According to those who take surveys I am usually listed as the major shopper in our family, not because I am more qualified – I am just fortunate to have the physical ability to "get around better" (at least for a while longer). For this reason I think I can speak up as some kind of an expert in reading the prices and marketing gimmicks in the store.

EVERY MARKET, whether it be clothing, petroleum, food, lawn mowers, you name it – they are trying to figure every angle possible to take money from our pocket books or wallets. I suppose this is nothing new if we are completely honest but in today’s state of the economy it seems the facts are pretty much epidemic in proportions. Banks and Savings & Loans, those supposed bastions of truth and honesty (with our monies) jockey their interest-bearing contracts so it becomes our responsibility to KEEP UP with their announcements of a raised interest – WE check and be sure they "bump" our lower interest rate when it becomes available in a specific kind of certificate of deposit. Of course they don’t really mind because if we don’t notice it, guess who makes more profit on our money? Those in my age bracket remember the Christmas Savings Clubs where you did not earn a penny in letting them keep your money throughout the eleven months before Christmas! I guess that isn’t too shocking though – have you noticed how much interest your checking account (and Savings Account) earns? Hummm

GASOLINE (and allied petroleum products) – As long as I can remember it has always been $ plus POINT NINE. I am sure Andy Rooney himself has given a commentary on this and we wonder why they just don’t go to the nearest penny (and you can’t get much closer than 1/10!) and charge the next penny. They make us feel we’re getting a bargain. And then, of course, the petroleum industry is virtually gouging anyone who, for whatever reason, uses kerosene and puts them over the virtual barrel just because they want to keep warm! Then, those drivers who for whatever reason have chosen to own a diesel-powered engine, nullify every reason they chose to own a diesel vehicle – they are gouged for their chosen principles or choice of engine that powers their truck or auto.

FAIR is a word that has gradually become a weasel word. (A weasel word is one from which all the blood or meaning has been sucked out. We have others in our American vocabulary: "bargain" "promise" "truth" just to name a few.) The great little hybrid autos that somehow run on an electric generator powered by a smaller gasoline engine or is powered by YOUR electric overnight are priced so that it might take TWELVE YEARS to break even and beat the odds. Recently a film clip from decades ago showed Henry Ford and George Washington Carver talking about running internal combustion engines on PEANUT OIL. Wonder what ever happened to that idea? Today’s experts have figured out how to convert or should it be RECYCLE used peanut oil--you know, what McDonalds & Burger King now have to PAY SOMEONE TO HAUL AWAY, that kind of oil can actually be used as a fuel for diesel engines. Of course we all know that if that ever becomes a reality (nationwide), somehow the fossil fuels will be reduced in price or those inventors of such technology will be hushed into silence and become rich by a pay off. (One benefit from using peanut oil is getting rid of that black smoke—only thing is the fragrance from the exhaust might create an urge to buy some fish & chips!)

GROCERY STORES – Supermarkets have become pros at this (of course they better be because their warehousing facilities have to be profitable and the experts who stock products are not dealing with pennies but DOLLAR$!). Consider their new marketing schemes touting TWO FOR $ (insert appropriate dollar figure). Also there is the TEN for $ (dollar figure). BONUS packages – watch out, some of them actually cost MORE than their purported compared size of package. Check the ounces and do some quick math – sometimes BIGGER is not the best buy. In all honesty I have really gotten in on some bargain prices of shredded wheat – they really cut the prices and I stocked up!

The most recent example of marketing schemes was in my grocery shopping today at one of the big name stores. MILK (with your special shopping CARD of course) -- TWO ½ Gallons for $3.00. I almost got caught. Upon putting two ½ Gallon jugs in my cart I turned around and noticed a GALLON was priced at $2.59. Funny, that sounds cheaper than $3.00 – right, because it is by 41 CENTS. But the truth or honest reality is the REGULAR price of the ½ Gallon was $1.99; so they were not really lying because if your bought TWO ½ gallons at $1.99 you would be getting a bargain by buying TWO for $3.00. And maybe a single person who has little use for milk does not need to buy a gallon to SAVE nearly a dollar. But the idea of playing with our minds and hoping we wont think bothers me.

THE WORDWRIGHT suggests and encourages you to be aware and think about the ways marketing schemes get our money.

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