Opinions on what we overpay for

[savenger4]

What I perceive as the biggest threat to america is paying really high prices for goods and services.

I would like to get people's ideas on what we americans over pay for. 

As for what I believe what we are getting overcharged for is cell phone usage, cable tv, houses, cars, insurance, electronics, utilities, internet usage and groceries.

I have always had this idea that the government needs to step in and do something about inflation.  Just think if prices keep going up as well as wages soon we will be paying $5 for candy bars and some of us will be millionaires that can only afford to live in a trailer park.  To change this problem I think that wages and the costs for goods and services should be brought down in a way so that they don't continue to rise.

Just some things that I've noticed that need to be addressed.

[Falconer02]

Well yeah inflation in this country has been fluctuating quite a bit lately. I agree we pay too much for cellphone usage, but that's a basic form of capitalism in a nutshell-- services battling eachother for more customers instead of coming to a consensus and sharing network towers.

I also think we overpay for medical expenses. Why do you think it's such a major issue in this country right now? At this moment I don't have health insurance and a few weeks ago I dislocated my shoulder. A trip to the orthopedic doctor costed me 800$ for him to fail at fixing it, take an x-ray, and tell me to go to the ER. A trip to the ER costed me 1100$ to sit there for 20 minutes, have a doctor come in, stare at my xray for 20 seconds, and pop it back into place IN 10 SECONDS, and for a small cast I wore for a day after that. I bought a sling the next day. It's laughably ridiculous.

[mommagoes]

i 100% agree with both of you. i have this same discussion everytime i open a bill, everytime i pay a bill. where i live, i can not get a tv siganl using an antenna and our basic cable companies don't service my area, but i think its absolutely absurd that a certain satellite company can charge me $70 a month for a basic package- no premium channels whatsoever- just because i live on a mountain. i get the same raw deal anytime i call for service or repairs- i'm charged extra for being "out of the area." that's not my fault, they should have someone in "the area."

[klkwid]

The worst thing I can think of is GAS!!  We're paying WAY too much money to other countries (a lot that hate Americans, too), and not spending enough money developing our own fuels.  I think we need to work on something that is less polluting and more abundant so it can be cheaper and better for us all in the long run.  Too bad the oil companies are so powerful.....

[aimeerose00]

Vehicles! The price of cars/trucks/SUVs is way too expensive for the average person. Many cities don't have methods of public transportation like New York and Chicago do. I live in an area with no mass transit system. I have to take the interstate to work so I can't very well ride my bike! If I want to get to work, then I need to drive there. It makes me sick that cars are marked up to the extent they are and then the car companies turn around crying the blues looking for a bailout. Boo frickin' hoo. Where's my bailout as an American consumer?