re so much of a rip-off that they’re prohibited in 14 states across the US, forcing you into a never-ending debt trap using exorbitant interest rates and exploitative repayment policies. They’re a crime against humanity!
College Bookstores
Finally, college bookstores are one of the most evil rip-offs out there. After finally affording your expensive college tuition, you’re given an enormous reading list, and your professors encourage you to buy them from overpriced bookstores. It’s a messed up system, and sometimes, your professors are earning a cut!
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