Sticker SHOCK!

[aviastar]

[

g and crushing the little people under my diamond studded shoes to get there. I'm sure you've run into that misconception, too, so while we probably would disagree on how some of the issues facing small business today should be addressed (opinions- everybody has 'em!),


Oh these sound awesome! I want some but am afraid of sticker SHOCK! Just kidding of course.

I thought you were very well spoken.

cheers--Sharon

I thought the analogy was fitting, and it makes me think of that Paul Simon song, which is always a plus!

And thank you, truly. I read and left this thread about three times before deciding to post, but I was just having this very conversation with a great friend yesterday (who happens to have to total opposite views from me- we've been best friends since high school, small things like politics could never get in our way!) and what it came down to was that she didn't know why I think about things so very differently than she does- I had never talked about the ins and out of the how policies or philosophies practically impact my livelihood 'cause I try to just live and let live and not go there. And I thought, well how can we possibly hope to get along with everybody and really understand where other people's opinions come from if we don't talk about it; how can we actually gauge policy unless we know what the practical consequences- good and bad- are going to be so we can weigh them against the intended purpose of the policy? If my best friend doesn't know how something is going to impact me, then I haven't spoken up for myself enough!

I didn't mean to derail anything or get anyone's dander up, but I am a small business owner- I am proud of what I do and I think this sector of business is vitally important in every country and every economy and it is often forgotten when broad policy is written, much to the detriment of society. And I just promised myself I would say that outloud more.

 

[jaysonsmom]

I don't know where y'ou guys and gals are getting your undergarments, but you need to shop at Costco! Who cares what they look like, no one sees them except you and your SO

2 bras for $17.99
5 Pack of undies for about $10!

Anyhoo, my sticker shock is the cost of clothing at a Mall. I cannot pay full retail prices from Mall stores. I only shop at the clearance rack. My wardrobe mainly come from awesome finds at Marshalls, TJ Maxx or other discount stores.

 

[ame]

\

I thought the analogy was fitting, and it makes me think of that Paul Simon song, which is always a plus!

And thank you, truly. I read and left this thread about three times before deciding to post, but I was just having this very conversation with a great friend yesterday (who happens to have to total opposite views from me- we've been best friends since high school, small things like politics could never get in our way!) and what it came down to was that she didn't know why I think about things so very differently than she does- I had never talked about the ins and out of the how policies or philosophies practically impact my livelihood 'cause I try to just live and let live and not go there. And I thought, well how can we possibly hope to get along with everybody and really understand where other people's opinions come from if we don't talk about it; how can we actually gauge policy unless we know what the practical consequences- good and bad- are going to be so we can weigh them against the intended purpose of the policy? If my best friend doesn't know how something is going to impact me, then I haven't spoken up for myself enough!

I didn't mean to derail anything or get anyone's dander up, but I am a small business owner- I am proud of what I do and I think this sector of business is vitally important in every country and every economy and it is often forgotten when broad policy is written, much to the detriment of society. And I just promised myself I would say that outloud more.

I apologize to you personally if my words back to you felt as though I was undermining small business or attacking you as another business owner when I was talking broadly in response to what was a very disrespectful comment by another poster protected by the right to free speech.

As I mentioned before I am also a small business owner, and we do agree, that small businesses really NEED more play, more input, more help to succeed, especially and despite how the Walmarts of the world try to crush and destroy them every chance they get with our congress's and former president's helping hands. My point in replying to the initial post made bringing up politics, that now seems like it was just bait, was really that our government seems to really only care about what Walmart and the other big businesses are interested in, than what is good for the average citizen, only thinking of the billionaires. I feel that President Obama, while he has a few flaws that I don't agree with despite overall agreeing with his plans, sees that issue with their flawed morality as well and is trying to do something about it, which the majority of citizens agreed with his plans of action for fixing and re-elected him to do. I don't know how much he's going to accomplish if his Congress cares less about the people and more about "winning", to quote Charlie Sheen, but we can only hope they don't sink us all with their greed and selfishness and game playing.

I don't care if people agree with my "side" or not. I have many friends and a lot of family that don't agree with me at all. I don't understand their logic, and they don't understand mine. But if they're going to make comments bashing the other side they don't agree with, however they choose to word it, at least try to have some kind of facts or information to back up the comments, and be willing to debate openly about it.

 

[ame]

I don't know where y'ou guys and gals are getting your undergarments, but you need to shop at Costco! Who cares what they look like, no one sees them except you and your SO

2 bras for $17.99
5 Pack of undies for about $10!

Anyhoo, my sticker shock is the cost of clothing at a Mall. I cannot pay full retail prices from Mall stores. I only shop at the clearance rack. My wardrobe mainly come from awesome finds at Marshalls, TJ Maxx or other discount stores.

Do they only sell like...the main range of bra sizes? My bra size is not usually widely available, so that's part of why I pay such high prices.

 

[pregcurious]

Diapers. They are so expensive!

 

[amc80]

Diapers. They are so expensive!

And formula! I can't wait until this kid can drink milk...it will be a $80/month raise.

 

[canuk-gal]

I don't know where y'ou guys and gals are getting your undergarments, but you need to shop at Costco! Who cares what they look like, no one sees them except you and your SO

2 bras for $17.99
5 Pack of undies for about $10!

Anyhoo, my sticker shock is the cost of clothing at a Mall. I cannot pay full retail prices from Mall stores. I only shop at the clearance rack. My wardrobe mainly come from awesome finds at Marshalls, TJ Maxx or other discount stores.

HI:

I go to our Canadian version of TJ Maxxs (Winners)--only to get sticker shock when buying the 6 pack/bags of those white athletic socks....they are often more expensive than other stores...I'm like WTH!

cheers--Sharon

 

[canuk-gal]

This thread is perfect timing for me, I get to vent about the banks! Their outrageous banking and administrative fees really get my goat to no end. I've recently experienced additional sticker shock at their mortgage assessment pricing. We've bought a new house and the banks now send an assessor to 'value' the house prior to approving the mortgage. The cost? $300-400. I can't believe we have to pay an additional fee for that considering they're going to be making a ton of interest off of us. Granted, this isn't a fee that we'll have to pay again for awhile but it seems to me that companies are less likely to absorb costs like this as part of doing business.

ETA: I should also say this house assessment is a relatively recent thing...when I bought five years ago, an assessment was not needed. Now the banks do it for all properties. I don't know why it's not enough to look at comparables and the % downpayment:mortgage.

HI:

Gotcha.

Can you say $40 for a wire transfer??? I can...been there and shocked.

cheers--Sharon

 

[aviastar]

\

I thought the analogy was fitting, and it makes me think of that Paul Simon song, which is always a plus!

And thank you, truly. I read and left this thread about three times before deciding to post, but I was just having this very conversation with a great friend yesterday (who happens to have to total opposite views from me- we've been best friends since high school, small things like politics could never get in our way!) and what it came down to was that she didn't know why I think about things so very differently than she does- I had never talked about the ins and out of the how policies or philosophies practically impact my livelihood 'cause I try to just live and let live and not go there. And I thought, well how can we possibly hope to get along with everybody and really understand where other people's opinions come from if we don't talk about it; how can we actually gauge policy unless we know what the practical consequences- good and bad- are going to be so we can weigh them against the intended purpose of the policy? If my best friend doesn't know how something is going to impact me, then I haven't spoken up for myself enough!

I didn't mean to derail anything or get anyone's dander up, but I am a small business owner- I am proud of what I do and I think this sector of business is vitally important in every country and every economy and it is often forgotten when broad policy is written, much to the detriment of society. And I just promised myself I would say that outloud more.

I apologize to you personally if my words back to you felt as though I was undermining small business or attacking you as another business owner when I was talking broadly in response to what was a very disrespectful comment by another poster protected by the right to free speech.

As I mentioned before I am also a small business owner, and we do agree, that small businesses really NEED more play, more input, more help to succeed, especially and despite how the Walmarts of the world try to crush and destroy them every chance they get with our congress's and former president's helping hands. My point in replying to the initial post made bringing up politics, that now seems like it was just bait, was really that our government seems to really only care about what Walmart and the other big businesses are interested in, than what is good for the average citizen, only thinking of the billionaires. I feel that President Obama, while he has a few flaws that I don't agree with despite overall agreeing with his plans, sees that issue with their flawed morality as well and is trying to do something about it, which the majority of citizens agreed with his plans of action for fixing and re-elected him to do. I don't know how much he's going to accomplish if his Congress cares less about the people and more about "winning", to quote Charlie Sheen, but we can only hope they don't sink us all with their greed and selfishness and game playing.

I don't care if people agree with my "side" or not. I have many friends and a lot of family that don't agree with me at all. I don't understand their logic, and they don't understand mine. But if they're going to make comments bashing the other side they don't agree with, however they choose to word it, at least try to have some kind of facts or information to back up the comments, and be willing to debate openly about it.

No need to apologize, and I am also sorry if you felt my statements were directed at you or accusatory, not my intention. Cheers!

 

[gemtastic]

$15 fee from the bank to have a large sum of money wired INTO the bank...WTF. Moving money for house purchase into the bank and getting mortgage with them. So charged extra for giving them money (complained and was taken care of--but the nerve ...)

What about jeans? Am still scratching my head over $120+ jeans. What happened 10 years ago to the price of jeans and why has it persisted??? So glad Tj Maxx is around

Cell phone monthly fees...so if everyone has a smartphone, why isn't he market driving down the extra cost of having a smartphone? And are we all dumb for paying the exhorbant rates?

 

[Sparklelu]

Ame I do not usually post when it gets political but your posts in this thread offend me. The correct trem is Tea Party. Calling them by the other name is disrespectful. That is the beauty of this DEMOCRACY we are free to have opinions, but name calling is childish.

So because you don't agree with facts, you're offended? Or is it only that ONE post that offends you? If more people would get offended by the state of the country and the way our government works and rips us off while making our elected officials and millionaire big business execs even richer, instead of fighting against equal rights for all, maybe this country would be less of a disaster.

Just to point more facts since you pointed it out:
I am only being as "disrespectful" as the members of the "Tea Party" themselves, as they themselves decided to refer to themselves with that word. Only after that started--again BY THEMSELVES--did the other party start mocking it and turning their use of the word on them.

Use of term "teabagger"
The term teabagger was initially used to refer to Tea Partiers after conservatives used tea bag as a verb on protest signs and websites. Members of the movement adopted the term, and referred to themselves as teabaggers. Shortly thereafter, however, others outside the movement began to use the term mockingly, alluding to the sexual connotation of the term when referring to Tea Party protesters.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_Party_movement#Use_of_term_.22teabagger.22

And with that, I am done with this thread. I just responded to someone else's political inaccuracies.

No actually I was offended by the word tea baggers, as used as a pejorative, rather than the verb from the original use, as in, let's tea bag Washington, everyone send tea bags to Washington as a sign of our dissatisfaction with their job.
Unfortunate use of words for sure and as soon as the vulgar meaning became known and was bandied about by the likes of tingling legs Matthews, and Rachel Maddow to describe the Tea Party, they realized the error and objected.
When opponents of the Tea Party movement use the term it is most certainly not in the original context , they use it as a slur.

I'm not offended if someone has a different opinion than mine, I am disturbed by resorting to name calling and continual blaming of others for an abysmal ( in my opinion) job this president is doing.
My.02

 

[HopeDream]

Housing prices in my area!

Average home price is over $700k, Average 2 bedroom condo is about $350k Yikes!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Ame, please try to express your opinions without insulting others for theirs. It can be done. We've discussed this in other threads. Rudeness does NOT make your points more pointed.

Honestly, it hurts my feelings to get replies like yours. Is that your goal, or would you rather persuade people? You can't do both. DF, Aviastar, Elisateach & others (me too) who think differently from you have an equal right to say it out loud -- and nobody has been rough on you here.

I'm so disgusted, I think I'll take a break from Pricescope. And please do not reply with more antagonism. I'm done for a while.

--- Laurie

Laurie...oh C'mon ,don't let these stuff bother you,and don't forget that most PSers are much younger than we are...

 

[Dancing Fire]

[quote="ame|1363825673
As I mentioned before I am also a small business owner, and we do agree, that small businesses really NEED more play, more input, more help to succeed, especially and despite how the Walmarts of the world try to crush and destroy them every chance they get with our congress's and former president's helping hands. My point in replying to the initial post made bringing up politics, that now seems like it was just bait, was really that our government seems to really only care about what Walmart and the other big businesses are interested in, than what is good for the average citizen, only thinking of the billionaires. I feel that President Obama, while he has a few flaws that I don't agree with despite overall agreeing with his plans, sees that issue with their flawed morality as well and is trying to do something about it, which the majority of citizens agreed with his plans of action for fixing and re-elected him to do. I don't know how much he's going to accomplish if his Congress cares less about the people and more about "winning", to quote Charlie Sheen, but we can only hope they don't sink us all with their greed and selfishness and game playing.

[/quote]
his plans are to put more people in poverty instead of helping people out of poverty.his anti business policies is slowing down the economic recovery of our country.

 

[ame]

[quote="ame|1363825673]
As I mentioned before I am also a small business owner, and we do agree, that small businesses really NEED more play, more input, more help to succeed, especially and despite how the Walmarts of the world try to crush and destroy them every chance they get with our congress's and former president's helping hands. My point in replying to the initial post made bringing up politics, that now seems like it was just bait, was really that our government seems to really only care about what Walmart and the other big businesses are interested in, than what is good for the average citizen, only thinking of the billionaires. I feel that President Obama, while he has a few flaws that I don't agree with despite overall agreeing with his plans, sees that issue with their flawed morality as well and is trying to do something about it, which the majority of citizens agreed with his plans of action for fixing and re-elected him to do. I don't know how much he's going to accomplish if his Congress cares less about the people and more about "winning", to quote Charlie Sheen, but we can only hope they don't sink us all with their greed and selfishness and game playing.

his plans are to put more people in poverty instead of helping people out of poverty.his anti business policies is slowing down the economic recovery of our country.[/quote][/quote][/quote] Paying people less doesn't stimulate the economy, nor does protecting and catering only to big business.

 

[TooPatient]

$10/month fee on my "free" checking.

"convenience" charge added to my online classes at school -- where they fit twice as many students, don't have to maintain a building, and the instructor logs in once every few days since the computer does all the grading. Why should that cost more than attending in person!?!

Nuts. Pecans and almonds especially!

Lemons. $1 each

Water -- our water district just raised the rates (again) because "everyone's conservation efforts have paid off!" and they aren't making as much money as they used to. (yeah.... they actually published that in the local paper )

 

[JewelFreak]

Laurie...oh C'mon ,don't let these stuff bother you,and don't forget that most PSers are much younger than we are...

Most younger PSers are great!

Not to beat a dead horse (or a young twit), DF, but this should be said. I'm not with you on this one. Do you let your girls behave like oafs because they're young? If they don't learn to be civilized when young, when do they pick it up? If you're old enough to write on the internet, you're old enough to use a tiny bit of class.

What doesn't seem to get across here is not what she says, but HOW she says it. The tone. Always the same excuse: "If you don't want me to curse, screech, & throw insults, then don't disagree with me! Keep quiet!"

Probably another tantrum will result from this. I don't care. Emotional 2-year-olds, sad for them, lead unsatisfying lives because they don't truly connect with anyone else. Fortunately, I don't have to read what they write.

--- Laurie

 

[MichelleCarmen]

$10/month fee on my "free" checking.

"convenience" charge added to my online classes at school -- where they fit twice as many students, don't have to maintain a building, and the instructor logs in once every few days since the computer does all the grading. Why should that cost more than attending in person!?!

Nuts. Pecans and almonds especially!

Lemons. $1 each

Water -- our water district just raised the rates (again) because "everyone's conservation efforts have paid off!" and they aren't making as much money as they used to. (yeah.... they actually published that in the local paper )

Ugh - lol - Our garbage/recycling/yard waste bill was around $85 per cycle/three months and our new bill came and it is $96 so I called to ask why. Turns out that we get a "rebate" on our recycling and because the economy is bad and people are not recycling as much, we have to pay MORE for our recycling. Apparently, our garbage company sells the recyclables and gives people a rebate, but when the economy is bad (this is what the phone rep said), people tend to buy less food items that are wrapped in recyclable packaging. lol Oooookay! I was told it was a flat fee. Just ridiculous. Anyway, water...Yeah...we were paying up to $250-300 *a month* at our last place for water, sewer, & garbage! Luckily we were renting. Friends of mine who owned got a bit of sticker shock when buying a house and then getting their first water bill for that district. It was hundreds of dollars!

Where do you get lemons for $1.00? I rarely buy them but yeah, they're around 75 cents at Fred Meyer. I usually wait till items like that go on sale. Maybe they're less at Trader Joes?

 

[aviastar]

$10/month fee on my "free" checking.

"convenience" charge added to my online classes at school -- where they fit twice as many students, don't have to maintain a building, and the instructor logs in once every few days since the computer does all the grading. Why should that cost more than attending in person!?!

Nuts. Pecans and almonds especially!

Lemons. $1 each

Water -- our water district just raised the rates (again) because "everyone's conservation efforts have paid off!" and they aren't making as much money as they used to. (yeah.... they actually published that in the local paper )

Ugh - lol - Our garbage/recycling/yard waste bill was around $85 per cycle/three months and our new bill came and it is $96 so I called to ask why. Turns out that we get a "rebate" on our recycling and because the economy is bad and people are not recycling as much, we have to pay MORE for our recycling. Apparently, our garbage company sells the recyclables and gives people a rebate, but when the economy is bad (this is what the phone rep said), people tend to buy less food items that are wrapped in recyclable packaging. lol Oooookay! I was told it was a flat fee. Just ridiculous. Anyway, water...Yeah...we were paying up to $250-300 *a month* at our last place for water, sewer, & garbage! Luckily we were renting. Friends of mine who owned got a bit of sticker shock when buying a house and then getting their first water bill for that district. It was hundreds of dollars!

Where do you get lemons for $1.00? I rarely buy them but yeah, they're around 75 cents at Fred Meyer. I usually wait till items like that go on sale. Maybe they're less at Trader Joes?

$300/month for WATER? Holy...

That is exactly why I love my well.

 

[ame]

Laurie...oh C'mon ,don't let these stuff bother you,and don't forget that most PSers are much younger than we are...

Most younger PSers are great!

Not to beat a dead horse (or a young twit), DF, but this should be said. I'm not with you on this one. Do you let your girls behave like oafs because they're young? If they don't learn to be civilized when young, when do they pick it up? If you're old enough to write on the internet, you're old enough to use a tiny bit of class.

What doesn't seem to get across here is not what she says, but HOW she says it. The tone. Always the same excuse: "If you don't want me to curse, screech, & throw insults, then don't disagree with me! Keep quiet!"

Probably another tantrum will result from this. I don't care. Emotional 2-year-olds, sad for them, lead unsatisfying lives because they don't truly connect with anyone else. Fortunately, I don't have to read what they write.

--- Laurie

And yet, you do. And then you accuse me and all the other "emotional 2 year olds" who are just "sad and unsatisified" of being classless, call them names, and accuse them of all manner of things including "throwing tantrums" without reading what they are actually saying, and inferring tone into their statements--which have no tone, and storm off in a furious, "broken hearted" rage, but they are not allowed to call out your hypocrisy or inaccurate statements with fact to back it up? You don't want to read facts, or state any, to back up your opinions, fine. But you will get called out for them, with facts when necessary. When you do get called out for it, storming out just points out that you're incorrect, and that you know it, and that you're embarrassed at being wrong. Age doesn't appear to grow class, either, it appears.

You are accusing me of stirring up drama, and of causing an issue and you are the one doing the stirring. You brought politics up in here, and myself and at least one other poster called you out on your statement, neither of us used any "tone" with you, and no one called you a name, as you repeatedly do at me (young twit being the most recent example). You're not saying anything to that other poster, just to me. So am I the new intended target of this behind the scenes group now for not agreeing 100% with everything you believe in? Because that's what it looks like to me.

And to be clear, I responded to your initial post with absolutely zero tone at all. I did call BS--using the actual word--on what you initially said when you invoked politics blaming President Obama and Congress for everything going up, and someone else called you out for your disrespect to the President by not referring to him as such. It's a global economy, and globally everything is going up. If you want them to really stop being involved and allow for the "free market", they can stop subsidizing everything--food/farming, gas, etc. Then you'll really see prices skyrocket. But I did post with tone the second time, when you martyr'd yourself attacking me for my tone, while ignoring the fact that I am not the only one that called out the inaccuracy and disrespect in your initial post.

 

[ame]

$10/month fee on my "free" checking.

"convenience" charge added to my online classes at school -- where they fit twice as many students, don't have to maintain a building, and the instructor logs in once every few days since the computer does all the grading. Why should that cost more than attending in person!?!

Nuts. Pecans and almonds especially!

Lemons. $1 each

Water -- our water district just raised the rates (again) because "everyone's conservation efforts have paid off!" and they aren't making as much money as they used to. (yeah.... they actually published that in the local paper )

Ugh - lol - Our garbage/recycling/yard waste bill was around $85 per cycle/three months and our new bill came and it is $96 so I called to ask why. Turns out that we get a "rebate" on our recycling and because the economy is bad and people are not recycling as much, we have to pay MORE for our recycling. Apparently, our garbage company sells the recyclables and gives people a rebate, but when the economy is bad (this is what the phone rep said), people tend to buy less food items that are wrapped in recyclable packaging. lol Oooookay! I was told it was a flat fee. Just ridiculous.

...that does not even make sense.

 

[fiona00004]

It blows my mind how much socks cost. And underwear. Always! I should be over it by now but I'm not!

I hold out and buy undies when Gap has big sales. I bought 16 pairs of my fave undies the day after Xmas for around $2 a pair. I was way too impressed with myself for beating the underwear system.

TOTALLY! That is why all my socks and undies have holes in them... my DH gets sooo annoyed... especially with the socks lol

 

[webdiva]

Movies! Actually, movie concessions. DH went last week. The movie was $22 for two (3D). Our snacks were $25. Yikes.

Anything in Vegas. I was there 4 years ago and a lemon drop was $19.

Razor blades. C'mon, they are little pieces of sharpened metal. Why are cartridges $2-3 each?

Tires. My #1 least favorite thing to buy. We live in a snow area so I had to get good ones- just under $1k.

I agree with this. And I'll tell you why this is so; Proctor and Gamble bought Gillette, and American Safety Razor (they made low cost store brand razors) closed, so P&G has a monopoly on razors. Bic was never a big player, and never invested in the multiple blade technology. So, the Federal Trade Commission, which was supposed to protect you against monopolies, looked the other way during the Bush years. This is a prime example.

Www.dollarshaveclub.con

 

[JewelFreak]

$300/month for WATER? Holy...

That is exactly why I love my well.

+ a million, Aviastar! It seems like when a town doesn't dare raise taxes, they increase the water bill instead. Crazy fees, we paid other places. Here, we all have wells. Two yrs ago they put in mains to which we can hook up if we want -- nobody has. In Conn. where the town decided to put in city water, they brought bulldozers & destroyed all the wells so people had no choice. Rotten.

--- Laurie

 

[ame]

Movies! Actually, movie concessions. DH went last week. The movie was $22 for two (3D). Our snacks were $25. Yikes.

Anything in Vegas. I was there 4 years ago and a lemon drop was $19.

Razor blades. C'mon, they are little pieces of sharpened metal. Why are cartridges $2-3 each?

Tires. My #1 least favorite thing to buy. We live in a snow area so I had to get good ones- just under $1k.

I agree with this. And I'll tell you why this is so; Proctor and Gamble bought Gillette, and American Safety Razor (they made low cost store brand razors) closed, so P&G has a monopoly on razors. Bic was never a big player, and never invested in the multiple blade technology. So, the Federal Trade Commission, which was supposed to protect you against monopolies, looked the other way during the Bush years. This is a prime example.

Www.dollarshaveclub.com

HAH the video is awesome.

 

[sstephensid]

Laurie...oh C'mon ,don't let these stuff bother you,and don't forget that most PSers are much younger than we are...

Most younger PSers are great!

Not to beat a dead horse (or a young twit), DF, but this should be said. I'm not with you on this one. Do you let your girls behave like oafs because they're young? If they don't learn to be civilized when young, when do they pick it up? If you're old enough to write on the internet, you're old enough to use a tiny bit of class.

What doesn't seem to get across here is not what she says, but HOW she says it. The tone. Always the same excuse: "If you don't want me to curse, screech, & throw insults, then don't disagree with me! Keep quiet!"

Probably another tantrum will result from this. I don't care. Emotional 2-year-olds, sad for them, lead unsatisfying lives because they don't truly connect with anyone else. Fortunately, I don't have to read what they write.

--- Laurie

Honestly, this is a very immature response. What an ironic comment!

 

[ponder]

$80 a month for oral contraceptives. I am rarely shocked by prices, but this one had me calling my MD for a generic.

 

[lovebug1031]

$80 a month for oral contraceptives. I am rarely shocked by prices, but this one had me calling my MD for a generic.

Precisely what I did, I chose a HCHD healthplan this year, my BC was upwards of $90/month - so I checked the generic Rx plans at Target and Walmart, they have two that are $9 a month, my ins. covers the $9 so now it's free!

 

[alice87]

Rent in WA state is crazy expensive, for very crappy apartments. Microsoft and Boeing did not do much good, just worsen the situation.
I think food in US is darn cheap compare to other countries. Unbelievably cheap.
Housing in general is not the best. Cheap material, cheap design. No craftsmanship. NOISE! It is a total dorm here. You know everything your neighbors do and say. No isolation whatsoever.
Medical expenses are outrageous and unless you act like a pitbull you get ripped off times and times again.
My son had simple surgery (outpatient cost was 400 dollars total). This freaky hospital send $33K bill to insurance company. Thanks God we had insurance at that time.
Doctor's visit where a doctor don't even do exam on you. I had it numerous times. The cost is 400 dollars for such visit.
Ambulance rides, really? $600-800?
Dental care, the cost of crowns.
Dentist blames producers, well, I talked to guys who make porcelain crown, they never get reimbursed anywhere above $200, the dentist feel entitled to charge $800 and more per crown.

 

[chrono]

Why is medical so expensive in the US? You can get surgery done with the latest technology in Thailand for 1/10th the price when comparing apples to apples. The same goes for drugs (medicine). I have not even taken the exchange rate into account but only looking at what the local currency is (what a local in Thailand would pay in their country versus what a local in US would pay here). No insurance so just compare the total actual cost.