It used to be pretty simple to save money: just don't open your wallet.
Now days, it feels like companies are actively finding leverage to force me to open it.
That is, saving money used to be a relatively passive activity, but now I have to actively invest energy to keep companies out of my wallet.
This is the Grifting / Enshittification economy.
I'm expressing a general vibe rather than a discrete instance, but I'll definitely keep an eye for next time I notice it.
I think a generalized example is when companies raise prices and change the packaging / bundling to include crap I don't need. It's like they came up with the most worthless thing they could think of, and included it in the updated price just for the purpose of justifying a price increase. Then they say: "WOW! Look at the incredible VALUE!".
@ike One example I just thought of is “free trials” for apps, streaming services, etc. where they automatically start charging your credit card unless you spend the time and effort to opt out before the trial period ends.
It should be the other way around.
The representative at my brokerage is constantly trying to plant ideas in my head to work with one of their partnered advisors (the kind that charge a % of the $ they manage).
No. I just want to ask a question about opening a certain kind of brokerage account.
But every time I call, they're nudging me to start this relationship.
The point of sale systems at every business / coffee shops that ask you to tip _before_ you've received the product.
@EpiphanicSynchronicity Amazon Prime used to be ad-free for their content - then they introduced subscriptions for other services - then they started running ads in their content even for Prime members with a button to 'go ad free'.
This whole thread is about Enshittification of course - but perhaps more specific to attempts by companies to extract more money by abusing the consumer relationship, and not necessarily just about the deterioration of value derived from the products.
Ike
Epiphanic Synchronicity