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I TIP (which means To Insure Promptness) to sit down resturant food servers, delivery drivers or hotel service employees. I do not TIP fast food / coffee workers. Also, I only TIP on the food/drink cost, not the overall check amount that includes taxes. I do not pay any TIP the restaurant trys to tack on automatically. It is a gratuity based on the level of service I receive.
I am so tired of tech that I have started using cash. Holding money makes the experience more “real”. I know this sounds crazy but…I am taking time to use cash, read books and cook my own food. I feel like tech makes my life less solid. I make efforts to “feel solid”.
I love ysing cash My favorite thing is to give the cashiers exact change, it blows their minds. Once my spending allotment is done, so is my shopping for the month.
My local donut shop got one of those white Apple Pay registers. I’m the drive through they would pop it off it’s stand and hand it though the window and say it’s going to ask you a question (that starts at 20%). It’s a drive through! . 😒. Now if I’m getting donuts I always pay cash, the whole transaction feels different. I pay. They give me my change. I drive away. Just like the good old days.
TIPLFLATION: I remember ordering a sandwich at a Starbucks drive thru and when it was time to pay the girl was like, "Do you want to add a tip?" and I was like. "For what?!?!" I did not give a tip.
The concept of maximising shareholder payouts has destroyed the real economy, destroyed the quality of everything, and brought ruin to the finances of most people.
If you’re not a bartender/server/valet/or delivery person…...I no longer tip. I use to feel weird about it…. now I realized how much I’ve saved. Not everything requires a tip. Most things just need a ‘thank you’ and move on. Simple.
I'm one of the few who never owned a smart phone. I use a PC and flip phone. I have learned to get along fine without it. Use more cash to save money. I don't feel bad about not tipping a cashier and you shouldn't either. There are ways around all these money wasters if you search them out.
@@insertmyidentityhere Maybe so, but I retired early and well. A smart phone had nothing to do with it either. I just don't want to be in a culture with my nose stuck in a phone all day. I see too much of that these days. I guess it's my rebellious nature coming out. I see where they can be useful but the built-in obsolescence and expense of having one keeps me from owning one for as long as I can get away with it.
It's a shame the amount of money people will pay for cable and streaming services to watch other people live their lives instead of going out and living their own.
They do this with gas ⛽️ prices. Holidays and when travelers travel most. For example: The gas prices go down in the fall in preparation for winter ❄️, and rise in the spring 🌺.
The tipping thing makes me so angry sometimes. I even saw a product on Amazon just this past week where the seller asked for a tip. I am not kidding. They literally asked for a tip from me ON AMAZON as I was about to buy their product. They lost a sale.
Today my bank offer me credit card. I said "i dont need it 1. I have to pay interests 2. I dont need extra money/dont extra expanses (if i need, i can take regular loan, or use savings). 3. I need to pay extra every month. 4. It change consumer habbits". Bank women said "you dont understand, if i pay it full in 50 days, i I won't have to pay anything extra, and they can give me gift card for 200. And even i can collect some points!". They think people are like kids. They treat people like kids. Most of people dont have money. They have credits. And pay a lot of interests. Buying never been easier. But maybe it is time to break this wheel. Have money. Spend money only on things you really need. Not what media and banks want you to buy. Media are promoting being broke. It is good for economy. But not neccesary for you.
never was offered a gift card when churning ccs but just a credit spend 500 in first 3 months get $200 credit then never use it again that would be 40% off what you buy 😮
Credit cards are just a tool. You get a level of protection buying using a card that you don't get otherwise. Cash can be lost or stolen, and if someone cheats you, there's no information trail. If someone cheats you via debit card, the money is gone from your bank balance until it gets resolved. With a credit card, it's the bank putting up the money until resolution, and you're not on the hook for fraud that is not your fault. Some cards offer benefits like warranty extension (doubling the manufacturer's warranty up to one year) for things you buy using that card, and other stuff like that, and there is the 3%-ish cash back you can get. You get that even if you do not carry a balance! If you just pay for all your normal expenses with a card and pay it back at the end of the month, you get the 3% back, the bank gets no interest, and you get all the benefits for free. Having the ability to carry a balance doesn't mean you need to carry a balance. So for (1)... no, you don't; (2) It doesn't matter, that's not the point of using credit responsibly; (3) No, you don't; (4) Only if you choose to change your habits. The credit card is not inherently a bad deal. It just takes discipline to use it well. If you would say "no" to buying a given item you don't have the money for before you got the card, you can still say "no" after you get it. The trap lies in not thinking of what you spend as money out of your account. It is just the same as handing someone cash in terms of you no longer having that money. If you don't think you can handle credit, it is wise to refuse to get a credit card. But if you have the discipline to use it frugally, you can effectively give yourself a 3% discount on just about everything you buy, extend warranties on your purchased goods, and all kinds of other stuff, for free. You can also make a purchase on a card, then immediately do a balance transfer to another card that has a special deal on balance transfer, as many often do, and get zero interest for 18 months. You just pay a ~3% fee, which is equivalent to 2% APR when you spread it out over 18 months, and when you consider the rate of inflation under the big guy is well over 2%, you're effectively being paid the difference. If you pay interest lower than the rate of inflation, they're actually paying you for you borrowing their money. When inflation rates are high and interest rates are low, you want to be a borrower, not a lender (and savings accounts are you being a lender).
I remember once at walmart, the cashier got suuuuper pissed when I told her I didn't want the wal-mart credit. She exclaimed, 'It pisses me off so much when people don't want free money!'... I'm doing fine, thank you. I probably saved more this year than you earned. Have a nice day, cashier!
I had a 2004 Scion xa with over 250,000 miles almost had this car for 10 years. No computer I want another one. I hate these over priced computers on wheels ,people havebecome lazy and too trusting in their technology. Society od becoming dumb-downed and they have no clue.I am thank-ful that at 68 years old and was blessed to have a gery smart hands-on-mom who was an excellent teacher
They are programmed to push those charge cards, unfortunately ,I don't think most I f them understand I also do not like when the stores want to push their extended warantees
Definitely! I listened to this one podcast where a third party company was refilling printer ink for lower prices and the printer company decided to shut down any printer that used the ink without telling the owners!
Thank you for bringing all this ridiculousness to the forefront. Ugh 😑 Great content … you simplify and makes this real for everyone to understand because it so easy to be oblivious to these tactics. I hope more content creators take your lead and make some waves 🌊 .
We Are in Unchartered Financial Waters! every day we encounter challenges that have become the new standard. Although we previously perceived it as a crisis, we now acknowledge it as the new normal and must adapt accordingly. Given the current economic difficulties that the country is experiencing in 2024, how can we enhance our earnings during this period of adjustment? I cannot let my $680,000 savings vanish after putting in so much effort to accumulate them.
Keeping some gold is usually a wise decision. You would be better off keeping away from equities for a bit or, even better, seeking advice from an expert given the current market conditions and everything that is at risk with the current economy.
You have a very valid point, I started investing on my own and for a long time, the market was really ripping me off. I decided to hire a CFA, even though I was skeptical at first, and I beat the market by more than 9%. I thought it was a fluke until it happened two years in a row, and so I’ve been sticking to investing via an analyst
My CFA ’Melissa Terri Swayne’ , a renowned figure in her line of work. I recommend researching her credentials further. She has many years of experience and is a valuable resource for anyone looking to navigate the financial market.
Thank you for saving me hours of back and forth investigation into the markets. I simply copied and pasted her full name into my browser, and her website came up first in search results. She looks flawless.
I have always knew apple slow down their phone even before they were exposed publicly. I mean the phone was really quick and responsive but then turns slow and sluggish when it’s merely a 3 year old phone ??? That makes no sense
@@BrianK-zz4fk that would make sense to not update but some flipping apps need you to have the most up to date iOS then you’re forced to upgrade in order to use those apps…
I went to the car wash and I had to swipe my card then as I was washing the digital timer just keeps going until you realize it's been going a long time and then you realize that you have to stop it by pushing a button so now I had a unexpected high charge of about $10 bucks , thing is I'll never go back
My biggest issue at the moment is that you have to buy MS Office yearly...laptops don't even have floppy drives anymore and MS doesnt sell Office outright. My subscription lapsed a few.minths ago and i can't reinstate it because...i have no idea what my Google Password was, and when i had this problem a couple of years ago, i also had a BEST BUY Membership and the Geek Squad fixed it for me. Now i live in a place where there's no BEST BUY (they closed the Downtown store incant get to thr suburban store) and i havent needed the Laptop (I 7:04 use the phone for most things) so Laptop is sitting in my Desk...becoming more obsolete by the week. I hate the Tipping thing too.
One nice thing about the city I live in is the parking meters take cards AND cash. (I use my debit card, so I don't know if there is a service fee with cash but I'm hoping not.) I hate the expectation that I should tip for picking up my pizza from the pizza parlor. They always act disappointed. What are they disappointed about? They are not providing service by driving to my house for delivery or serving me at a sit-down table. I don't get their thinking. Sometimes I think we are just puppets in the capitalistic system.
I agree. I worked for Domino's Pizza before the whole tip begging exploded. A guy generously tried to tip me for giving him his pizza at the store and I turned him down, because I was only doing my job. The employees at your pizza parlor were probably disappointed because they don't give enough deliveries. Domino's (and I'm sure other pizza joints) constantly run "carry out specials'' which greatly reduced deliveries (and tips)... so I quit! From the customer's point of view, I understand no one wants to pay delivery fees plus a tip so they pick there pizzas up.
I think as time goes on, the newer generations won’t even know about using local storage and backups, or a time without everything being a subscription. I admit I pay for photo storage, but would younger generations even know how to copy photos to a local computer or storage when it’s pushed so hard to subscribe.
Another video filled with great info ! 😃 Off topic, but the cost of groceries is still outrageous. 🥺 Good thing we don’t go out to eat, that save a lot. A video about saving on food cost would be nice. Maybe not so exciting though. 😂
What I would like to see is a video instructing the consumer on how to combat the insidiousness of fleecing by Big Tech, Big Food and Big Pharma. We are not being protected the politicians, we are on our own. This world has gone mad; my heart hurts for the next generation. These large corporations practice nothing more than legalized extortion. I USE CASH whenever I can! That is one small way to combat greed.
I live in Thailand where we don’t tip. When I’m in the States now I don’t tip for any order I have to give standing up or from a car. I just pay cash. I pay $8 a month for my unlimited internet phone service and $20 for my broadband home internet and cable. I subscribe to no pay platforms. I watch free RUclips and that’s it other than local cable that’s part of our broadband package. I’m not an Amazon Prime member, do not use brand name phones and will buy used items like flat screens and computers. Never buy new. I also don’t own a car and just hire my own private driver who I pay per trip. No app involved. I never buy anything over the internet. I go to the store myself.I have no Facebook or instagram account and have no idea why I’d ever want one.
For a non-tech channel you have a great vision about cloud, enterprise was a first customer not even a consumer) They did it and already a lot of businesses suffering from high prices on "cloud" (basically chunk of server) to rent per hour.
I still have an iPhone 8 from 2018 lol. It’s on the way out because it keeps overheating but I will be looking for another older model because I’m not paying $800 plus for a damn phone
When you pay for something at cashier you pay the same regardless of paying with cash or credit card or even debit card, the surcharges have already been added. There may be exceptions. In this case I rather pay with a card and then pay card balance at the end of the month with no additional fees, it is just convenient.
When you pay for something at cashier you pay the same regardless of paying with cash or credit card or even debit card, the surcharges have already been added. There may be exceptions. In this case I rather pay with a card and then pay card balance at the end of the month with no additional fees, it is just convenient. I never ever use with Apple or whatever pay, either cash or credit card.
I have a question. The prices that seem to be steady at a restaurant or store don't always charge for using a credit card instead of using cash. So, when you pay cash, aren't you still paying those fees since they already added them to the price?
Yep. So ironically you’re losing out if you’re paying cash. The exception are small stores and restaurants-tell them you’re paying cash and they’ll sometimes give you a discount. Some states (not all) also now allow a business to advertise a surcharge for credit cards .
Ok, so what do we do about forced cloud storage and tipflation? We don't do credit cards. Apple isn't the only phone maker that hobbles their old devices. We use iMacs, iPads and iPhones because they work well, sync well, and don't require ten minutes of updates every time you turn them on to use them, but we buy used or refurbished and not the biggest, latest and greatest, etc., keep them until they die. We only have Netflix and Amazon prime, which we're not renewing in September. No cable and only basic internet, which we need for business. But tipping in this country is out of control. Even Starbucks and the local Chinese restaurant expect a decent tip despite high prices, so we have to avoid even those, now. We're semi-retired and finding that we're not just cutting back but cutting out even the small pleasures we used to enjoy and still have to fight to stay on top of things.
I totally agree about Apple. They charge more for inferior products. The iPhone for instance is full of limitations on what you can and cannot do with your own device. I use an android phone where I am free to install what I want, and free to transfer files to and from my computer, and free to do so much more.
I got a $20 check in the mail from that lawsuit. I soon moved away from apple because they literally rendered my iphone 6 useless, 18 monthes after buying it. I bought an 8 plus before I knew
Like when important things now start saying oh u have to go online to do this and this.We can't help u.Then I'm like oh ok then I guess I don't need it?!
I think they banned transaction fees on credit cards in the UK. I haven't seen one in ages and I buy everything on credit card no matter how big or small.
I agree with everything except now Samsung introduced their lower priced A55 model that comes with lots of latest higher end tech features for a retail price of $399 and Samsung stated they will software support this phone for at least the next 5 years. If this can be had for say $349 with discount, I think this is a very good deal. I for one need some tech features for both work, investment, and leisure. I cant use those super dirt cheap phones anymore. I am glad Samsung provides this model.
You skipped how you are forced to download apps to access a product unnecessarily. AXS tickets require an app to access tickets and parking. Now any fast food deal requires downloading the app.
They’ve offered Kindle Unlimited for a long time. Gives access to as many books as you want for a monthly fee. It’s optional… you’d have to read a lot of books and remember to use it every month.
Kindle unlimited. Never used it myself. Like you, I just buy the book, especially when on offer. However, with ebooks we never actually fully own it like a paper book.
Credit cards force businesses to set the same prices with cash so that customers opt to use the cards instead of paying cash. It's not the business owner's decision motivated by "maximizing profits" but it's a contractual obligation with VISA.
Several restaurants in my area offer 10-15% off if you pay in cash. I always pay in cash.😊 BF makes fun of me. The one time he needed cash (flat tire out in the country) I didn't have any on me. He doesn't make fun of me anymore. The repair guy carried him to an ATM.
Isn't dynamic pricing just a reflection of supply and demand? Maybe I'm mistaken and it's all greed but I could see where it might be helpful for a business to not run completely out of supply...
20% is reserved for peak excellence in service! Not the bare minimum! I stopped feeling bad about putting a fat 0 on those machines. And I would love for someone to 'call me out' or say something about it, lol.
I give a service to my client. I may get a Christmas bonus! Most service never took tips now everything gets a tips.crasy all the changes in the last 20 years. 😢
Apple computers are bad with this. Because you cant update an older model to the latest OS. Even though the computer has more than enough power to run it. Which is stupid. People back stab PC saying Apple is better quality. What good is the quality if you can't update to the latest OS and the current OS become unsupported
All of them do this. Apple at least provided updates for many years. Google is now doing updates longer. It was bad for Chromebooks but now they do updates longer on newer models. Now even Windows 11 requires up to date hardware and won’t allow install unless it has specific chips, TPM, etc.
When You are limited in Your wants and needs then its very hard to manupalate You, stop buying overpriced crap, phone plans, cannot have good deal say Godbey!
Hey Austin, really nice video ! I was wondering if I could help you with Best Quality Editing in your videos better than your Editor with good pricing and also make a highly engaging Thumbnail which will help your videos to reach to a wider audience ? Pls let me know what do you think ?
I've always hated the outdated phone scam. It's horrible what these people do. I think they've all read the 48 laws of power before we even did. The making us dependant, telling us to think differently with Apple whilst are money declines with the pressure to keep up and stay 'different and genius'. These people are criminals with fancy degrees and clothes. Nothing more...maybe less.
Subscription TV hack - if all you want to watch is one show, and you don't mind waiting a little bit, AND you have access to a local library; almost all TV series are still released on DVD. Both The Last of US and Stranger Things (examples in the video) are, and can be borrowed from your local library. Boom, you watch for free!
Did you just promote the subscription model with Aura? Rotate Netflix, Disney, Hule etc. Have one at a time and catch up. Some of these items can be avoided but not all of them. We're forced to participate to some extent in the planned obsolence. We can avoid the prime time charges on some things-maybe not on transportation to or from an airport. But there may be an alternative transportation company that can be used instead of one that charges more for prime time usage. There are places that fix smart phones and can replace the batteries. In Indiana iMechanic is a place that does it. There may be others that I'm not aware of. Look for a place like that near where you live to smartphones, etc. fixed.
@@blogdesign7126 while we may not be able to avoid some of it ( at least some of the planned obsolence with major appliances, etc. ) we can avoid part of it. We choose to avoid what you can. We don't have Netflix or any subscription similar to that. The people in my home believe there's more than enough free stuff for us to view. I won't participate in prime time food or soda pricing. As Austin said in a few earlier videos-have a full stomach and a beverage with you when you leave your home.
@@blogdesign7126 maybe. I won't argue about that but I'm not sure I agree. I look at as taking advantage of their customers and also as being pure greed. With the fast food prime time situation if I was hungry I'd stop at a place that wasn't doing the prime time pricing or a mini mart and and get a package of nuts or something like that. Also I would not do business with that company in the future and I would make sure my family and friends were aware of the prime time pricing.
One of the things I really enjoy about your videos is the focus on personal responsibility for creating a better life. This one was a miss for me. Still a big fan of your work.
Amazon :( I really have a problem. I conquered debt but Amazon devastates me. I can just spend hundreds like it's nothing. I think I must have spent 400 in the past couple days.
The washers they make today are designed to die. I'm looking at buying an old fashioned wringer and make my own washer. Go ahead. Make junk. I'll save thousands more. Motorola phones work just fine when they're a year old. That's when I buy them. It's a cash purchase. Amazon prime charges 1 fee for delivery, Kindle books, and movies. I pay because I want those movies and deliveries.
@@Scarface1337_Nothing is mandatory. Another option is to set up your own network attached storage at home. Setting up a NAS is a lot simpler than it use to be.
I don’t mean to disparage the people who buy you coffee but, to buy you coffee is the antithesis of frugality. It is worse than buying an item you may not need. At least a physical item can be re-sold. Good for you if you benefit but unfortunately the buyers haven’t understood your message.
Good video Austin. Yeah, big tech is good at finding more ways in taking our money and thus increasing their profits. I'm glad I'm invested in a lot of those companies you spoke about😁.
@@ElAgustin That's correct. I may own shares in these tech stocks, but I don't necessarily use them. It all depends. As an example, I own Apple and Netflix stock, but I use neither. I also own Amazon stock, and I constantly use them because it provides value to me. You have to take it case by case.
Big tech is doing evil things but people also don't think for themselves and just follow. Why should you get a new phone for over $1000 every two years? Despite all dirty tricks with planned obsolescence you can easily use a phone for well over 5-6 years and then change to a model that is not latest for a fraction of the price of latest model. So people still have choice they just don't use it because they don't think for themselves.
😡🤬Odio cuando tengo que renovar mi celular, perfectamente bueno , porque las compañías cambian todo y los precios entonces son más altos. Es como el hámster en la rueda.
Apple's tactics are shameful. I've had my Samsung Android phone for 5 years and it still works fine. I keep my laptops the same. They don't make you change phones every year. It's greedy and disingenuous. I wouldn't touch Apple with a bargepole.
Austin i agree with you on all counts and i live the way you do happily. Im divorced withoyt kids and that helps in minimalistic living . How would married men in todays time operate with this lifestyle and money mindset particularly if they have children???? Most are like that. Pl comment. Also , are you married and would you like to embrace marital life with tgis beautifully carved life you have???
You know what's funny, all these companies makes money off you but they form a big part of S&P500... if everyone thinks like Austin, these companies are not going to be profitable and share prices will go down. And that means your investments in index funds willl be down too (which is something that Austin recommends people to do in his previous videos). 😂 If you invest in index funds and expect it to go up, this is part of the game. If companies cannot milk more money out of you, how to justify their earnings, and how to justify their share price? 😂
I had to pay for iCloud otherwise my iPhone wouldn’t take more photos. Google wouldn’t let me receive emails on my gmail account until I got their subscription. So tired of all of ut
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Hi Austin, is this for USA only?
NO to tipflation. Period. I hate it. I used to be a generous tipper, tipflation has made me angry and cheap 😡
Me too!
Seems like the tipping culture is rife in the USA. I don’t see the point of it with the exception of restaurant or certain hotel workers.
Pay more in cash. Make the credit card companies mad, and you don’t use the machine that asks for a tip.
I TIP (which means To Insure Promptness) to sit down resturant food servers, delivery drivers or hotel service employees. I do not TIP fast food / coffee workers. Also, I only TIP on the food/drink cost, not the overall check amount that includes taxes. I do not pay any TIP the restaurant trys to tack on automatically. It is a gratuity based on the level of service I receive.
Zactly. I ain't tippin' you to make my coffee. That's called a job. You want tips? Go bust your butt waiting tables, like we used to.....lol
I am so tired of tech that I have started using cash. Holding money makes the experience more “real”. I know this sounds crazy but…I am taking time to use cash, read books and cook my own food. I feel like tech makes my life less solid. I make efforts to “feel solid”.
I love ysing cash
My favorite thing is to give the cashiers exact change, it blows their minds. Once my spending allotment is done, so is my shopping for the month.
I prefer older appliances, they were made better and built to last. I am 68 years old and my mom only had one of each appliance ,small and major.
wait till you get your hands on some gold or silver. trumps the fiat money altogether!!
My local donut shop got one of those white Apple Pay registers. I’m the drive through they would pop it off it’s stand and hand it though the window and say it’s going to ask you a question (that starts at 20%). It’s a drive through! . 😒. Now if I’m getting donuts I always pay cash, the whole transaction feels different. I pay. They give me my change. I drive away. Just like the good old days.
Isn't it annoying? Sometimes I am not even served yet and that register is in my face asking and/or demanding a tip.
TIPLFLATION: I remember ordering a sandwich at a Starbucks drive thru and when it was time to pay the girl was like, "Do you want to add a tip?" and I was like. "For what?!?!"
I did not give a tip.
The concept of maximising shareholder payouts has destroyed the real economy, destroyed the quality of everything, and brought ruin to the finances of most people.
PREACH!
If you’re not a bartender/server/valet/or delivery person…...I no longer tip. I use to feel weird about it…. now I realized how much I’ve saved. Not everything requires a tip. Most things just need a ‘thank you’ and move on. Simple.
That's totally sensible.
I'm one of the few who never owned a smart phone. I use a PC and flip phone. I have learned to get along fine without it. Use more cash to save money. I don't feel bad about not tipping a cashier and you shouldn't either. There are ways around all these money wasters if you search them out.
I am just like you, flip phone, no smart phone.
You would never be able to have a job that pays well & do this though.....just sayin'
@@insertmyidentityhere Maybe so, but I retired early and well. A smart phone had nothing to do with it either. I just don't want to be in a culture with my nose stuck in a phone all day. I see too much of that these days. I guess it's my rebellious nature coming out. I see where they can be useful but the built-in obsolescence and expense of having one keeps me from owning one for as long as I can get away with it.
It's a shame the amount of money people will pay for cable and streaming services to watch other people live their lives instead of going out and living their own.
@@insertmyidentityhere Not at all true!
Glad you read comments for ideas!
They do this with gas ⛽️ prices. Holidays and when travelers travel most. For example: The gas prices go down in the fall in preparation for winter ❄️, and rise in the spring 🌺.
they have a different blend for summer vs winter but demand is way higher in the summer as well so can be the reason for increased prices.
Sobering stuff, Well done, Austin!
The tipping thing makes me so angry sometimes. I even saw a product on Amazon just this past week where the seller asked for a tip. I am not kidding. They literally asked for a tip from me ON AMAZON as I was about to buy their product. They lost a sale.
I want to laugh at this but I can't because its getting to that point and it's depressing.
well researched and very informative as always. Thanks!
Today my bank offer me credit card. I said "i dont need it 1. I have to pay interests 2. I dont need extra money/dont extra expanses (if i need, i can take regular loan, or use savings). 3. I need to pay extra every month. 4. It change consumer habbits". Bank women said "you dont understand, if i pay it full in 50 days, i I won't have to pay anything extra, and they can give me gift card for 200. And even i can collect some points!". They think people are like kids. They treat people like kids. Most of people dont have money. They have credits. And pay a lot of interests. Buying never been easier. But maybe it is time to break this wheel. Have money. Spend money only on things you really need. Not what media and banks want you to buy. Media are promoting being broke. It is good for economy. But not neccesary for you.
never was offered a gift card when churning ccs but just a credit spend 500 in first 3 months get $200 credit then never use it again that would be 40% off what you buy 😮
Credit cards are just a tool. You get a level of protection buying using a card that you don't get otherwise. Cash can be lost or stolen, and if someone cheats you, there's no information trail. If someone cheats you via debit card, the money is gone from your bank balance until it gets resolved. With a credit card, it's the bank putting up the money until resolution, and you're not on the hook for fraud that is not your fault.
Some cards offer benefits like warranty extension (doubling the manufacturer's warranty up to one year) for things you buy using that card, and other stuff like that, and there is the 3%-ish cash back you can get. You get that even if you do not carry a balance! If you just pay for all your normal expenses with a card and pay it back at the end of the month, you get the 3% back, the bank gets no interest, and you get all the benefits for free.
Having the ability to carry a balance doesn't mean you need to carry a balance. So for (1)... no, you don't; (2) It doesn't matter, that's not the point of using credit responsibly; (3) No, you don't; (4) Only if you choose to change your habits.
The credit card is not inherently a bad deal. It just takes discipline to use it well. If you would say "no" to buying a given item you don't have the money for before you got the card, you can still say "no" after you get it. The trap lies in not thinking of what you spend as money out of your account. It is just the same as handing someone cash in terms of you no longer having that money.
If you don't think you can handle credit, it is wise to refuse to get a credit card. But if you have the discipline to use it frugally, you can effectively give yourself a 3% discount on just about everything you buy, extend warranties on your purchased goods, and all kinds of other stuff, for free.
You can also make a purchase on a card, then immediately do a balance transfer to another card that has a special deal on balance transfer, as many often do, and get zero interest for 18 months. You just pay a ~3% fee, which is equivalent to 2% APR when you spread it out over 18 months, and when you consider the rate of inflation under the big guy is well over 2%, you're effectively being paid the difference. If you pay interest lower than the rate of inflation, they're actually paying you for you borrowing their money. When inflation rates are high and interest rates are low, you want to be a borrower, not a lender (and savings accounts are you being a lender).
I remember once at walmart, the cashier got suuuuper pissed when I told her I didn't want the wal-mart credit. She exclaimed, 'It pisses me off so much when people don't want free money!'... I'm doing fine, thank you. I probably saved more this year than you earned. Have a nice day, cashier!
I had a 2004 Scion xa with over 250,000 miles almost had this car for 10 years. No computer I want another one. I hate these over priced computers on wheels ,people havebecome lazy and too trusting in their technology. Society od becoming dumb-downed and they have no clue.I am thank-ful that at 68 years old and was blessed to have a gery smart hands-on-mom who was an excellent teacher
They are programmed to push those charge cards, unfortunately ,I don't think most I f them understand
I also do not like when the stores want to push their extended warantees
IMO, the biggest tech-scam are... printers.
Definitely! I listened to this one podcast where a third party company was refilling printer ink for lower prices and the printer company decided to shut down any printer that used the ink without telling the owners!
Thank you for bringing all this ridiculousness to the forefront. Ugh 😑
Great content … you simplify and makes this real for everyone to understand because it so easy to be oblivious to these tactics. I hope more content creators take your lead and make some waves 🌊 .
We Are in Unchartered Financial Waters! every day we encounter challenges that have become the new standard. Although we previously perceived it as a crisis, we now acknowledge it as the new normal and must adapt accordingly. Given the current economic difficulties that the country is experiencing in 2024, how can we enhance our earnings during this period of adjustment? I cannot let my $680,000 savings vanish after putting in so much effort to accumulate them.
Keeping some gold is usually a wise decision. You would be better off keeping away from equities for a bit or, even better, seeking advice from an expert given the current market conditions and everything that is at risk with the current economy.
You have a very valid point, I started investing on my own and for a long time, the market was really ripping me off. I decided to hire a CFA, even though I was skeptical at first, and I beat the market by more than 9%. I thought it was a fluke until it happened two years in a row, and so I’ve been sticking to investing via an analyst
Could you possibly recommend a CFA you've consulted with?
My CFA ’Melissa Terri Swayne’ , a renowned figure in her line of work. I recommend researching her credentials further. She has many years of experience and is a valuable resource for anyone looking to navigate the financial market.
Thank you for saving me hours of back and forth investigation into the markets. I simply copied and pasted her full name into my browser, and her website came up first in search results. She looks flawless.
Always watching and learning from you Austin ❤
Thanks!
I have always knew apple slow down their phone even before they were exposed publicly. I mean the phone was really quick and responsive but then turns slow and sluggish when it’s merely a 3 year old phone ??? That makes no sense
its why people never updated their phones years ago. Now you get the red dot saying it hasnt been backed up and need to purchase their cloud storage 🙄
@@BrianK-zz4fk that would make sense to not update but some flipping apps need you to have the most up to date iOS then you’re forced to upgrade in order to use those apps…
We also should blame ourselves for excessive consumerism bringing everything and anything up to the roof.
Great video more like this please!
Have you done one about all the taxes and fees we pay without even knowing why?
I went to the car wash and I had to swipe my card then as I was washing the digital timer just keeps going until you realize it's been going a long time and then you realize that you have to stop it by pushing a button so now I had a unexpected high charge of about $10 bucks , thing is I'll never go back
Thank you for sharing this insight.🙌😎💟
If you pay cash. They usually don’t have a tip option. Lol.
Yeah, I do that too!
My biggest issue at the moment is that you have to buy MS Office yearly...laptops don't even have floppy drives anymore and MS doesnt sell Office outright. My subscription lapsed a few.minths ago and i can't reinstate it because...i have no idea what my Google Password was, and when i had this problem a couple of years ago, i also had a BEST BUY Membership and the Geek Squad fixed it for me. Now i live in a place where there's no BEST BUY (they closed the Downtown store incant get to thr suburban store) and i havent needed the Laptop (I 7:04 use the phone for most things) so Laptop is sitting in my Desk...becoming more obsolete by the week.
I hate the Tipping thing too.
One nice thing about the city I live in is the parking meters take cards AND cash. (I use my debit card, so I don't know if there is a service fee with cash but I'm hoping not.) I hate the expectation that I should tip for picking up my pizza from the pizza parlor. They always act disappointed. What are they disappointed about? They are not providing service by driving to my house for delivery or serving me at a sit-down table. I don't get their thinking. Sometimes I think we are just puppets in the capitalistic system.
You're a cog. They're a cog. Critical thinking isn't taught in schools so that self actualization doesn't happen.
I agree. I worked for Domino's Pizza before the whole tip begging exploded. A guy generously tried to tip me for giving him his pizza at the store and I turned him down, because I was only doing my job. The employees at your pizza parlor were probably disappointed because they don't give enough deliveries. Domino's (and I'm sure other pizza joints) constantly run "carry out specials'' which greatly reduced deliveries (and tips)... so I quit! From the customer's point of view, I understand no one wants to pay delivery fees plus a tip so they pick there pizzas up.
@@e-man2081 The Domino's near my house blew up (natural gas explosion) and was never rebuilt. So I have no choice but to pick it up 🤷
I think as time goes on, the newer generations won’t even know about using local storage and backups, or a time without everything being a subscription. I admit I pay for photo storage, but would younger generations even know how to copy photos to a local computer or storage when it’s pushed so hard to subscribe.
Kind of ironic that your sponsor is a monthly subscription fee..
You are free to waste your money. He is not your daddy. He is only giving tips on how to not waste money, but you are free to accept or not.
Another video filled with great info ! 😃 Off topic, but the cost of groceries is still outrageous. 🥺 Good thing we don’t go out to eat, that save a lot. A video about saving on food cost would be nice. Maybe not so exciting though. 😂
Austin, we all are furious about these crimes of greed by corporations! Are there ways to join with others to turn this around?
I don't know...they have too much power!
Sure, just convince millions of people to stop buying their products and/or services.
Tipping used to also be at the end of service. Now its expected BEFORE you do or get anything. I tip depending on the service I receive NOT before!
Excelente trabajo mi estimado. ¡Saludos desde México!
What I would like to see is a video instructing the consumer on how to combat the insidiousness of fleecing by Big Tech, Big Food and Big Pharma. We are not being protected the politicians, we are on our own. This world has gone mad; my heart hurts for the next generation. These large corporations practice nothing more than legalized extortion. I USE CASH whenever I can! That is one small way to combat greed.
I live in Thailand where we don’t tip. When I’m in the States now I don’t tip for any order I have to give standing up or from a car. I just pay cash. I pay $8 a month for my unlimited internet phone service and $20 for my broadband home internet and cable. I subscribe to no pay platforms. I watch free RUclips and that’s it other than local cable that’s part of our broadband package. I’m not an Amazon Prime member, do not use brand name phones and will buy used items like flat screens and computers. Never buy new. I also don’t own a car and just hire my own private driver who I pay per trip. No app involved. I never buy anything over the internet. I go to the store myself.I have no Facebook or instagram account and have no idea why I’d ever want one.
I don't go to restaurants no more because I don't like there tipping system
Same!! Restaurant meals are already expensive, and having to tip on top of it equals my grocery budget for ONE WEEK of healthy, good food...
Thx for your great videos. You’re so smart 👏👏👏
For a non-tech channel you have a great vision about cloud, enterprise was a first customer not even a consumer) They did it and already a lot of businesses suffering from high prices on "cloud" (basically chunk of server) to rent per hour.
It's gonna happen!
Great video!!
I still have an iPhone 8 from 2018 lol. It’s on the way out because it keeps overheating but I will be looking for another older model because I’m not paying $800 plus for a damn phone
Buy the previous version on Ebay! It's like 60%+ off! And they are basically new!
I managed to use my old iPod for 12 years, I was so sad when it finally packed in!
@@ElAgustingreat advice!! I’ll take a look
Don’t get a 13; the 8 is far superior. Have you considered a new battery?
@@GrannyLinnI will get a new battery 😊
Something I noticed is when you compare Uber to Lyft, their prices are nearly identical. They’re clearly and illegally colluding.
Call a cab. I no longer use Uber or Lyft as the price is very close to cost of the cab (which is sometimes cheaper).
Great video! I hope that other people can see what is going on.
When you pay for something at cashier you pay the same regardless of paying with cash or credit card or even debit card, the surcharges have already been added. There may be exceptions. In this case I rather pay with a card and then pay card balance at the end of the month with no additional fees, it is just convenient.
When you pay for something at cashier you pay the same regardless of paying with cash or credit card or even debit card, the surcharges have already been added. There may be exceptions. In this case I rather pay with a card and then pay card balance at the end of the month with no additional fees, it is just convenient. I never ever use with Apple or whatever pay, either cash or credit card.
I have a question. The prices that seem to be steady at a restaurant or store don't always charge for using a credit card instead of using cash. So, when you pay cash, aren't you still paying those fees since they already added them to the price?
Good question.
Yep. So ironically you’re losing out if you’re paying cash. The exception are small stores and restaurants-tell them you’re paying cash and they’ll sometimes give you a discount. Some states (not all) also now allow a business to advertise a surcharge for credit cards .
Ok, so what do we do about forced cloud storage and tipflation? We don't do credit cards. Apple isn't the only phone maker that hobbles their old devices. We use iMacs, iPads and iPhones because they work well, sync well, and don't require ten minutes of updates every time you turn them on to use them, but we buy used or refurbished and not the biggest, latest and greatest, etc., keep them until they die. We only have Netflix and Amazon prime, which we're not renewing in September. No cable and only basic internet, which we need for business. But tipping in this country is out of control. Even Starbucks and the local Chinese restaurant expect a decent tip despite high prices, so we have to avoid even those, now. We're semi-retired and finding that we're not just cutting back but cutting out even the small pleasures we used to enjoy and still have to fight to stay on top of things.
I totally agree about Apple. They charge more for inferior products. The iPhone for instance is full of limitations on what you can and cannot do with your own device. I use an android phone where I am free to install what I want, and free to transfer files to and from my computer, and free to do so much more.
Very good, well thought video which I enjoyed very much.
I got a $20 check in the mail from that lawsuit. I soon moved away from apple because they literally rendered my iphone 6 useless, 18 monthes after buying it. I bought an 8 plus before I knew
Hey Austin, Totally agree with you about Apple!
Like when important things now start saying oh u have to go online to do this and this.We can't help u.Then I'm like oh ok then I guess I don't need it?!
Hells Yeah. Stick it to the man.
The man!
Read the books "The Circle" and "The Every" (support your local library). They are satirical works that that highlights the thefts of Big Tech.
I'm still using an iPhone 7, I haven't noticed any slowdown, maybe it's about other models?
It was the iPhone 6 model. The case was called, "Batterygate."
@@ElAgustinYes, they did that to my phone until I was not able to used it anymore.
I'm using an Iphone SE...
Brave Little Toaster movie called it decades ago !
I think they banned transaction fees on credit cards in the UK. I haven't seen one in ages and I buy everything on credit card no matter how big or small.
I agree with everything except now Samsung introduced their lower priced A55 model that comes with lots of latest higher end tech features for a retail price of $399 and Samsung stated they will software support this phone for at least the next 5 years. If this can be had for say $349 with discount, I think this is a very good deal. I for one need some tech features for both work, investment, and leisure. I cant use those super dirt cheap phones anymore. I am glad Samsung provides this model.
You skipped how you are forced to download apps to access a product unnecessarily. AXS tickets require an app to access tickets and parking. Now any fast food deal requires downloading the app.
Kindle has a subscription fee? I've never been charged a subscription fee and only pay for each book when I find them at a low price like $1.99.
They have an audio book subscription model, when you buy a book you automatically get access to the audio version. I'm not sure how much it is.
They’ve offered Kindle Unlimited for a long time. Gives access to as many books as you want for a monthly fee. It’s optional… you’d have to read a lot of books and remember to use it every month.
Kindle unlimited. Never used it myself. Like you, I just buy the book, especially when on offer. However, with ebooks we never actually fully own it like a paper book.
Everyone uses Apple products, but I think differentLY!
The fact that you don't use them means that "everyone" does not.
@dpayne1943 *Practically everyone. Feel better Capitan Pedantic?
Credit cards force businesses to set the same prices with cash so that customers opt to use the cards instead of paying cash. It's not the business owner's decision motivated by "maximizing profits" but it's a contractual obligation with VISA.
Several restaurants in my area offer 10-15% off if you pay in cash. I always pay in cash.😊 BF makes fun of me. The one time he needed cash (flat tire out in the country) I didn't have any on me. He doesn't make fun of me anymore. The repair guy carried him to an ATM.
Isn't dynamic pricing just a reflection of supply and demand? Maybe I'm mistaken and it's all greed but I could see where it might be helpful for a business to not run completely out of supply...
20% is reserved for peak excellence in service! Not the bare minimum! I stopped feeling bad about putting a fat 0 on those machines. And I would love for someone to 'call me out' or say something about it, lol.
Hello 🤠
Excellent 😃 video 💯
Good job 😀
I learn a lot from your videos
Amen regarding Apple! I’ve been saying all that for years.
I give a service to my client. I may get a Christmas bonus! Most service never took tips now everything gets a tips.crasy all the changes in the last 20 years. 😢
Resist!
minimalism on big tech BUT Aura is cool hahahaha
Will you be my friend? I want to listen to you all day :P 😂 😂
We will have a great parasocial relationship!
@@ElAgustin That would be great.
Corporations acting like sharks...who would have thunk??? 😂
That's why Apple, Samsung, Tmobile does not provide fone cases, chargers on the new fone you purchase. 😡😠🤬🤬
100% agree!
Apple computers are bad with this. Because you cant update an older model to the latest OS. Even though the computer has more than enough power to run it. Which is stupid.
People back stab PC saying Apple is better quality. What good is the quality if you can't update to the latest OS and the current OS become unsupported
All of them do this. Apple at least provided updates for many years. Google is now doing updates longer. It was bad for Chromebooks but now they do updates longer on newer models. Now even Windows 11 requires up to date hardware and won’t allow install unless it has specific chips, TPM, etc.
When You are limited in Your wants and needs then its very hard to manupalate You, stop buying overpriced crap, phone plans, cannot have good deal say Godbey!
I don't do the Amazon subscription, I just have Hulu and RUclips premium.
Hey Austin, really nice video ! I was wondering if I could help you with Best Quality Editing in your videos better than your Editor with good pricing and also make a highly engaging Thumbnail which will help your videos to reach to a wider audience ? Pls let me know what do you think ?
Lol. He's doing just fine on his own.
I've always hated the outdated phone scam. It's horrible what these people do. I think they've all read the 48 laws of power before we even did. The making us dependant, telling us to think differently with Apple whilst are money declines with the pressure to keep up and stay 'different and genius'. These people are criminals with fancy degrees and clothes. Nothing more...maybe less.
Subscription TV hack - if all you want to watch is one show, and you don't mind waiting a little bit, AND you have access to a local library; almost all TV series are still released on DVD. Both The Last of US and Stranger Things (examples in the video) are, and can be borrowed from your local library. Boom, you watch for free!
Did you just promote the subscription model with Aura? Rotate Netflix, Disney, Hule etc. Have one at a time and catch up. Some of these items can be avoided but not all of them. We're forced to participate to some extent in the planned obsolence. We can avoid the prime time charges on some things-maybe not on transportation to or from an airport. But there may be an alternative transportation company that can be used instead of one that charges more for prime time usage. There are places that fix smart phones and can replace the batteries. In Indiana iMechanic is a place that does it. There may be others that I'm not aware of. Look for a place like that near where you live to smartphones, etc. fixed.
I get its hard to avoid this subscription model its in the system. Its if I don't do this then I go bankrupt type stuff here.
@@blogdesign7126 while we may not be able to avoid some of it ( at least some of the planned obsolence with major appliances, etc. ) we can avoid part of it. We choose to avoid what you can. We don't have Netflix or any subscription similar to that. The people in my home believe there's more than enough free stuff for us to view. I won't participate in prime time food or soda pricing. As Austin said in a few earlier videos-have a full stomach and a beverage with you when you leave your home.
@@nt6719 True too! I also get the companies perspective too "We must Pay the investors or the CEO gets removed" type stuff here.
@@blogdesign7126 maybe. I won't argue about that but I'm not sure I agree. I look at as taking advantage of their customers and also as being pure greed. With the fast food prime time situation if I was hungry I'd stop at a place that wasn't doing the prime time pricing or a mini mart and and get a package of nuts or something like that. Also I would not do business with that company in the future and I would make sure my family and friends were aware of the prime time pricing.
One of the things I really enjoy about your videos is the focus on personal responsibility for creating a better life. This one was a miss for me. Still a big fan of your work.
Amazon :( I really have a problem. I conquered debt but Amazon devastates me. I can just spend hundreds like it's nothing. I think I must have spent 400 in the past couple days.
The washers they make today are designed to die. I'm looking at buying an old fashioned wringer and make my own washer. Go ahead. Make junk. I'll save thousands more. Motorola phones work just fine when they're a year old. That's when I buy them. It's a cash purchase. Amazon prime charges 1 fee for delivery, Kindle books, and movies. I pay because I want those movies and deliveries.
I also want to go back to tub washer with separate wringer! Those lasted forever
Consider a Speed Queen commercial grade washer and dryer.
BMW charging a subscription to use the heated seats in a car, which comes from the factory with heated seats installed 😮
😮!!!
i never tip. no one tips me on my job, so i'm not tipping anyone else on theirs
do you serve people individually on your job?
Storage =External hard drive(s)
External HDs should be an extra addition not a mandatory addition to avoid cloud subscriptions
@@Scarface1337_Nothing is mandatory. Another option is to set up your own network attached storage at home. Setting up a NAS is a lot simpler than it use to be.
@@georgeandrews2839 I think you know what I meant
I don’t mean to disparage the people who buy you coffee but, to buy you coffee is the antithesis of frugality. It is worse than buying an item you may not need. At least a physical item can be re-sold. Good for you if you benefit but unfortunately the buyers haven’t understood your message.
Will see, will see
Good video Austin. Yeah, big tech is good at finding more ways in taking our money and thus increasing their profits. I'm glad I'm invested in a lot of those companies you spoke about😁.
If you can't beat em, join em!
@@ElAgustin
That's correct. I may own shares in these tech stocks, but I don't necessarily use them. It all depends. As an example, I own Apple and Netflix stock, but I use neither. I also own Amazon stock, and I constantly use them because it provides value to me. You have to take it case by case.
Big tech is doing evil things but people also don't think for themselves and just follow. Why should you get a new phone for over $1000 every two years? Despite all dirty tricks with planned obsolescence you can easily use a phone for well over 5-6 years and then change to a model that is not latest for a fraction of the price of latest model. So people still have choice they just don't use it because they don't think for themselves.
No one even thanks you for a tip or good tip anymore?!
😡🤬Odio cuando tengo que renovar mi celular, perfectamente bueno , porque las compañías cambian todo y los precios entonces son más altos.
Es como el hámster en la rueda.
Your place looks really cute Austin
Apple's tactics are shameful. I've had my Samsung Android phone for 5 years and it still works fine. I keep my laptops the same. They don't make you change phones every year. It's greedy and disingenuous. I wouldn't touch Apple with a bargepole.
Austin i agree with you on all counts and i live the way you do happily. Im divorced withoyt kids and that helps in minimalistic living . How would married men in todays time operate with this lifestyle and money mindset particularly if they have children???? Most are like that.
Pl comment. Also , are you married and would you like to embrace marital life with tgis beautifully carved life you have???
He is so funny😂😂
I don’t know where you live, but we don’t pay extra when we use our credit cards. I agree with you 100 hundred percent on tips. Scam.
I agree about Apple. I had two Iphones then stopped buying them. Ww use Androids now.
I agree with Apple, the reason why I refuse to get an iPhone or any Apple products.
You know what's funny, all these companies makes money off you but they form a big part of S&P500... if everyone thinks like Austin, these companies are not going to be profitable and share prices will go down. And that means your investments in index funds willl be down too (which is something that Austin recommends people to do in his previous videos). 😂 If you invest in index funds and expect it to go up, this is part of the game. If companies cannot milk more money out of you, how to justify their earnings, and how to justify their share price? 😂
I had to pay for iCloud otherwise my iPhone wouldn’t take more photos. Google wouldn’t let me receive emails on my gmail account until I got their subscription. So tired of all of ut
Disable cloud storage dopey.
Good one. Especially about Apple. They are obnoxious. Lol.