[elmerfud]

I've traveled extensively and wouldn't say it's any different here in the USA than other places but it might feel different because the methods are different. Generally places will attempt to squeeze as much money out of you as possible different places do it in different ways. I'm thinking your shock is just not being accustomed to it here. I was shocked at other places when I started traveling until I learned the tricks.

It's funny you mention Asia because many Asian countries have a "foreigner tax" although they won't call it that. You go rent a room and if you're not a local you be charged double or triple what a local is for no better service or accommodations. I'm not saying this is all Asian countries, but an lot of the ones I have visited do in my personal experience. Now I'll find a local and have them negotiate for my lodging, oh boy the look on the owners face is priceless when I show up. Some even get mad.

Tipping on a kitchen renovation, I would have found a different company. That's is a service that is designed and quoted. If they need a "tip" they need to set their price higher. Lots of renovation contractors that aren't like that. Use the free market, pick better.

Same with buying your car, even paying MSRP is dumb, dealer invoice or slightly above is where you target unless you're looking at a rare or limited production car. Then you can expect to pay more because you're competing with collectors. There's still lots of car dealers that deal fairly, just call around especially if you know what you want. If you have no idea what you want in a car and you wander around the lot kicking tires taking test drives and wasting people's time chances are your price is going to be higher and they are going to be less inclined to give you a deal and ask you for a deposit to hold a car because you don't seem like a serious buyer. If you know exactly what you want you simply call around to the car dealerships talk to a salesman and tell them what you're willing to pay and just make sure it's a fair price where the dealer can make a little bit of money and you're giving them a 30-minute sale and that's it. They don't do it hang up and get another dealer because one little trick a lot of people don't know is that you can buy a car from one dealer and especially if it's not in stock have the delivery to another dealer and all you do is pick up there. That is the best way to make one of these shyster dealers realize they're overpriced is when they have to unload and prep a car they don't get paid for. Then you can laugh at the salesman and be like they took my price and made a 30-minute sale and now you have to hand me off the car. This is something I've personally done as well because it's trivial to look up the invoice price of a car no the spiffs and kicks that dealers get so you can offer them a price or they can make a couple thousand dollars for really a minimal amount of work. And there are dealers that recognize that time is money so the faster that they can sell the more money is in their pocket.

So probably not worth it to me to respond to each individual point but I understand what you're saying and it is annoying but ultimately I don't feel it's much different than other places. It's just the annoyance that we've learned to deal with and if you've been gone for several years it has changed and you have to relearn how to deal with the annoyance. Because every other country I have been to has these same annoyances where they're trying to squeeze every amount of money they can get out of your pocket through whatever means they can. It's just each country or culture or whatever uses different tricks. No the tricks and refuse to play the game.