Inactive account fees on bank accounts. You're going to charge me a fee because I'm not making you process transactions? No, it's more like you hope I'm not paying attention to that account, so you hope I won't notice if yopu start charging a fee literally for doing nothing.

My grandfather rented a telephone from the phone company for something like 34 years. It was one of those basic beige plastic phones with the receiver that rests on top. When he got old enough to need help managing bills and whatnot my dad noticed it. He called the phone company. They hadn’t had that program for decades but they kept charging him the entire time. He got to keep the phone. Possibly the most expensive one of these ever “sold”.

My family member insists keeping old mobile phone number with AT&T for >15 yrs. the bill is well over 100$/mo, while same service can be found for <50/mo. Sheesh

"I have read and understand and agree to...", thinking it doesn't matter, when it can matter. We all seem to accept going farther down a slippery slope of saying things we don't mean to each other, out of convenience or because everyone else does.

I think we should know what we promise, and plan to keep it or not promise. And maybe not do business with those who push us to act otherwise...? Sometimes, when there is little choice, I guess it boils down to a matter of choosing very, very carefully whom to trust...?

I try to read & save these agreements, then I can use a little script to just see what changed (not reread the whole thing) when they are updated, and I try to not do business with places that have too-long terms or heavy-handed indemnity or other language.

Also: "You must re-check these terms every time you visit this site. Continued use of the site means you agree to whatever we put here (or maybe in several other documents or elsewhere on the site), without our providing notice to you." Fortunately some sites actually provide advance notice of changes, or at least a last-changed date.

I have written many more thoughts on that.

"A little populist authoritarianism can be good, if I approve of the policies. History is irrelevant here [or easily ignored]. The principles underlying the Constitution are only important, when convenient to my wallet, the prestige of my in-group, or what I think we should do. I don't have to consider those other people that I think are bad or weird, because my in-group is clearly superior."

"Who cares about the Constitution, or the lessons of history? Or about using actual measurements and numbers as inputs to decisions?"

(And maybe: "Separating individual choices from consequences doesn't matter or can be ignored. The government should take care of everyone, as long as there is a touching story to tell; because people cannot learn to do better for themselves, with help of family and good, true friends. Faraway people are competent to make financial and/or other life decisions for everyone.")

"A little dishonesty is no problem. Lying and stealing are sometimes excusable. Breaking the speed limit is OK because I am special, or because everyone else does it. Fraud is only a problem if it is caught. Probably no one will know, or if I am cute enough it won't really matter. Taking advantage of those who don't know better is OK. The rules are for the weak. It is OK to disregard others."

But the reality is: True happiness comes from things that last well in the sunlight.

University textbooks for first-year. They are bloated, expensive, and mostly useless, but undergrads are still forced to purchase them because they are required for the course.

"Someone who sounds impressive on social media (FB etc) and has strong opinions, must be right -- even though I don't know them at all, or know anyone who knows them, so I have no basis for knowing if they are really honest or reliable. But they must be right, because they said it a lot and seem popular to others."

Most debt, at least personal/family debt (maybe other kinds). It is a way to let other people manage your money, to their advantage.

There are many references on better financial management (Dave Ramsey is one--we have tried to provide his materials to our adult children--but there are certainly others I can link to if anyone interested).

"Multigenerationally united, caring families, have nothing to teach me, because they are boring. Same goes for honest people who have shown over time that they care about their families and others -- they are just left behind, in these modern, sophisticated times." :)

"The government can do more good for others, with your earnings, than you can. So you don't have a choice. We will take more of it and spend it for you."

"If you spend it, more will come. Without problems."

"If it feels good, do it, regardless of future consequences to self or others (even multigenerationally, or if it makes me less trustworthy to people that will be important to me in the future)."

"I'm good-looking on screen, so you should believe whatever I say."

"People you see in advertising make it look good, so it must be good, or therefore I will spend money on things that really don't matter."

:)

"The Sermon on the Mount is nice I guess but unrealistic. Maybe it's ... like poetry for strange people."

"The 10 commandments are outmoded, because we are smarter now."

"Trust me because I am loud or charismatic or persuasive or persistent (regardless of my behavior over time, which you may know nothing about)."

"Reading the instructions (or the Bible) is a waste -- too boring."

"What's in it for me? That's all that matters. YOLO."

Wouldn't it be easier to make a list of things that aren't scams?

This might be an interesting post, but I don't see what this has to do with hacker news.

Also the real answers, like "facebook", "advertising" or "smartphone" (privacy is a right) are nowhere.

Call it Lifehacks, k?

health insurance