Things that are unnecessarily expensive

[BlueStarryHat]

First Growth Bordeaux. No I'm not interested in paying $1,000 for a bottle of wine when I can get Quilceda for $200.

And you can get Franzia in a box for $20.

Sorry. All wine tastes exactly the same to me. (I'd put a good-natured smiley here, but they don't work for me)

 

[hhisc16]

DVC dues...

 

[mrodgers]

Yeah the whole concept of needing to lock up baby food because it gets stolen a lot is next-level dystopian to me. The idea that there are parents out there who desperately need to feed their babies but are too poor to do so is heartbreaking. We have a lot of social safety nets -- I believe we have WIC programs and such to address this situation. I wonder why some people aren't able to get what they need from those programs and need to steal it instead?

(also, why do you have what looks like Davy Jones dancing to a post about over-priced baby formula??)

What if it's not about poor people trying to feed their baby but instead people stealing to sell at flea markets and such? There's so much formula sold at flea markets through nefarious ways of acquiring.

 

[NotUrsula]

I second the car rentals and hotels. Travel is pretty much getting back to normal again and I feel like this is bordering on price gouging.

Planning getting college kids from/to this year (one we drive, one we fly, both need hotels), and the prices are double what they normally are. From just two years ago.

When my kid was away at school we put the stuff in storage locally in the college town; nothing to bring home but a couple of suitcases. It was a lot cheaper and less trouble to pay $100 for the summer than to move all that crap.

PS: I agree it's a shame that formula has to be locked up in stores, but if they didn't, there would not be any left for those folks to buy. I'd guess that at least 90% of formula that is stolen is destined for the street resale market. (And yes, it sells for less on the street than in the store, because a thief has no overhead, but the level of moral ambiguity in *that* dilemma is above my pay grade. Robin Hood these folks are not. I don't blame the retailers, who are caught in the middle, but I'm pretty harsh on manufacturers: they make an obscene profit on infant formula.)

 

[mefordis]

It is likely necessary but landscaping has increased 30%. Plant prices have jumped significantly in the last year

My landscaper priced mulching our beds in our small yard at $1500. No thanks, we'll go mulchless or do it ourselves.

 

[Kennywood]

For no reason

I would say
Food at cinemas and service stations

For both, that's where they make their profit.

The ticket prices basically cover the cost of the movie itself. That's where the movie studios make their money. The same is true with gas stations. The price of fuel pays the refineries. For both the theaters and the service stations, there isn't much margin made.

Concessions at the theaters and the little stores in the gas stations are where money is made to pay expenses like salaries, utilities, etc. That's why these prices are so far above average prices.

 

[bcla]

Yeah the whole concept of needing to lock up baby food because it gets stolen a lot is next-level dystopian to me. The idea that there are parents out there who desperately need to feed their babies but are too poor to do so is heartbreaking. We have a lot of social safety nets -- I believe we have WIC programs and such to address this situation. I wonder why some people aren't able to get what they need from those programs and need to steal it instead?

(also, why do you have what looks like Davy Jones dancing to a post about over-priced baby formula??)

The place it usually gets resold is either overseas or on the street sold with other stuff on a blanket. Plus flea markets and eBay.

I remember hearing about some stores in San Francisco that were caught reselling stolen merchandise. Wasn't necessarily expensive stuff, but the were at cheap corner stores.

 

[bcla]

Yes, movie theaters make nothing from ticket sales. And if you have ARCO AM PM Mini Market gas stations. The reason their gasoline prices are 40 cents a gallon less than everyone else, they want you to come in the store and buy a bag of chips or a soda. That has been their business model for the last 30 years. Draw you in with low gasoline prices, making money on junk food you buy. I hear they make a TON of money on the hot BBQ Rib sandwiches they well.....their rip off the of the McRib. They also haven't taken credit cards in 30 years, but now they are starting to, but charge 10 cents a gallon more if you pay with a credit card.

They don't necessarily have a unique setup, as almost all gas stations these days are associated with convenience stores unless it's Costco or some other company selling gas a loss leader. And even Safeway gas stations have convenience stores, but with Safeway prices. I've even seen where stuff like candy was on sale in the supermarket, and the convenience store attached to the gas station had that at the same price.

 

[bcla]

$3 drip coffee. It's mostly hot water and made in bulk. I personally prefer McDonald's coffee. It's easy to drink but not devoid of flavor.

 

[tvguy]

They don't necessarily have a unique setup, as almost all gas stations these days are associated with convenience stores unless it's Costco or some other company selling gas a loss leader. And even Safeway gas stations have convenience stores, but with Safeway prices. I've even seen where stuff like candy was on sale in the supermarket, and the convenience store attached to the gas station had that at the same price.

We just got a Sinclair Gas station. Only one I know of in the area, and God Forbid, they do car repairs, not selling food.
Not sure how much Safeway makes on sales of snacks since at least the one I go to, the market is tiny. Like 9 foot by 10 foot. During the pandemic they didn't allow more than 3 customers in at a time.

 

[Sinder]

Paper products

 

[bcla]

We just got a Sinclair Gas station. Only one I know of in the area, and God Forbid, they do car repairs, not selling food.
Not sure how much Safeway makes on sales of snacks since at least the one I go to, the market is tiny. Like 9 foot by 10 foot. During the pandemic they didn't allow more than 3 customers in at a time.

There aren't too many around here, but I've come across a few. One was tiny - just big enough for a beverage cooler and candy. But another was about the size of a 7-11. They called it a "Safeway Express".