One Man's Cheap is Another's Frugal

[Major Tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daylatedollarshort I've noticed that many of the items at the 99 Cents Only store or Grocery Outlet are always priced the same or less than the sale prices at Safeway for the same brand, same size items.

Shopping at the major chain markets such as Safeway drives me potty. I appreciate that they are simply responding to the various incentives the different distributors and manufacturers offer them, but I hate that I never know how much anything will cost, as it depends heavily on what is on sale every single time I walk in the door. As a result, I do the majority of my shopping at Trader Joe's with the occasional visit to Grocery Outlet. Besides, both of those places are more fun to shop at than the main chains.

I used to do nearly all my grocery shopping at Safeway, until I discovered Trader Joe's and suddenly, shopping for groceries stopped being dull as dishwater.

[ExFlyBoy5]

My complaint is when a service is included 'free'...such as 'free' breakfast for hotel guests. No...the price is included in the purchase price!

Sent via mobile device. Please excuse any grammatical errors.

[Sunset]

Kids eat free.

Yep, restaurants have zero cost for making and serving kids food. They don't increase their other adult menu prices a little to make up for it.

I refuse to eat at restaurant on kids eat free days as it's bad enough knowing my meal is partially paying for somebody's child, but I also don't need the extra noise on those days.

[Sojourner]

Paying for parking at places like doctor's offices, hospitals, or really, almost anywhere is a huge pet peeve of mine. Having to put my credit card into that little machine at the gate so I can get out of the parking deck just makes my blood boil, even if it's only $5.

ATM fees, too, but I'll go way out of my way to avoid them, so I almost never pay them.

Another one I can think of that may not be too common is the flat fee I'm charged every month by my city for trash pickup. I live alone and there are some weeks where I don't even have enough trash to take down to the curb, so my usage of the trash pickup services is quite minimal. Yet I have to pay the same $22/month that a family of 5 down the street pays to pick up their mountains of trash (two big overstuffed and overflowing bins) every single week. Galling.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound How long have they been 99c stores? Since 10 or 15 years ago? Them poor stores got eaten alive by inflation.

Actually, what's gone on is that the 99 cent stores have learned the technique of "downsizing" packages, buying knock off goods, selling lots of Chinese imitations, etc.

What happened in our community is the growth and success of the general area has community leaders increasing taxes and commercial property rents and leases are going sky high. We had a McDonald's close up permanently that is located directly in front of the brand new $500 million dollar high school. Go figure that one out!

[AllDone]

I won't pay for food on an airplane. I'd rather starve.

I've never replaced a car that was less than ten years old, nor has my spouse. On our first date, I told him his Festiva was a deathtrap. On our second date, he arrived in a brand new car for which he had paid cash (that along with consistent handwashing after using the bathroom strongly suggested a keeper) and then I felt obligated to say "yes" when he wanted to get married. He now claims that he had been waiting for a bonus to buy the new car, but I prefer my hypothesis.

[easysurfer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sojourner Paying for parking at places like doctor's offices, hospitals, or really, almost anywhere is a huge pet peeve of mine. Having to put my credit card into that little machine at the gate so I can get out of the parking deck just makes my blood boil, even if it's only $5. ...

Used to really bug me paying a valet to park my car especially where some cities pretty much don't have streets for regular parking.

But the older I get, the more I don't mind valet parking (and cranking up the A/C in my car, even on a not hot day).

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sojourner Paying for parking at places like doctor's offices, hospitals, or really, almost anywhere is a huge pet peeve of mine. Having to put my credit card into that little machine at the gate so I can get out of the parking deck just makes my blood boil, even if it's only $5. ATM fees, too, but I'll go way out of my way to avoid them, so I almost never pay them. Another one I can think of that may not be too common is the flat fee I'm charged every month by my city for trash pickup. I live alone and there are some weeks where I don't even have enough trash to take down to the curb, so my usage of the trash pickup services is quite minimal. Yet I have to pay the same $22/month that a family of 5 down the street pays to pick up their mountains of trash (two big overstuffed and overflowing bins) every single week. Galling.

Paying for parking at hospitals and doctor offices never has gotten my blood to boil because I have never heard of such a thing until you posted this. But, I promise you this if that "trend" ever happens in this neck of the woods, yes it would me too!


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[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mulligan Paying for parking at hospitals and doctor offices never has gotten my blood to boil because I have never heard of such a thing until you posted this.

That doesn't happen here, I guess land is still cheap enough. But where we used to live near Washington, D.C. it was pretty much standard. The problem is that the doctors don't own the building, they rent space in it so the decision is not up to the doctors. Apparently the building owners felt they weren't making enough money off the doctors so they started charging the patients for parking.

So it's just one more hand in your wallet if you get sick or injured.

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 That doesn't happen here, I guess land is still cheap enough. But where we used to live near Washington, D.C. it was pretty much standard. The problem is that the doctors don't own the building, they rent space in it so the decision is not up to the doctors. Apparently the building owners felt they weren't making enough money off the doctors so they started charging the patients for parking. So it's just one more hand in your wallet if you get sick or injured.

Its nice to know "The Suites" have enough time to create additional ways to reach into our pockets. The one last free thing on Vegas strip is going away too, as they now are charging for parking there at some of the casinos.


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[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sojourner Paying for parking at places like doctor's offices, hospitals,

I'll see your doctor's office and raise you a county courthouse. Jurors have nowhere to park except in a lot or a garage where the daily fee is far higher than the tiny stipend they give you for jury duty.

[NW-Bound]

No, never have to pay for parking at doctor offices or hospitals here.

And the courthouse downtown has a high-rise parking garage. It costs money, but jurors have a voucher for free parking. Additionally, there's a bus to drive them the 1/4 mile between the garage and the court.

[mpeirce]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mulligan Paying for parking at hospitals and doctor offices never has gotten my blood to boil because I have never heard of such a thing until you posted this.

I've only seen this in fairly urban settings. Kind of a "city tax".

My doctor has free parking, but I've taken my DS to an ophthalmologist downtown and you have to pay for parking. They do validate, but it doesn't cover the entire parking fee.

[daylatedollarshort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major Tom I used to do nearly all my grocery shopping at Safeway, until I discovered Trader Joe's and suddenly, shopping for groceries stopped being dull as dishwater.

I like Trader Joe's, too. We have some staples we get there, like organic popcorn and DH likes Trader Jose's beer.

[NW-Bound]

Buying food at a nice store with a good variety of food items with some exotics is an outing.

Buying food at a large chain store with aisles and aisles of bland and homogenous food is a boring errand.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister I'll see your doctor's office and raise you a county courthouse. Jurors have nowhere to park except in a lot or a garage where the daily fee is far higher than the tiny stipend they give you for jury duty.

That was my case when I did jury duty so I took the train. The only time I ever really commuted. I think many people here live in suburbs or smaller cities or towns. When you live in a medium size or large city parking is always an expensive additional cost.

[NW-Bound]

My "town" is a metropolitan area with 4.6 million people.

Thanks goodness we still have more land than people, giving it a density of 308/sq.mi. over all. Counting only the urban area, the density rises to 3,165/sq.mi.

Parking space galore!

I never took public transportation, not even once in my 40+ years here. It would take forever to go anywhere because of the sprawl. Everybody drives, and that's the main drawback. Still no problems with parking.

[lemming]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 That doesn't happen here, I guess land is still cheap enough. But where we used to live near Washington, D.C. it was pretty much standard. The problem is that the doctors don't own the building, they rent space in it so the decision is not up to the doctors. Apparently the building owners felt they weren't making enough money off the doctors so they started charging the patients for parking. So it's just one more hand in your wallet if you get sick or injured.

Hate to defend the practice but it keeps out the people who are not using the building but are just looking for a place to park.

[GravitySucks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big_Hitter paying for wireless in a hotel? seriously what a joke - every time I stay in one of those I chew out the front desk

Really. WTH, a $45.00 room at Red Roof gets great wifi for free, but you want to ding me $10 for wifi at a $300 business class hotel?

Don't take it out on the front desk though, they don't set policy, but they can override most anything.

[Totoro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemming Hate to defend the practice but it keeps out the people who are not using the building but are just looking for a place to park.

Have vouchers for free parking at the doctors place.

It's what supermarkets and hotels do too to keep unwanted visitors out (including nighttime illicit activities). Free exit vouchers available when you shop/stay.