BEWARE: Stores are doing this to get your money

Yesterday, my wife and I visited a local science museum that is featuring an exhibit on the brain that I very much wanted to check out.

While the exhibit was phenomenal, I came away with a bitter taste in my mouth after visiting the museum's gift shop.

When we finally made it to the front of the line to pay for our items, the cashier informed us that they'd run out of plastic bags, but that we had the option to purchase one of their tote bags for $3.

Interestingly enough, this happened to be the third time in as many months where a merchant I'm buying from has tried to coax me into purchasing one of their tote bags.

As someone who earned degrees in psychology and marketing, I can tell you that this is likely a clever sales ploy retailers are trying to pull just to earn more money.

Think about it: If on a given day, say, 300 people opt to buy a $3 bag, that's $900 bucks the store would not have if they used regular plastic bags!

And most people -- especially those who are purchasing a bundle of items -- will probably buy the bag just so that they don't have to carry everything in their hands and under their arms.

While paying even $5 for a bag may not seem like a big deal for many people, it's not really about the price tag. It's about the sneaky tactics retailers are employing to get you to part with your hard-earned cash.

It's important to be mindful of these schemes when you're out shopping. The more informed you are as a consumer, the less likely you are to take the bait.

In the end, companies aren't looking out for you; their goal is for you to shell out as much money as possible. That's why you have to look out for yourself so that you don't get duped.

So the next time you're at a store and the cashier prods you into buying a tote bag because they've exhausted their supply of plastic bags, don't be so quick to buy into it (pun intended).

It makes you wonder what will come next: paying for napkins or ketchup at restaurants?

Comments

This will spell the end of your relationship

When asked to think about the most common culprits for a relationship's going south, most people will point to cheating, complacency, and taking one's partner for granted. While these are all valid -- and documented in various posts on this blog -- there are certain habits on the part of partners that may not kill the relationship right away, but cause it to erode more gradually. Among the most egregious of these is expecting your significant other to be perfect. They pick at your follies any chance they get. Nothing you do is ever good enough. In fact, you will never measure up to an ex, neighbor, or accomplished co-worker. Perhaps this all sounds a bit familiar. When you feel as though you're constantly being put under the microscope, it can inflict lasting damage on the relationship and your self-esteem. You're walking on eggshells all the time, praying you don't say or do something that's going to trigger your partner. This is no way to live, let alone ca

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n

Misconceptions about quiet people

Earlier today, I came across a Facebook page that features motivational quotes intended to improve people's moods and enhance their overall self-esteem. Interestingly, I noticed two quotes that focus specifically on quiet people: "Be afraid of quiet people; they're the ones who actually think." "The quietest people have the loudest minds." I've observed that most people's views of quiet individuals can fall under one of two categories: 1. The ones who say quiet people are antisocial, suspicious, snobbish, and/or full of themselves. 2. The people who say their introspective nature and propensity to be deep in thought makes them smarter than their more garrulous peers. The quotes above speak to this mindset. As an introvert known to be quiet at work and at social functions where I might not know anyone, I feel I'm well positioned to dispel any inaccuracies surrounding quiet folks. First of all, the above statements misguidedly put

Understand People

Search This Blog