What may seem like an overpriced scam to many may seem like a fantastic deal to others. Companies have been adding the word “luxury” to everything and paying celebrities to represent these overpriced things in the hopes that consumers will open their wallets for them. I think we may all be able to agree these 12 things are wildly overpriced, and we should not be buying them anymore.
1. Fishing Lures
Don’t get me wrong, fishing lures are one of the best things to use to catch big fish. While lures do work, some have unbelievably high price tags on them. These companies try to advertise that you will catch the biggest fish in the lake, pond, or ocean by putting fake pictures of fish on it to give the illusion that the lure does catch giant fish wherever you may be when often it’s down to the skill and luck of the fisherman.
2. Jewelry on Phones
People travel all over the world to get their phones customized. The diamonds will often not even be real, but you will still get charged as if they were. A forum participant shares, “For some reason, people from China come to Hong Kong and buy bedazzled iPhones for a ridiculous amount. The stones are not guaranteed real gold or diamonds, yet they sell some for $1,200; people buy them simply because they have the money.”
3. Gold on Food
Everyone loves gold, but people have started to take it overboard by putting it on their meals. These foods may include ice cream, truffles, or even pizza, and can cost thousands of dollars! Not only do the restaurants sometimes lie about the authenticity or how much they put into the food, but impure gold is horrible for human digestion and can cause serious issues. While food-grade gold is inert and not harmful, you may want to avoid this to be safe.
4. Ice
Ice is so simple; it’s just frozen water. Yet, some people catch themselves either paying for expensive ice or buying an ice machine that is out of their budget. With plenty of variety within stores, there are hundreds of costly options to make ice when you can use your freezer and purchase a silicon mold for $15 on Amazon.
5. Five Star Hotels
While these rooms may be outstanding, many things come with the hotel you may not know about. Many of these places come with fees such as parking, overpriced food, and paying for internet access. These things should come with your booking. Aside from that, most hotels have free breakfast, while in many fancier lodgings, you have to pay for it separately.
6. Bowling Lane Inside Your House
Avid bowlers may find this purchase necessary, but this is not for the rest of us. A very pricey addition to your home, a single bowling lane could cost up to fifty thousand dollars. So, unless you are a pro bowler, this purchase probably is not for you.
7. First-Class Flight
Many people claim that first class is worth it regardless of the flight’s length. There is a general rule of thumb you should follow when traveling, as explained by a forum participant: “As a general rule, the advantages of flying business/first class are only good for medium/long haul flights. Anything under three hours is not worth it, regarding what you pay for and receive. The only proper advantages of flying short-haul first class are an extra bag checked for free, speedy boarding/security, and more leg room.” So unless first class comes with even more benefits than usual, it will not be worth it.
8. Gourmet Coffee
The whole world loves this fantastic bean, yet some places charge through the roof for a good coffee. With plenty of places around, like Dunkin, Starbucks, or even a gas station, you can get a variety of great coffee at a cheap price. Many stores around have been charging hundreds of dollars for organic coffee from a particular country or with a standout design on the bag. The coffee will be much the same wherever you go, so there is no need to spend that much money on something that will be gone in minutes.
9. The Newest Phone
Phone prices today are just crazy, reaching up to thousands of dollars. At the same time, Apple may release a new iPhone every few years, but not much changes between the different models year by year. These companies can trick you by changing one minor feature and saying they upgraded the software inside so it sounds fancy and you purchase it. Some phones may be worth the hefty price tag, but most are not.
10. Watches
Some designer watch prices can add up to the price of a substantial home. Most people carry phones to tell the time, and having another accessory on may be annoying and hurt your pocket. While many of these watches may cost a large fortune, some come at a very affordable price and do the same thing as the luxury ones — show you the time.
11. High-End Gym Membership
Some gym memberships worldwide have started to incorporate more into their gym than just lifting weights. Gyms now have the highest grade of technology in weights, cardio equipment, pools, saunas, chiropractors, and the list goes on. While it may be convenient to have these things all in one area, it may be a lot cheaper to pick and choose what you want and get a lower cost for it as well.
12. Food Delivery
While your local pizza shop may have a meager delivery price, a lot of corporate companies have started to charge an extraordinary amount of money to have your food delivered to you. Think DoorDash. These companies have begun to put unneeded fees onto orders and wait until checkout to tell you, so there is a smaller chance that you will back out and not get the food. Not only do they add unnecessary fees, but the food prices on some of their menus are higher than they would be at the store.
Source: Reddit.
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This article was initially published and syndicated by The Cents of Money.Â
