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.
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)?
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.
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.)
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.
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.
>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.
