# Things that are strangely expensive



## Puccasaurus (Dec 28, 2003)

Often I think to myself: why on Earth is _____ so expensive? And I can think of no good reason (except greed).

Examples:

House salads in restaurants
Picture frames (it's just wood and glass glued together!)
Computer cables

What else do you think is wildly overpriced? And does anyone know where to find cheap picture frames? :lmao:


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## Chimpur (May 1, 2009)

Heres my list of overpriced stuff

Toner/Printer ink - Considering theres only a few scant ml of in in that $20 plus cartridge
Rechargeable Batteries - They can't be that more difficult to make. I understand if its economy of scale, but not to that point!
Aerosol deodorant - C'mon feminine hygiene stuff is (or maybe was PST exempt). And its only a fragrance, some aluminum compound in a propane/butane mixture as a propellant.

I'm sure I could sit here all day and add to this list. Actually heres two more to add to the list.

Dentist bills - Ever notice that if you pay its one price, but if theres an insurance company involved they pay a whole whack more?
Vet bills - This can't be an easy job, considering the patient can't speak etc. But it is rather expensive for a simple checkup; and then downright exorbitant if its anything serious!


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

I've no problem adding to the list with the pet peeve I have had for many years:

*Eyeglasses!*

How in hell can two tiny screws, an ounce or so of plastic and a pair of lenses cost nearly as much as a new TV?

Who the hell makes all the money on them?


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Puccasaurus said:


> And does anyone know where to find cheap picture frames? :lmao:


If you have a Winners store in your area, I have bought many picture frames there at a fraction of the cost elsewhere.


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Suntan lotion....everywhere on the planet 

tho apparently there is only one manufacturer of the active ingredient.


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## Max (Sep 26, 2002)

Greeting cards. License to print money, I tells ya.

Sinc, with glasses, you pay a certain amount to get the optics of the lenses right; the rest is all ephemeral designer nonsense... they tend to charge what the market will bear.


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## screature (May 14, 2007)

Puccasaurus said:


> Often I think to myself: why on Earth is _____ so expensive? And I can think of no good reason (except greed).
> 
> Examples:
> 
> ...


I worked in the framing business for about 5 or 6 years. In the case of picture frames, depending on the quality you buy and whether or not you are getting them custom made there is a large amount of "man hours" involved in the process of making the frame and some of the wood can actually be very expensive to buy (burls, mahogany's, even oak and maple isn't cheap). There is inherently also a lot a "waste" in the manufacturing (milling process) that has to be priced into the wholesale price and then ultimately the retail price.

Also is you are buying custom framing you are paying for the years of experience and accreditation of the professional framer you dealing with. You may not be aware but there is a vast amount of knowledge for a professional framer to learn, particularly when dealing with archival quality framing and an accredited framer takes years to gain the experience and knowledge even to have a hope of passing the written and practical tests to receive accreditation.

Just so you know and can understand why some frames can be very expensive.


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## monokitty (Jan 26, 2002)

SINC said:


> I've no problem adding to the list with the pet peeve I have had for many years:
> 
> *Eyeglasses!*
> 
> ...



+1000. I share your pain.


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

Puccasaurus said:


> Computer cables


If you're finding cables expensive, you're shopping at the wrong places.

Monoprice.com has everything pretty cheap, and shipping is reasonable too.

Now, pesto is something I find strangely expensive. $5 for a small container at Loblaws or Metro, and it's just pureed basil, garlic, pine nuts and parmesan.


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## screature (May 14, 2007)

chimpur said:


> heres my list of overpriced stuff
> 
> ...vet bills - this can't be an easy job, considering the patient can't speak etc. But it is rather expensive for a simple checkup; and then downright exorbitant if its anything serious!


+1


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## Max (Sep 26, 2002)

Puccasaurus said:


> Picture frames (it's just wood and glass glued together!)


You try it, then - making good, tight frames that are consistently well-built, with no gaps or unfortunate angles resulting from bad calculations or substandard tools. Screature's right on the money with his comment on an experienced framer's knowledge of archival materials... stuff like acid-free mattes makes all the difference. Even the kind of glass you can use is a world unto itself. Knowing all that is what makes the difference between a cheap-looking frame and something which not only protects the artwork for years on end but also elegantly augments its beauty. You're paying for _that._

If you don't want to pay for it, there's always IKEA... but it's always going to like like a generic IKEA frame. Depends on how much you respect what you're framing, I suppose. If it's worth framing in the first place, it's worth avoiding chintzy, tacky framing jobs.


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## KC4 (Feb 2, 2009)

max said:


> you try it, then - making good, tight frames that are consistently well-built, with no gaps or unfortunate angles resulting from bad calculations or substandard tools. Screature's right on the money with his comment on an experienced framer's knowledge of archival materials... Stuff like acid-free mattes makes all the difference. Even the kind of glass you can use is a world unto itself. Knowing all that is what makes the difference between a cheap-looking frame and something which not only protects the artwork for years on end but also elegantly augments its beauty. You're paying for _that._
> 
> if you don't want to pay for it, there's always ikea... But it's always going to like like a generic ikea frame. Depends on how much you respect what you're framing, i suppose. If it's worth framing in the first place, it's worth avoiding chintzy, tacky framing jobs.


+1


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## screature (May 14, 2007)

SINC said:


> If you have a Winners store in your area, I have bought many picture frames there at a fraction of the cost elsewhere.


You do get what you pay for at any of these places... If all you are framing is a reproduction or a mirror, great. I would personally never frame any original art that is worth anything with a frame from Winners etc. most notably because the materials are non-archival and can actually damage the art with the material that leeches out of them over time.

Also these frames are typically made for standardized sizes, if you have anything that doesn't fit within these narrow parameters you will need to break them down cut them to size and rebuild them. Also in many instances these cheap frames are faux wood made from some sort of extruded man made material.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Max said:


> Knowing all that is what makes the difference between a cheap-looking frame and something which not only protects the artwork for years on end but also elegantly augments its beauty. You're paying for _that._


Right you are Max. I own this reverse painting on glass worth about $3,000 and I had it professionally framed, but it was I who chose the frame, then the shop did the actual framing. I picked the frame to suit the painting. (Forgive the picture quality as all I had handy was my iPhone.)


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## screature (May 14, 2007)

SINC said:


> Right you are Max. I own this reverse painting on glass worth about $3,000 and I had it professionally framed, but it was I who chose the frame, then the shop did the actual framing. I picked the frame to suit the painting. (Forgive the picture quality as all I had handy was my iPhone.)


Nice old piece SINC. What year was it painted?


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## Puccasaurus (Dec 28, 2003)

Oops, I certainly didn't mean to lump professional framers into this. I did just mean those mass-produced things you find in stores and not anything custom-made or designed.

Another addition: fruit platters. Although I suppose you're paying for the convenience.


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## l84toff (Jul 27, 2008)

Beer in Canada. Almost $50 for a case of good beer here, I've bought the same case in the US for $24. Even Canadian beer is significantly cheaper in the US.

I realize it's mostly taxes, but 100% tax??? How can you charge more for a Canadian product in Canada (for something made essentially down the street from here) vs shipping it thousands of km's into another country? Never quite got the math there.


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## screature (May 14, 2007)

l84toff said:


> Beer in Canada. Almost $50 for a case of good beer here, I've bought the same case in the US for $24. Even Canadian beer is significantly cheaper in the US.
> 
> I realize it's mostly taxes, but 100% tax??? How can you charge more for a Canadian product in Canada (for something made essentially down the street from here) vs shipping it thousands of km's into another country? Never quite got the math there.


Where are you buying your beer and what do you consider to be good beer? Never paid $50 for a case of beer in my life.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

John Clay said:


> Now, pesto is something I find strangely expensive. $5 for a small container at Loblaws or Metro, and it's just pureed basil, garlic, pine nuts and parmesan.


Pine nuts on their own are really expensive!

Hummus is another one--chick peas??!! Why should it cost as much as guacamole made with justifiably expensive avocados?


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## Max (Sep 26, 2002)

Labour costs... that's what they'll tell you. Suuuuuuuurrrre it is.


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## l84toff (Jul 27, 2008)

screature said:


> Where are you buying your beer and what do you consider to be good beer? Never paid $50 for a case of beer in my life.


I said almost. Most premium beers at the beer store (take your pick). Nevermind some beers at the LCBO that are $3.50 per bottle.


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## Max (Sep 26, 2002)

If you consider what it costs at a bar or restaurant you're generally getting a good deal. And bottles at the LCBO that cost three-fifty a pop? Well, you're paying for import duties and shipping. Been on a roll lately with excellent Ukrainian, Polish and Czech beers... anywhere from $2.50 to $3.50, but worth every penny. Those beers are coming from a long way off.


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## l84toff (Jul 27, 2008)

Max said:


> If you consider what it costs at a bar or restaurant you're generally getting a good deal. And bottles at the LCBO that cost three-fifty a pop? Well, you're paying for import duties and shipping. Been on a roll lately with excellent Ukrainian, Polish and Czech beers... anywhere from $2.50 to $3.50, but worth every penny. Those beers are coming from a long way off.


That is good beer indeed. 

I do understand that. So why would what we make in our backyard cost so much more? Wouldn't those same import duties cause a mark up of the price across the border also?


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## Ena (Feb 7, 2005)

Proxabrushes, the small brushes that are used to clean between one's teeth, are over three dollars for four. Sometimes they bend and are useless after one pass between the teeth.

I've switched to using hairy toothpicks that are much cheaper.


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## screature (May 14, 2007)

l84toff said:


> I said almost. Most premium beers at the beer store (take your pick). Nevermind some beers at the LCBO that are $3.50 per bottle.


LOL that explains it. You live in Ontario... Things are different here in Quebec.  You don't mean beer is expensive in Canada... you mean beer is expensive in Ontario. I live in Quebec on the border with Ontario and all the Ottawa residents that I know who like good beer come and buy it over here.


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## l84toff (Jul 27, 2008)

screature said:


> LOL that explains it. You live in Ontario... Things are different here in Quebec.  You don't mean beer is expensive in Canada... you mean beer is expensive in Ontario. I live in Quebec on the border with Ontario and all the Ottawa residents that I know who like good beer come and buy it over here.


That would be nice. Whenever we go across the border I pick up a case or 2. Even with the duty it's still cheaper than buying locally.


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## screature (May 14, 2007)

l84toff said:


> That would be nice. Whenever we go across the border I pick up a case or 2. Even with the duty it's still cheaper than buying locally.


This is the "luxury" I live with and if you love beer you gotta go to The Beer King.



> Mr. Gravelle, who uses his torrential sales volume to wring the best possible deals from suppliers, offers a 24-bottle case of Brahma, the Brazilian beer, for $34.04.
> 
> "Usually, it's about $50, I'm sure, in Ontario," he said. Actually, the Beer Store sells a case of Brahma for $44.35, but at that price, Mr. Gravelle isn't expecting any complaints.


In Quebec independent business owners can negotiate their price directly with the supplier.



> One way to keep prices low, he said, is by driving hard bargains with his suppliers to get better deals. The brewers take Mr. Gravelle's calls because he buys their product by the tractor-trailer load. "About a month ago, I bought 43 pallets of beer in one shot. That's over $100,000. Three weeks after, it was all gone," he said.
> 
> "I'm negotiating with the reps all the time," Mr. Gravelle said. "I'm on the phone every day and if somebody gets something better than me, I phone and I say, 'Why him and why not me?' You wouldn't believe what I do. I cry every day. And when I sign the contracts, they tell me it's so hard to negotiate with me because I'm breaking their hearts."


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

screature said:


> Nice old piece SINC. What year was it painted?


'Twas painted in 1859 in England. I even have all the history of the steam engine in the picture, "Little England" which was how I know it was painted in that year as it was commissioned by the railroad that re-named the engine seven years after it was built in 1852 and originally named "Little George". Sadly it was demolished in an accident about a year later.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

screature said:


> LOL that explains it. You live in Ontario... Things are different here in Quebec.  You don't mean beer is expensive in Canada... you mean beer is expensive in Ontario. I live in Quebec on the border with Ontario and all the Ottawa residents that I know who like good beer come and buy it over here.


I pay $11.89 a dozen for store brand PC beer made in Calgary. That's President's Choice for those who know Loblaws which is Superstore out here.

Brand name beers are about $29 for 24 - Canadian or Blue or Budweiser.

It's the micro breweries that get expensive here at about $2.50 a bottle. Imports are in the same price range.


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## titans88 (Oct 3, 2007)

screature said:


> LOL that explains it. You live in Ontario... Things are different here in Quebec.  You don't mean beer is expensive in Canada... you mean beer is expensive in Ontario. I live in Quebec on the border with Ontario and all the Ottawa residents that I know who like good beer come and buy it over here.


I just made a trip to the King of Beers this week. Picked up 9 cases (3 of those were Coors 55 packs) for around $290. We are throwing a massive 30th wedding anniversary party for my parents and this certainly helped cut costs.


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## TPCM (May 8, 2010)

Why on earth are Apple products so expensive?

Thats what i wonder... 

!


-TPCM


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

screature said:


> Where are you buying your beer and what do you consider to be good beer? Never paid $50 for a case of beer in my life.


I don't know about that either, but I do know beer is MUCH cheaper in Quebec than NB.


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## enon (Feb 12, 2010)

The Mac Pro is overpriced.


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## screature (May 14, 2007)

Trollin', Trollin', Trollin'....


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## Puccasaurus (Dec 28, 2003)

Oh, I just thought of something else: the unlisted fee for home phones. Why do I have to pay $2 for them _not_ to do something?


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## screature (May 14, 2007)

enon said:


> ridiculously large jpeg that you don't seem to have the capacity/ability to easily resize...


A Mac experience is more than the sum of its parts... unlike a Windows box... which is *LESS* than the sum of its parts because it has Windows installed. :lmao:

With posts like this what exactly is it that you are doing here if it isn't trolling...?

Your posts are always something like this... deriding Macs... this is Canada's Mac Community (just in case you can't read the very large logo at the top of every page)... if you hate Macs so much, why don't you move along... There you go move along now... move along.... good troll... go bother some one else now... good troll. beejacon
Regarding the last part of your ridiculous Windows fanboy post... Macs need less upgrading because of OSX, they just work... With Windows I upgraded my hardware almost every year... with my Mac Pro 1.1 I haven't upgraded in 3 years and still don't feel an urgent need to so... So if you divide your investment over the time used before upgrade I have saved about $4K by* NOT* buying a Windows box the last time I bought a computer... So much for Mac Pros being over priced.... tptptptp

To every one else.... I know, I know... I am feeding the troll and I will stop after this... just sick of his BS.


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## krs (Mar 18, 2005)

TPCM said:


> Why on earth are Apple products so expensive?
> 
> Thats what i wonder...
> 
> ...


It's really a useless, frustrating exercise trying to rationalize pricing.
Most people have the notion that the price of a product somehow has some fixed relation to cost - well they're dead wrong.

As to Apple products being Sooo expensive.......if they were overpriced in people's mind, then people wouldn't buy them and the price would automatically drop.
The way it stands right now, people are willing to pay the price Apple puts on their products, so why sell them for less.
Sales for Macs kept going up even as Windows PC sales kept dropping.
People nowadays mostly look for value for their money, not the cheapest price.


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## krs (Mar 18, 2005)

enon said:


> The Mac Pro is overpriced.


You don't have a clue what you are talking about.

If it was overpriced Apple wouldn't sell as many as they do.

There is really no such thing as "over priced" anything. If the price is set such that nobody will buy a product, the price will either come down or the product is no longer sold.


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## krs (Mar 18, 2005)

Puccasaurus said:


> Oh, I just thought of something else: the unlisted fee for home phones. Why do I have to pay $2 for them _not_ to do something?


There is actually good rationale for that.
To include your name and number in a telephone book costs the company essentially nothing.
However, if you have an unlisted number, calls to the operator and information of people looking for that number go up, not only that these requests cannot be handled automatically like a regular call to information, so there is actually a very clearly defined additional cost of handling those information calls about unlisted numbers..


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

enon said:


> _IDIOTIC OVERBLOWN AND BADLY DESIGNED GRAPHIC REMOVED_


It's the software, stupid. And they're actually pretty easy to upgrade—Apple's engineering is far superior than most PCs.

Too bad nobody bothers putting together a chart for the hidden costs of PCs. You'd never get it done. :lmao:


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## hhk (May 31, 2006)

How about long distance phone calls. Massive rip-off.


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## krs (Mar 18, 2005)

hhk said:


> How about long distance phone calls. Massive rip-off.


Only if you haven't done five minutes of homework.

At one of my homes where I make very long calls to the US I use a plan that gives me 1000 minutes for $10.-
At the other where I don't call LD that often, but I regularly call overseas, I use 1010229.....
5 cents to connect, 2 cents a minute for US, Canada and a number of larger European countries.
My LD bill each month is peanuts - excellent value for what I get


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## hhk (May 31, 2006)

krs said:


> Only if you haven't done five minutes of homework.
> 
> At one of my homes where I make very long calls to the US I use a plan that gives me 1000 minutes for $10.-
> At the other where I don't call LD that often, but I regularly call overseas, I use 1010229.....
> ...


Yes, I should have said "Long Distance Calls with the big telcos".

My VOIP overseas calls are so cheap I don't even think twice about calling.


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

hhk said:


> Yes, I should have said "Long Distance Calls with the big telcos".
> 
> My VOIP overseas calls are so cheap I don't even think twice about calling.


Agreed. I pay 1.25c/min anywhere in the US/Canada with my VoIP, and peanuts to other countries.


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## krs (Mar 18, 2005)

Who do you have your VoIP service with?
Every time I try it, it turns out to be really crappy - poor voice quality, have to repeat what I'm saying or the other party has to repeat, calls get cut off. Not something I would want to use for any lengthy phone call.


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

I use voip.ms. I run my own PBX, which gives me a lot of flexibility. You can use with just an analog adapter (ATA), but lose some of the advanced options.


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## hhk (May 31, 2006)

John Clay said:


> I use voip.ms. I run my own PBX, which gives me a lot of flexibility. You can use with just an analog adapter (ATA), but lose some of the advanced options.


Same here. Highly recommended.


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## eMacMan (Nov 27, 2006)

Simple phone cards can reduce cost to 2-4¢ a minute. We have been using a basic phone plan with no long distance options, and using phone cards for many years. PIN number can be programmed in so all you have to dial is the 1-800 number to connect.


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## l84toff (Jul 27, 2008)

How about Skype? I use it at home on my Macbook as well as my iPhone and iPad when I'm traveling, can even use the thing over 3G (although I have yet to try this so am not certain about the call quality) but the quality overall seems to be pretty good.

More of an alternative to LD rather than going under the strangely expensive category.


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## Sonal (Oct 2, 2003)

Shoes.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

Dental work.


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## Puccasaurus (Dec 28, 2003)

krs said:


> There is actually good rationale for that.
> To include your name and number in a telephone book costs the company essentially nothing.
> However, if you have an unlisted number, calls to the operator and information of people looking for that number go up, not only that these requests cannot be handled automatically like a regular call to information, so there is actually a very clearly defined additional cost of handling those information calls about unlisted numbers..


Well since my number is their property and these hypothetical callers are asking for it, let the phone company charge _them_ for it :lmao:

But seriously, cool answer. Still seems like a dodgy practice to me though.


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## Max (Sep 26, 2002)

MF: file dental work in the same category as "legal fees." Not that I disagree, mind.


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## krs (Mar 18, 2005)

Puccasaurus said:


> ........these hypothetical callers are asking for it, let the phone company charge _them_ for it


The phone company does.
Aren't calls to information 75 cents or even $1.25.

A tidbit of information - when you call an operator and ask for a number that is unlisted, the operator sees the listing on the computer but there is actually no number shown against the listing.
Most people don't believe that - they think the operator sees the number but with a note that it is unlisted. Creates all sorts of funny situations where the customers are trying to think of all sorts of compelling reasons to try to get the operator to reveal that number.


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## Puccasaurus (Dec 28, 2003)

Yes, I did remember that as soon as I posted that  Talk about milking the cow at both ends.

Given this information I hope millions of people are trying to look me up so I can feel like I am getting my money's worth! The only reason I'm unlisted is so my students (or worse, their parents) don't try calling me at home. 

The funny part about trying to stay unreachable is I get a lot of people calling to make reservations at a popular restaurant whose number is very similar to mine. I'm tempted to take the reservations and a credit card number 

(Just kidding)


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## Sonal (Oct 2, 2003)

Cable TV.


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## Chimpur (May 1, 2009)

How about compressed air? I mean it is just some air, an accelerant (usually propane or butane) and some bitterness agent (so kids don't huff it and get high).


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## DR Hannon (Jan 21, 2007)

Chimpur said:


> How about compressed air? I mean it is just some air, an accelerant (usually propane or butane) and some bitterness agent (so kids don't huff it and get high).


Sorry to burst your bubble, but compressed air is just that compressed air. It needs nothing else.


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## Chimpur (May 1, 2009)

DR Hannon said:


> Sorry to burst your bubble, but compressed air is just that compressed air. It needs nothing else.


I've checked and the particular brand I have has Difluoroethane in it and not air at all.


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## Puccasaurus (Dec 28, 2003)

Hand sanitizer. Isn't it just about 90% water and 10% alcohol? It should cost pennies a litre!


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## Chimpur (May 1, 2009)

Somebody's gotten stinking rich from all those hand sanitizer stations in malls, hospitals, etc!


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Camping in Canada's National Park system. Here at Elk Island Park, $25.50 per night with no services but a fire pit. Another $8.00 if you light a fire.


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## FeXL (Jan 2, 2004)

SINC said:


> Camping in Canada's National Park system. Here at Elk Island Park, $25.50 per night with no services but a fire pit. Another $8.00 if you light a fire.


Wow. Pricey.

Crater Lake, OR (also a National Park), last week, 5 bucks to get in the gate (motorcycle), 10 bucks for a tent site with a fire pit. No extra charge to light it up.

Edit: Site was massive, more than enough room for even your rig.


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## mrjimmy (Nov 8, 2003)

Crappy semi detached homes in run down parts of Toronto.

I recently drove by the intersection of Eastern and Carlaw in the east end of Toronto. For those unfamiliar, it is a shabby post industrial remnant of a bygone era. The surrounding streets are lined with poorly built, tiny Victorian row houses home to low income families. A busy intersection where no one 'chooses' to live. 

Some clever home stager/ RE agent painted the facade of on of these homes slate grey and there is now a for sale sign out front saying 'sold over asking'.

The mind truly boggles.


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## Sonal (Oct 2, 2003)

The TTC.

Street parking is often cheaper. I tutor for 2 hours a week near the North York Central Library. Street parking for a little over 2 hours costs $4.25. Cash fare each way is $3, or $6 round-trip. 

Even if I buy tokens at 8 for $20, it's still cheaper to park. Adding in the cost of gas and wear and tear on my car, I'm either breaking even or more than making up for the slight expense in convenience.

Where I have my writing group every 2 weeks, street parking is free until 1 PM.


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## MaxPower (Jan 30, 2003)

Here's my list:

Cartridges of razor blades
New vehicles
Batteries
Energy Drinks
Aw heck. Pretty much everything in Canada is expensive.


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## screature (May 14, 2007)

MaxPower said:


> Here's my list:
> 
> Cartridges of razor blades
> New vehicles
> ...


_Cartridges for razor blades_, +1 

_New vehicles_, Never have bought one never will... new vehicles are for the rich (which unless I win the lottery I never will be) or for those who don't understand depreciation.

_Batterie_s, well, I never thought of them as such... they do pollute the environment so just think of it as a "green" fee.

_Energy Drinks_, I never found they deliver on the promise so I don't drink them.
_
Aw heck. Pretty much everything in Canada is expensive_., Well at least we generally enjoy enough income to "enjoy" many of those "overpriced" items that millions of people around the world can only dream of.


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## bsenka (Jan 27, 2009)

krs said:


> The phone company does.
> Aren't calls to information 75 cents or even $1.25.
> 
> A tidbit of information - when you call an operator and ask for a number that is unlisted, the operator sees the listing on the computer but there is actually no number shown against the listing.
> Most people don't believe that - they think the operator sees the number but with a note that it is unlisted. Creates all sorts of funny situations where the customers are trying to think of all sorts of compelling reasons to try to get the operator to reveal that number.


The reason people don't believe it, is because it's not true. My Mother-In-Law has an unlisted number, and she regularly gets calls from people who called directory assistance and managed to convince them to give out the number. She also gets calls from telemarketers who say they have a "special" directory that has all numbers in it, unlisted or not.


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## bsenka (Jan 27, 2009)

Minimum wage.

Why should I have to pay someone $10 an hour if I only get $2 an hour (or less) of work out of them? 

I've switched to paying only for piece-work. That way what they are in control of earning what they are worth. A lot of businesses don't have that option though.


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## screature (May 14, 2007)

bsenka said:


> Minimum wage.
> 
> *Why should I have to pay someone $10 an hour if I only get $2 an hour (or less) of work out of them? *
> 
> I've switched to paying only for piece-work. That way what they are in control of earning what they are worth. A lot of businesses don't have that option though.


Presumably that is when they get fired....


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## Puccasaurus (Dec 28, 2003)

Guacamole in restaurants/fast food sandwich places. Avocadoes aren't that expensive. To add insult to injury, they always scrape it on so thinly that you might as well not even bother. 

Notable exception: Boston Pizza once gave us a genuine, no-kidding, bowl of guacamole for $2. That seemed quite fair (and it has never happened again. Waitress must've been in a great mood that night).


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## Max (Sep 26, 2002)

mrjimmy said:


> Crappy semi detached homes in run down parts of Toronto.
> 
> I recently drove by the intersection of Eastern and Carlaw in the east end of Toronto. For those unfamiliar, it is a shabby post industrial remnant of a bygone era. The surrounding streets are lined with poorly built, tiny Victorian row houses home to low income families. A busy intersection where no one 'chooses' to live.
> 
> ...


Hey, you're talking about my 'hood. Geez, I didn't know I was a low-income dude ensnared in a shabby neighbourhood; much obliged for enlightening me. I am going to try and ignore thinking about just where you might live... and where you get off trash-talking my home.


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## Adrian. (Nov 28, 2007)

Max said:


> Hey, you're talking about my 'hood. Geez, I didn't know I was a low-income dude ensnared in a shabby neighbourhood; much obliged for enlightening me. I am going to try and ignore thinking about just where you might live... and where you get off trash-talking my home.


Max,

People who live in the burbs consider run-down and seedy as anything built over 10 years ago. I consider east end TO a pretty nice place.


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## whatiwant (Feb 21, 2008)

Adrian. said:


> Max,
> 
> People who live in the burbs consider run-down and seedy as anything built over 10 years ago. I consider east end TO a pretty nice place.


Hehe. Too true.


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## Max (Sep 26, 2002)

Hey, guys.... I was just giving the fellow a hard time - rubbed me the wrong way, that's all. Who knows where he's from.... but you know how it is. Whaddayagonnado.


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## mrjimmy (Nov 8, 2003)

Max said:


> Hey, you're talking about my 'hood. Geez, I didn't know I was a low-income dude ensnared in a shabby neighbourhood; much obliged for enlightening me. I am going to try and ignore thinking about just where you might live... and where you get off trash-talking my home.


Hey Max,

My intention wasn't to offend. I didn't realize you lived next to Gale's ., which is where I was referring to. I should have been a bit more clear when I referred to 'surrounding streets'. What I meant _was in fact_ Eastern and Carlaw. 

As is the case with any city, good resides in close proximity to bad. I've lived in TO for a big chunk of my life and the east end on many an occasion. Heward is a literally stones throw from Eastern and Carlaw but miles apart as far as a good street and a nice place to live.

I was referring to one of those shabby row houses next to Gales including the ones running south on Carlaw and on the north side of Eastern. The idea that a coat of slate paint is enough to coerce anyone to pay over asking here is truly mind boggling. That is living proof that RE has gone mad. Mad I say!


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## mrjimmy (Nov 8, 2003)

Adrian. said:


> Max,
> 
> People who live in the burbs consider run-down and seedy as anything built over 10 years ago. I consider east end TO a pretty nice place.


Not sure if you were referring to me but if you were (loud buzzer sound), 

wrong.


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## danalicious (Nov 16, 2008)

Sonal said:


> Shoes.


I can actually answer this one!

In Canada, there is a 50% tariff applied to shoes imported into the country. That is why shoes are much less expensive in the US.


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## Max (Sep 26, 2002)

mrjimmy, it's all good.

Have you eaten at Gales? Tremendous bang for yer buck. Insane. Don't know how the man affords it, other than his mortgage is long paid off and he just cooks up brekkies and lunch stuff for kicks.

Eastern's changing up sooner rather than later. Go up Carlaw to Dundas and take a good look around. Putting in a pretty cool flat iron building that's got some luscious curves and great wraparound windows.

Anyway, no harm done. Back to the topic at hand - in the end, that area, like many similar neighbourhoods in the central core, is pricey real estate because it's the land they sit on, rather than the old homes sitting on the land. Anything within spitting distance of streetcars or subways is going up in value, and that's a fact.


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## Jason H (Feb 1, 2004)

I'd like to add chain restaurants in Canada. Its crazy that a steak that costs $17 in the states costs $26 here. 


Chimpur said:


> Somebody's gotten stinking rich from all those hand sanitizer stations in malls, hospitals, etc!


Pfizer owns Purell and makes the flu vaccine too. Makes you wonder!


Sonal said:


> The TTC.
> 
> Street parking is often cheaper. I tutor for 2 hours a week near the North York Central Library. Street parking for a little over 2 hours costs $4.25. Cash fare each way is $3, or $6 round-trip.
> 
> Even if I buy tokens at 8 for $20, it's still cheaper to park. Adding in the cost of gas and wear and tear on my car, I'm either breaking even or more than making up for the slight expense in convenience.


True. I went downtown to see a show with some friends and asked why we did not drive. There were 5 of us, none with a metropass, and 3 of us with cars. We could have parked all the cars downtown for the $30 we spent on the subway.


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## KC4 (Feb 2, 2009)

Puccasaurus said:


> Guacamole in restaurants/fast food sandwich places. Avocadoes aren't that expensive. To add insult to injury, they always scrape it on so thinly that you might as well not even bother.
> 
> Notable exception: Boston Pizza once gave us a genuine, no-kidding, bowl of guacamole for $2. That seemed quite fair (and it has never happened again. Waitress must've been in a great mood that night).


Avocados are a relatively expensive ingredient (about $2 for an average size one) and there is significant wastage (about 35%) with preparing avocados for the table. By the time one adds the other ingredients to guacamole (lime & spices, sometimes fresh onions and tomatoes for pica mole) and then try to make a profit on it after paying the staff, well, you've got a pricey little dish there.

The BP dish was a very good deal if it was real guacamole and you didn't feel off after consuming it. Fresh guacamole can't be stored for long. It may have been a use it or lose it situation.


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## Sonal (Oct 2, 2003)

danalicious said:


> I can actually answer this one!
> 
> In Canada, there is a 50% tariff applied to shoes imported into the country. That is why shoes are much less expensive in the US.


I'm so happy that there's an answer to this! At last, I understand.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Camera batteries. My Nikon uses a battery that is $100 in Canada, ditto for my Lumix at $40. I bought two for the Lumix online from the U.S. for $17 including mail costs. Sadly they were out of stock on the Nikon size which were $22.


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## Paddy (Jul 13, 2004)

Sinc, I figure proprietary camera batteries are like razor blades and ink toner - a HUGE moneymaker for the camera companies.

However, as you've discovered, there is no need to buy the proprietary batteries that the camera company sells. Unless you buy a brand new model of camera with a brand new model battery (which has to happen occasionally as the number of proprietary battery models proliferates) you can bet that if you go on Amazon.ca or any of the third party battery sellers' sites, you'll be able to find a very reasonable alternative to the camera manufacturers' options.

Case in point: I recently bought a Canon waterproof point and shoot for my son, who will be going on a canoe trip to the Arctic this summer. The Canon-branded NB-6L battery is anywhere from $68 (Camera Store - Calgary) to $75 (Vistek) in Canada. :yikes: I ordered 2 of them from a third-party seller on Amazon.ca for $8.96 including the shipping from BC. My experience with third party camera batteries has been pretty good so far - I probably have 8 third-party batteries in all now, for 2 Canon DSLRs and a Panasonic Lumix. Only one of them suffered a premature death - the rest are indistinguishable from the batteries that came from Canon and Panasonic with the cameras.

Some of my pet peeves:

Watch battery replacement. Why do some stores think they can charge you $15 (or more) for something that takes less than 3 minutes to do and costs peanuts for the materials??? 

Replacement bulbs for Christmas lights.

Halogen MR-16 bulbs at places like Home Depot ($8 for two...are you kidding me? Found them at the dollar store - Sunbeam branded, for $1 each)


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## Jason H (Feb 1, 2004)

Paddy said:


> Case in point: I recently bought a Canon waterproof point and shoot for my son, who will be going on a canoe trip to the Arctic this summer. The Canon-branded NB-6L battery is anywhere from $68 (Camera Store - Calgary) to $75 (Vistek) in Canada. :yikes: I ordered 2 of them from a third-party seller on Amazon.ca for $8.96 including the shipping from BC. My experience with third party camera batteries has been pretty good so far - I probably have 8 third-party batteries in all now, for 2 Canon DSLRs and a Panasonic Lumix. Only one of them suffered a premature death - the rest are indistinguishable from the batteries that came from Canon and Panasonic with the cameras.


You do need to watch out with those. I bought a battery for my sony DSLR from amazon.com marketplace and it was being sold as a genuine sony battery from a demo camera. It arrived and looked like a real battery until I popped it into my battery grip that holds two sony batteries and the camera refused to accept it. I compared the two and the amazon battery was a knock off. I filed a complaint on amazon and got to keep the battery and get my money back! I went to look at the sellers marketplace store and he had all types of batteries listed as "genuine, from a store demo camera" and their must have been hundreds of them. 

But you can't go wrong with amazon purchases, they will always look after the customer.


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## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

> [*]Dentist bills - Ever notice that if you pay its one price, but if theres an insurance company involved they pay a whole whack more.


My experience is the opposite. If I get billed I pay more than if my insurance is billed directly. To top that off, the insurance company then brow-beats the accounts department and pays only a fraction of the bill.


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## monokitty (Jan 26, 2002)

Corrective Eye Surgery.

About ~$5000 for 20 minutes of surgery. (Not even.)


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## BigDL (Apr 16, 2003)

Hows about them patented pharmaceuticals. Strange how the costs are irrelevant to development but the amount charged is more tied to the marketing of said drug.


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## hayesk (Mar 5, 2000)

Factory accessories in cars.

Why can I buy a portable DVD player in Canadian Tire for $50, but to get one installed from Honda costs $2500?

Or a TomTom costs $100 in a store. But built-in from the car maker? $3000.


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## Jason H (Feb 1, 2004)

hayesk said:


> Factory accessories in cars.
> 
> Why can I buy a portable DVD player in Canadian Tire for $50, but to get one installed from Honda costs $2500?
> 
> Or a TomTom costs $100 in a store. But built-in from the car maker? $3000.


Can we add cars themselves!

Why does a Geo/Chevy Prizm cost more to buy, insure, and service than a Toyota corolla when they are the same car. Same deal with the Pontiac Vibe.


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## Puccasaurus (Dec 28, 2003)

Caller ID. I've been looking for a decent phone plan and these companies will gladly offer you a gig of data before they cough up free Caller ID. At least the representatives have the decency to look ashamed when I ask how much per month for Caller ID. They all seem to want $8/month for this one feature!


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## krs (Mar 18, 2005)

Primus is one company that includes caller ID as part of the package with no aditional fee;
Primus Home Phone starting at $32.95/mo.


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