CNN Money reports the list of 9 most overpriced offers in the US. It’s interesting to view, so I am passing it on here in brief:

1. Text messages: 6,500% markup. The small amount of data costs a carrier around 0,3 cents to transmit. But to the customer they cost 20 cents outgoing and 10 cents incoming.

2. Movie theater popcorn: 900% markup. The snacks in places like cinemas are what brings profit, rather than tickets.

3. Free credit reports are not really free at freecreditreport.com. Alternative free service is available at annualcreditreport.com

4. Name brand painkillers: 60% markup. The generic medicines work just as well as the branded products, but some people fall for the name, which is only fair to them

5. Wine at restaurants: 500% markup. Cheaper wines at restaurants may cost three times as much the retail price, while the premium brands will double in price. I say, you wanna drink? Have it in a cosy home environment.

6. College textbooks: 900% markup. This is least fair offer, I’d say. Remembering my student years, how it was painful to spend that pack of money for books. The worst thing about it is that there are new editions of the same books, you can’t really tell the difference but you have to buy a new book all the time. One of the ways out, if you are not interested in keeping a book forever, you can sell it to the students that come after you… with a discount, of course. Or else, you could be the one who’s buying it with discount from the older students.

7. Super gasoline: 15% markup. With no real effect on the vehicle performance, you pay 15% extra.

8. Hotel mini-bars: 1,500% markup. People do realize the prices are terrible there, so the hotels bring in rare product so people have nothing to compare it to. I say, guests’ fault, totally. If you are that tired to go out and buy the same stuff cheaper, who’s to blame, then?

9. Hotel in-room movies: 200% markup. Ah, those hotels bastards again… And again, not their fault

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