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Everyone loves instant gratification.
Watch out for the following ways retailerssqueeze extra money out of the middle class, by peddling convenience.
Holden Andrews, founder of theHelpful Home Group, sees it all the time.
Retailers make it easy to sign up for a subscription, but not so easy to cancel it.
That makes it all too easy to make impulse purchases.
That frictionless purchase and friction-filled return process is all part of the business model.
That can lead to thousands of dollars in interest payments every year, on top ofall the unnecessary spending.
Convenience Groceries
Grocery stores have always been masters of pushing purchases that shoppers dont actually need.
They even offer pre-prepared foods for absurd markups.
The middle class is paying heavily for the illusion of saved time, continues Ferruggia.
Pre-cut fruits and meal kits are often double or triple the cost of their raw ingredients.
Meanwhile, grocery delivery fees turn a $100 grocery bill into $130 without a second thought.
Alarge medical billarrives after the clients coverage is denied.
We have the data.
The average family pays more than $1,200 annually for this convenience.'
Luxury Personal Care
Massages, manicures, spa days, and other luxury conveniences?
Theyre costing middle-class Americans a fortune they cant afford.
In most cases, its the convenience culture of self-indulgence, of instant gratification, of I deserve it.
Just a third feel confident cleaning their car.
Not maintaining the car just washing it.
Forget about oil changes, or other basic car or home maintenance.
Too many Americans today just unthinkingly replace items instead of repairing them, explained Gray.
Do you know how to sew and mend?
How to fix a leaky faucet?
Your parents probably did.
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