Life is full of little inconveniences. For the most part, it is just understood that there are going to be things we have to deal with since we are part of a larger system with rules and social norms. We have to pay rent or pay our mortgage, even though we’d rather spend that money elsewhere. We need to grocery shop once a week, even though the cost of food keeps going up. It may all feel like a bunch of little scams at first, but you know, these are just basic lessons you learn when you move out of your parents’ house!
Then there are those tasks, those little inconveniences that seem beyond unnecessary. In some cases, we’re asked to do things that seem so pointless it is easier to wonder if this is just one big joke. Are we being scammed to pay fees that are just getting someone else rich? Are we jumping through hoops that are there for no particular reason or that serve no purpose?
It’s a part of life, it isn’t always fun, but it is totally necessary. So we suck it up and do what is expected of us.
It’s totally possible. In this Reddit thread, users from all over the world chime in on the biggest scams we deal with every day. The worst part about these scams? We have no choice but to put up with them in order to live our lives.
1. Dearly Beloved
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byu/xxx420yoloswag from discussion
inAskReddit
Getting married is great, but the process of throwing and attending a wedding is a total scam.
Reddit users are only saying what we’re all already thinking, right? As twir1s points out, sending an invitation requires paying for the envelope you mail it in along with the inside envelope and in some cases, there is a third envelope for returning an RSVP. In case you’ve forgotten, jinglejangz is quick to point out that this only after spending a few hundred on save the dates.
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Are mark-ups on wedding services justified?
The idea that the high cost of wedding services is a scam was a controversial one on Reddit, with users stepping in to defend the practice. One user, BonzBonzOnlyBonz, says the expense makes sense because weddings (and their brides and grooms) are a lot of work, pricing indicates quality, and weddings often require more time or work than you’d think.
2. Booking Fees
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Want to go see a concert or even just pay your rent? Be ready to pay a little extra.
The booking fees associated with buying show tickets or paying bills online can be pretty outrageous. Reddit user Astyyria says they have to pay an extra $40 anytime they want to use a card to pay their rent online. Count2Zero also points out that even printing a PDF ticket from a ticketing service comes with some kind of extra charge.
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Businesses need to make money, but how much is too much?
This “scam” wasn’t free from push back, either. Some Reddit users pointed out that these convenience fees are the only way online services can make money. User lithium900mg suggested that the up-charge is related to artists undercharging to keep the approval of their fans, requiring the ticketing service to charge more to make sure the venue makes enough money.
3. Luck of the Draw
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byu/xxx420yoloswag from discussion
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Moving to a new part of the city might mean you only have one choice when it comes to selecting a cable or internet provider.
And when there is only one option for any service, the providers seem to think they can just get away with highway robbery. As Sirpattycakes points out, without competition, they can raise their prices and add extra fees without any real consequences. But prices aren’t the only problem. Lukewarmmizer deals with this very situation and says their internet goes out several times a day and that it can take weeks to get an answer on a service call.
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But this “scam” might not be as bad as Reddit users think.
Interestingly enough, cable rates are actually regulated by the government. So, even though it may be true that companies are increasing their rates as high as they can because they don’t have competition, there is still a limit to what they can charge. If you think your cable provider is getting away with something illegal, you can report it to the FCC.
4. Printer Problems
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When it comes to necessary scams, printers just might be at the top of the list.
If you’ve ever owned a printer, you know they’re a non-stop source of frustration. They’re constantly breaking, getting paper jams, or mysteriously losing connection with your computer. And then, as LunoTattoo points out, there is also the super high cost of replacing ink cartridges each time they run out, or you know just dry up because you’ve been too frustrated to use it in months.
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To avoid getting overcharged for ink, follow these suggestions from Reddit users who’ve encountered the same struggles.
Reddit user Mortimer452 believes the key is spending more initially. Investing in a laser jet printer could decrease what is spent on ink in the long term, but these printers come with a higher price tag up front. According to Consumer Reports, one of the most affordable options is to purchase a reservoir printer, with ink that is supposed to last two years and only costs $20 to refill.
5. A Straight-A Annoyance
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byu/xxx420yoloswag from discussion
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The cost of buying college textbooks adds up fast and can put a student back hundreds of dollars.
Even this college professor, MelyssaRave, agrees that having to buy new textbooks for each class is a total scam. This Reddit user also points out that the authors of the textbooks aren’t even making a lot of money, it’s publishing houses that make the most off charging students so much for their class texts.
6. Tuition Debt
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College is essential for many career paths, but the costs associated with higher education just keep going up.
Reddit user VivaEva thinks that college and the excessive debt students end up with is a complete scam, and many people tend to agree. It’s not that college isn’t important. The problem is that tuition is going up too fast, faster than incomes are increasing, making it impossible to stay out of debt.
Adding to the issue is the commitment to the belief that financial or career success is only possible if you have a degree.
As unheardof77 so accurately points out, maybe the biggest part of the scam is the issue that so many people still believe that a college degree is the only way to have a successful career. This simply isn’t true! Many profitable trades require nothing more than on-the-job training or short occupational programs to get started.
7. Oils, Wraps, Supplements, Oh-My!
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byu/xxx420yoloswag from discussion
inAskReddit
Multi-level marketing companies are thriving thanks to social media, but is anyone really getting rich?
I’m honestly not sure who has it worse when it comes to multi-level marketing scams. The people who really need to make a little extra money and believe that buying into an expensive pyramid program is the answer, or all the people who happen to find themselves on the receiving end of non-stop solicitation from people they haven’t talked to since high school?
8. The Doctor Will See You
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No matter how you feel about the healthcare debate, I think we all can agree that paying for insurance can feel like a major (and expensive) scam.
As Reddit user CheckFlop so accurately points out, you pay a lot each month in the hopes that it will make a difference in what you spend at the doctor, especially in the event of an emergency. And sometimes, it does! But a lot of the time you still end up footing the bill. If you have kids or chronic health issues, you know how quickly those bills add up, too!
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When insurance providers deny coverage, it leaves patients in a difficult situation.
Reddit user accountability_bot shares a story that far too many Americans are familiar with. Two of their family members requested necessary medical care only to have their insurance deny coverage. In one instance, it was an emergency c-section performed by an out-of-network provider, and the other was a case of a pediatrician declaring the treatment unnecessary. How terrible!
9. Movie Madness
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byu/xxx420yoloswag from discussion
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Ever snuck snacks into the theater? You’re definitely not alone.
If you’re running a movie theater, prohibiting outside food and drink is a great way to make a little extra money. Unfortunately for movie-goers, most theaters are seriously greedy and charge way too much. Reddit user JarJarJacobs points out that $20 of movie theater snacks can usually be bought for a few dollars somewhere else.
10. Funerals
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Everyone dies, so shouldn’t end of life expenses be a little less…expensive?
The average funeral will set family members back between $7,000 and $9,000 and some cost way more than that. As Threspian points out, the whole industry is way overpriced. They also make a great point about how much unnecessary waste is created by the funeral industry and suggests that families look into green funerals, which can cost far less and are environmentally friendlier!
11. Death and Taxes
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byu/xxx420yoloswag from discussion
inAskReddit
We covered death, so this seems like the next logical complaint.
No one is trying to say that we shouldn’t be paying taxes. Instead, Reddit users just want to know that their taxes are being spent responsibly and with their best interest’s in mind, but most suspect that isn’t the case. Eliju says he’s heard second-hand stories of excessive spending in the Department of Defense, and it isn’t at all difficult to believe those stories are true.
Taxes don’t feel like a scam for everyone, as some Reddit users are quick to point out.
In some countries, the usefulness of taxes is very obvious to citizens. Potatoslasher has no problem bragging a little that paying taxes gets them free healthcare and free college education. For those of use paying off medical bills or still facing student loans each day, this sounds like a dream come true!
