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It's still absurd to me that we make the false differentiation between taxes and insurance premiums. If you've got a family, neither is negotiable. If you hav

It's still absurd to me that we make the false differentiation between taxes and insurance premiums. If you've got a family, neither is negotiable. If you have a job that pays, I promise you it affects your check in nearly identically the same way as payroll taxes do. There's a tradition in America where the price isn't actually the real price, we artificially advertise fake prices to get you in the door and stuff a bunch of surcharges on the back end. I wish we'd cut it out-- our taxes aren't crazy, but the way they're presented make people flip their shit.

Joeri 9y ago
Whenever I've visited the U.S. this drives me crazy. I always wonder how people shop for anything, given that the only time you find out the actual price of things is when you're about to pay for them. Do you just in your head have to tack on 10 to 20 percent (depending on the context)?
- warcher 9y ago
  Basically yeah. I bought a car last month and I paid an extra... twenty percent before I walked out the door. Drives me nuts. That and fucking tipping, man. Enough already. Just put the price on the menu- I'm good for it, I swear.
  - pas 9y ago
    Tipping is. Meh. If you're broke, don't do it. It's not compulsory/mandated by law. (There are states where waiters don't get compensated, if patrons don't tip enough, but you're still broke, so don't feel too bad.)
    - warcher 9y ago
      The problem with tipping is that it's spreading, as wages aren't keeping up with cost of living, but employers won't hand out raises. Uber driver? Tip. Sandwich shop? Tip. Coffee shop? Tip. Pizza delivery? Delivery fee plus tip. Have I been in drive-throughs with a tip jar? You better believe I have. Enough already, guys.
      - pas 9y ago
        Drive-through with tip jar. Wow. Anyhow, I can't really condemn them for trying, and you can understand why management won't either. Yeah, it's just annoying, and it'll take a loooot of time to fix these small annoyances.
        warcher 9y ago
        It's never going away, I don't think. Workers love getting extra money, and most food industry operations are barely staying alive as it is. I'm annoyed enough to whine, but I still tip.
- Nadya 9y ago
  >Do you just in your head have to tack on 10 to 20 percent (depending on the context)? Yes - and I actually prefer shopping at places that don't use manipulative ($x.99) pricing or if they do, at least tax has already been included in the price (a local card shop does that). If something is $0.99 I should be able to buy it if I only have $1.00 with me, but after tax it comes out to $1.08. Infuriating. I just tack 10% onto everything mentally, actual rate is 8.25% but 10% is easier to do mentally.
- AndrewKemendo 9y ago
  Do you just in your head have to tack on 10 to 20 percent (depending on the context)? Most people do that. They just assume that it will be some multiplier above the advertised price.
JustSomeNobody 9y ago
Gasoline pricing is the only thing that comes to my mind that doesn't do this. $2.49 / Gallon already includes the tax[0]. [0] Everywhere I can remember purchasing gas, that is.

Joeri 9y ago

Whenever I've visited the U.S. this drives me crazy. I always wonder how people shop for anything, given that the only time you find out the actual price of things is when you're about to pay for them. Do you just in your head have to tack on 10 to 20 percent (depending on the context)?

warcher 9y ago
Basically yeah. I bought a car last month and I paid an extra... twenty percent before I walked out the door. Drives me nuts. That and fucking tipping, man. Enough already. Just put the price on the menu- I'm good for it, I swear.
- pas 9y ago
  Tipping is. Meh. If you're broke, don't do it. It's not compulsory/mandated by law. (There are states where waiters don't get compensated, if patrons don't tip enough, but you're still broke, so don't feel too bad.)
  - warcher 9y ago
    The problem with tipping is that it's spreading, as wages aren't keeping up with cost of living, but employers won't hand out raises. Uber driver? Tip. Sandwich shop? Tip. Coffee shop? Tip. Pizza delivery? Delivery fee plus tip. Have I been in drive-throughs with a tip jar? You better believe I have. Enough already, guys.
    - pas 9y ago
      Drive-through with tip jar. Wow. Anyhow, I can't really condemn them for trying, and you can understand why management won't either. Yeah, it's just annoying, and it'll take a loooot of time to fix these small annoyances.
      - warcher 9y ago
        It's never going away, I don't think. Workers love getting extra money, and most food industry operations are barely staying alive as it is. I'm annoyed enough to whine, but I still tip.
Nadya 9y ago
>Do you just in your head have to tack on 10 to 20 percent (depending on the context)? Yes - and I actually prefer shopping at places that don't use manipulative ($x.99) pricing or if they do, at least tax has already been included in the price (a local card shop does that). If something is $0.99 I should be able to buy it if I only have $1.00 with me, but after tax it comes out to $1.08. Infuriating. I just tack 10% onto everything mentally, actual rate is 8.25% but 10% is easier to do mentally.
AndrewKemendo 9y ago
Do you just in your head have to tack on 10 to 20 percent (depending on the context)? Most people do that. They just assume that it will be some multiplier above the advertised price.

JustSomeNobody 9y ago

Gasoline pricing is the only thing that comes to my mind that doesn't do this. $2.49 / Gallon already includes the tax[0]. [0] Everywhere I can remember purchasing gas, that is.