# Things that cost WAY more than they should **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 25, 2022, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196 "2022-09-25T11:24:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/61 "2022-09-27T15:01:52Z")
Not just greeting cards but also gift wrap, bows and other related stuff is crazy expensive. A roll of perhaps ten feet of gift wrap costs three or four dollars, and a bow is a couple of bucks. I give gifts rarely enough that for the birthday of one friend’s child, I bought a toy and then spent upwards of ten bucks on a card, wrap and the other stuff. And then I had the rest of a roll of Thomas the Tank Engine wrap sitting in my closet for years after. I started to seek out smaller independent toy stores that offered gift wrap service. (Even if they charged a couple of bucks for the service, I’m still coming out ahead.) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/62 "2022-09-27T15:08:20Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Not just greeting cards but also gift wrap, bows and other related stuff is crazy expensive. That’s all stuff that I’ll pretty much only buy at the dollar store. (Which, now, is the $1.25 store; but still…) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/63 "2022-09-27T15:08:28Z")
We wrap presents fairly often. I bought some large rolls of giftwrap from one of the companies that sell it to those independent toy stores. I have one suitable for baby showers and small children, a coupe suitable for Christmas and Chanukah, and a couple that are “neutral”. (one of the neutral ones has large frogs on it, and is fun and suitable for most “kid things”.) That was about 5 years ago, and I’m good for several more years. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/64 "2022-09-27T15:14:10Z")
> [@Ziberian](#): > > I haven’t bought any lately, but glasses used to be available online super cheap I’ve been buying from Zenni and they’re cheap enough to warrant buying multiple pairs on a whim for looks/moods/comfort versus buying one $500 pair and treasuring it. All you really need is a prescription and your pupilary distance which you can potentially get from your eye doctor while you’re there or else figure out on your own. I have a pretty regular prescription and an average-shaped/sized noggin though so YMMV. Glasses at the mall or eye doctor is a straight-up racket. Glasses at Costco can be okay though not as cheap as online. I find dollar store gift wrap to be very cheap compared to “name” brands: rips easily and is practically see through. I tend to use dollar store gift bags for birthday gifts and stock up on Dec 26th wrapping paper at 80% off for next Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/65 "2022-09-27T15:18:38Z")
My family has mostly switched to using and reusing gift bags. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/66 "2022-09-27T15:44:26Z")
There’s an ice cream shop near us that makes some pretty killer product. They also get $16/quart for it, which seems pretty excessive for what is essentially cream and sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/67 "2022-09-27T15:54:30Z")
Headphones. It used to be you could buy a cheap pair for five dollars or less. A high end pair would be twenty or thirty dollars. Then Dr. Dre took a break from slapping women and started up a headphone company. And his headphones cost over a hundred dollars. There was no significant breakthrough in the technology. People were just paying a huge markup for the celebrity imprint. I figured it didn’t affect me. If suckers wanted to be conned, they could go ahead. I would just keep buying regular headphones. But other companies saw the outrageous price that people were willing to pay for headphones and everyone raised their prices. Now you have a hard time finding a pair of headphones under fifty dollars. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/68 "2022-09-27T15:59:45Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > My family has mostly switched to using and reusing gift bags That’s how we roll. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/69 "2022-09-27T17:35:46Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Now you have a hard time finding a pair of headphones under fifty dollars. I just now went on Amazon and searched for headphones. The first four products that came up (all with four-and-a-half star average customer ratings) were priced at $22.97, $13.99, $799.00, and $271.77. A little further down I see some Sonys (one of the supposed “Best Overall” picks) for $9.99. Headphone prices are all over the place, and many of them certainly cost way more than they should, but there are still cheap ones out there. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/70 "2022-09-27T22:44:08Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > My family has mostly switched to using and reusing gift bags. Yep, us too. I’m pretty sure my husband I have exchanged the same gift bags for Christmas and birthdays for about 10 years now. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2022, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/71 "2022-09-28T14:27:06Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > My family has mostly switched to using and reusing gift bags > > That’s how we roll. Us too. We’ve had some of the gift bags circulating for 10 years! And most of them were bought from the dollar store. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2022, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/72 "2022-09-28T14:34:56Z")
It’s the best thing; you can claim to be environmentally conscious while really being cheapskate. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/73 "2022-10-03T14:04:17Z")
Wall paint sold by the quart. I am painting my laundry room to match the also recently painted kitchen which is the adjoining room, and I’m not sure that I will have quite enough paint. If I buy 2 quarts it costs $2 more than buying a gallon. I can understand it being somewhat more expensive to buy by the quart, but more than twice as expensive? ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/74 "2022-10-03T16:31:00Z")
This is one that I hate and consequently I have a couple half full gallons when I really needed 1.5 qts. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/75 "2022-10-03T18:22:24Z")
I noticed this when I was a kid. At that time Testor’s model paint cost 25¢/quarter ounce. I did the math and was outraged that they were charging $128/gallon (at the time, enamel paint was maybe $10/gallon). ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/76 "2022-10-03T22:45:11Z")
Due to inflation, that same gallon of Testor’s paint now costs about $3000/gallon. But, that comes with 512 really cool little bottles! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/77 "2022-10-03T23:10:40Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > If I were to give it more thought, I’d do some shopping around at a non-urgent time so I would know where to get something at a more reasonable price, or maybe even stock up a little bit. Which is, of course, made more difficult by the printers’ refusal to give an accurate account of how much ink you have left. Install new cartridges, print off three pages, and it says “low ink” again. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/78 "2022-10-06T22:21:34Z")
Here’s a good one: > **[01-408594 Berkel Oiler Genuine OEM BER01-408594 | eBay](https://www.ebay.com/itm/154737039942)** > > 01-408594 Berkel Oiler Genuine OEM BER01-408594. It has a “buy it now” price of $558.95. Even if that was machined by hand using a foot-driven machine, that’s too much. I would expect to pay $25, and consider that a rip-off. ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/79 "2022-10-06T23:38:32Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > But other companies saw the outrageous price that people were willing to pay for headphones and everyone raised their prices. Now you have a hard time finding a pair of headphones under fifty dollars. These are what I buy. They’re so cheap that they’re essentially disposable. > **[onn. On-Ear Headphones, Black (New) - Walmart.com](https://www.walmart.com/ip/onn-On-Ear-Headphones-Black/950779601)** > > Tomorrow Buy onn. On-Ear Headphones, Black (New) at Walmart.com ---
**Author:** ![SlipperyPete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@SlipperyPete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlipperyPete)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2022, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-cost-way-more-than-they-should/972196/80 "2022-10-07T16:23:03Z")
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