Why do I have a problem buying things?

It's a good question. I shouldn't have a problem buying things that I need but it drives me nuts that things that cost next to nothing to make end up costing you an arm and a leg. Anyone with just a small understanding of math can see that you are being skrewed. And further more, although I know it's a some what twisted point to make,(But I'm still gonna make it) for all those companies that use slave labour or child labour or any kind of labour where they pay only pennies a day to their workers, why do they not cost less then? If it costs you next to nothing to make it I want it for next to nothing. (See twisted point)

If it costs them 10 cents to pay their worker, 2 bucks for some fabric and only a few dollars more to buy the stuff to put together then it shouldn't cost $80 by the time you buy it. I think that would be a great way of ending child labour. Forcing companies to price reasonably would put an end to it because then they wouldn't be making a $40 profit by the time you buy it.

But what really gets my goat is that you buy the crap that you know shouldn't cost more then five bucks, and that was probably made by poor Jenny from some third world country who will never see any of the profits and it breaks or falls apart in a year. Nothing is ever made to last because it's bad marketing skills to make things that will last because then people don't have to go out and buy the new and improved version of the useless crap that you bought last year.

I have two examples here that prove my point.

Example One! This weird thing with purses right now. Everyone is buying and collecting fucking 50 dollar purses. Why? Because some person who never did anything important is doing it and is charging outrages prices for nothing. What is a purse? It is a bag made of cloth with a handle. I made my own purse it cost me 2.50 and took me less than one hour to make. This purse, amazingly, works exactly the same as the $50 purse except it cost $47.50 less.

Example Two! Hemp Necklaces. I saw hempnecklaces for $15 each. They had about six beads on them all together. I've seen those exact beads for sale in bulk for 1.75. I know this because I bought them. This sent me into an entire rant at the mall which I am sure embarrassed my friends. My point was, I bought a ball of hemp for 4.97. I bought those beads for 1.75. I have made 27 necklaces out of this ball so far and still have more then half of it to go. I used those beads too. I have barely made a dent in the amount of them and probably wont have to buy beads for a good long while. If I sold these necklaces at those prices I would make $398.28 with the first 27 necklaces this is the profit of course I've already subtracted the $6.72 that it cost. After that any and all necklaces I sell would be pure profit. My point was if it costs $6.72 to make these necklaces then why should they have to cost you $15? You should also consider that they don't need to buy beads every time they buy more hemp.

Overall it just drives me nuts that things are priced the way they are considering the methods used to make the bloody things in the first place and it's not like they're paying the people who sell them here much either most just make minimum wage. I know it's a twisted point to make about the child labour thing but it does make you think about just how much money companies are basically stealing from the consumers and the labourers.

I wouldn't mind buying these crazily priced things if the kids who were being paid next to nothing saw more of it instead of the company.

And that is why I have a problem buying things.

 

I feel ya. And maybe if they were forced to price reasonably they WOULD stop *outsourcing* to *sweatshops*.

 

You're pretty fucking wrong about that - if the government institued a price-ceiling on a product, supply will automatically decrease (and locally made products will be the first to go)

 

well, if its something that enrages you...just keep doing what your doing. its the exact same thing i do. "o look, a fish net shirt for 50 dollars, boy that looks cool." well the next thing i do is go out, but a pair of fishnet stockings...and cut somethings and take some pins and sew..and i get the 50 dollar effect i wanted...for..2 dollars. well of course i bought the stockings when they were on sale. i also make all my bags as well..i don't even own a backpack for school....i have an old iron maiden t-shirt *which i screenprinted myself* and sewed up with a strap...that ive been using for a bag for months, and fits all my things...how much did it cost me? probably a total of 15 dollars..but hey, im being twice as original as those who buy their clothes.

 

"You're pretty fucking wrong about that - if the government institued a price-ceiling on a product, supply will automatically decrease (and locally made products will be the first to go)"

Oh don't worry, I'm quite aware that anything that would help the little man *at all* would be impossible. Actually after I wrote that I realized that they would outsource more to keep their profits up. I just have nothing but contempt for those people. I really can't stand anyone who thinks money is the most important thing....and obviously these corporations think money is way more important than people...I mean why else would supply automatically decrease? Demand wouldn't! I make whatever I can too, like the first poster, unfortunately I suck at sewing so it doesn't alway s work lol

Maybe we should help each other out LOL...I'm good at woodwork and jewelry and clay type stuff...heck maybe we should start a website store and charge reasonable prices!

 

widget material cost: $5
widget assembly cost: $2
widget packaging cost: $2
widget transportation cost: $1
widget advertising cost: $2
widget sales cost: $1
widget profit margin: $1

Total expense of widget: $14

Cost of insurance against idiot who buys widget, shoves it up their ass, claims the package didn't say not to do it, and sues the widget maker.

PRICELESS!

Insurance! It's what governs the price on everything. Protection from the idiots and morons in this world who have no idea how to use products properly has ruined the entire industrial world.

 

Ooo! Insurance bugs me too! You can't fucking win with insurance. If some idoit smahes into your car you even if your in your own god damned drive you still have to pay your insurance company even though you didn't do it in the first place. You end up paying more because the other guy was a fucking idoit. Insurance is a big fucking scam for the most part.

 

Agreed with the above poster. Forced by the law to gamble against yourself...thats real nice. My friend's van got smashed not too long ago and it took forever to get the insurance check and we live in a tiny town, and also it wasnt that big because his vans "blue book value" is low becuase its not brand fucking new, but if you want to insure an older vehicle, you sure as hell dont get a discount for it being old, but they do when you get smashed! Sickening

 

"Ooo! Insurance bugs me too! You can't fucking win with insurance. If some idoit smahes into your car you even if your in your own god damned drive you still have to pay your insurance company even though you didn't do it in the first place. You end up paying more because the other guy was a fucking idoit. Insurance is a big fucking scam for the most part"

Preach on sister! I worked in insurance at an agency for 3 years...it IS a scam for the most part. Plus, both times someone ran into me their insurance gave me hell just for trying to get the medical bills paid and the car fixed...I thought thats what insurance was for...but not really I guess....hell when I ran into someone else I had to yell at my insurance company cause they weren't going to give her a rental car while her car was being fixed! Just to try and see if they could get away with it.