5 Scams That Have Become So Normalized, We Don't Even Notice Them Anymore (PART 5)

[@mschoy1597]

You forgot to add one more VERY important point about high-end brands! The celebrities who wear those brands (i.e. Chanel, Gucci, Prada, etc.) only wear those brands on LOAN. They don't even pay for them. They "borrow" them to PROMOTE those companies but celebrities themselves don't even pay for them - they just wear them to convince poor people to pay for them! Even celebrities don't waste their money on that crap.

[@electricfishfan]

Right! The only worthwhile reasons to utilize branded items are if A.) they present you with the best deal and have actually proved befitting of the purpose you purchased them for, or B.) they PAY you for the privilege!! Loaned or free items count as payment! Lots of survey programs operate the same way for normal people; companies give you products on the condition you review them, with the implication that if you’re positive you’ll receive more items in the future. My parents were in one before my father gave a scathing negative response which got both of them booted from the program.

[@mrd2581]

Very True

[@olilumgbalu5653]

A lot of times, the celebrities are given the clothes outright...not just to own. I also just watched a video (I'm not sure if it was Matlock or something else) where one of the characters tells another character that she must be in the class of people that has to actually pay for what she owns. Meaning the uber rich don't even pay for anything like clothes, hotels, cars, etc.

[@learningisfun2108]

Another scam: funeral industry.

[@TheOldTapeArchive]

The absolute seediest & shameless sham. When it's my time, load me in the trunk, rent a boat and toss me in the river. Then enjoy a day on the water and talk & laugh about the dumb things I did.

[@saffanna725]

@@Austenfan177 Agree. The whole funeral industry is horrific - just plays on people's fears and insecurities. My husband and I have opted to have no funeral whatsoever.

[@cmcordoYT]

In 2005, I was diagnosed with a rare, genetic disease. I didn't know when I would die. I thought about the whole funeral industry and decided to have myself cremated. I signed up and paid for it ahead of time with zero bells and whistles. They wanted me to add an urn, and I said that he kids could have the box with a plastic bag inside and toss it anywhere they want. I also did not want any type of memorial service. I hate most of them because they go too far with making it seem like the dead person was a saint or hero and too much money is spent on that nonsense. Even though everything was paid off, I got a call this year, letting me know that there would be some charges added due to the time that has been passing and how the state, funeral industry and taxes have all gone up. If I didn't pay the extra $1,000, they would charge my children that amount when I died. I don't recall, but they may have cancelled the funeral insurance that I had already paid. I went ahead and paid the extra $1,000, which was about the amount I paid in 2005. I am the type to prepare for nearly everything I think about, so I also put my grown kids as "payable upon death" on all my accounts, hired an attorney to put my house in a trust so that it automatically goes to my three kiddos once I die, and I live here until I die and paid off the house years ago. They each have a safety deposit box that they can open once I am gone since they know where the keys are to the boxes, and the titles to my house and car and other legal documents reside, along with letters of love to each of them.

[@cmcordoYT]

@@Austenfan177 Thank you. 💕

[@carlascheiber6991]

Add embalming to that. If you are buried/ cremated within 24 hours...not necessary

[@srenoverbye5447]

Another scam is large mega companies asking for donations at the checkout counter. No thanks. I'll donate personally to avoid giving corporations a huge tax break. Like they need more money! Love your channel!

[@bethhamilton5888]

I never knew that and have always ‘rounded up’ for the causes i support. 🤨

[@johndoe-wv3nu]

Ok, I know the address of my favorite charity by heart because I frequently write them checks. I hate point-of-sale begging. The grocery store: they have a box of food you can buy for charity. The box consists solely of store branded products. If you add it up you can buy those items individually cheaper. That's a scam I don't know if they also get a tax write off.

[@Thunderclouification]

In the 80's I read 3 books on how to buy a car written by 2 ex car salesman and an ex car dealership owner. It could have been a college coarse. Buying a car is so horrendous I avoid it as much as I can. A salesman from the last dealership I used called me to try and get me to buy a new car. I told him I had no interest in a new car and that my current car was paid for. He said "but you have no equity". So his sales tactic was to insult my intelligence. Car dealerships are such a scam. I love these videos.

[@bunny_smith]

Me neither. I'm nearly 60 and still on the 3rd car of my life. I hope to keep it at least another 5 years. Too much hassle to buy another.

[@johnathin0061892]

But don't you know it is actually good to have debt, so you can build your credit score, so you can take on more debt! Makes total sense, right?

[@turtleanton6539]

​@@johnathin0061892hhahahash

[@janetstraw191]

I am still driving my 2005 PT Cruiser! I have fewer than 35,000 miles on it and I love it! It suits my needs perfectly and I hope it sees me out. At 77, I have zero interest in trying to learn a new car - with all the new bells and whistles tech-wise. 👍👏👏😍‼️

[@HaggisMuncher-69-420]

If your car is paid off, you literally have 100% equity in your car...

[@Mike-rw2nh]

Top tip. Negotiate with a car sales person as if you plan to take finance. Then offer cash when they’ve exhausted all their perks.

[@Mike-rw2nh]

@@drc3po 5 mins 🫡

[@00mazone]

The best thing to do is pit them against each other. It works really good if you do have cash because financing is not part of the conversation. Find 2 cars you like at different dealers and tell them about the other car. Buy the one that is the best deal. I have even heard of people handing the phone to a salesman to let them talk to each other and negotiate 😆. It also helps if you are female and cry when they start playing hard ball. I have seen the most vicious salesman fold to that. I have worked at dealerships in the past (not a salesman).

[@tonyp9313]

@@drc3po Yup I did the same thing in 2021. I wrote them a cheque for ex amount of dollars. I still have to finance the car though as I couldn't afford to pay the full amount. The Finances to pay were a lot lower because I had paid Cash up front. I bought my car brand new. Yeah they did rip me off when I sold my 18 year old Suzuki Vitara from 2003. I'm surprised they bought it off me. Then they gave me free Winter tires, cuz I was really negotiating. It's whatever. I did pay them a cheque though like you did for ex amount of dollars even if it wasn't in full.

[@human1513]

Never fianance a depreciating product. Any wealthy person knows this.

[@phil9947]

Accept the finance terms and pay the loan off the next day.

[@pw3543]

I’m a 61 year old dude who has heard and thought about all these topic over the years but you talking about the details is really empowering. It’s not just the information that you provide it’s your attitude and conviction. I love your smart ass attitude. Great content keep it up.

[@calisto9856]

Ya i like her attitude as well lol . thats the way you should feel about these scams because they are ripping us all off .

[@joaquimrodriguez8961]

Yeah well , she can dish it out but, the question is can she take the dishing? But I like her channel, she can be funny.

[@lilpetz500]

Even as a very sensitive and gentle person, I love her bluntness. I think some stirring and bold stances can actually be very useful behind compassionate and productive viewpoints to really get some attention on the issues and show we don't have to tolerate the poor ethics of these companies and scams. It's important to be able to take critique of course, but harshness should really come to someone proportionate to their actions. She can be harsh to industries because they are not people. They want money at the cost of ethics. Harshness back at her is less constructive, she is a person, she wants people to be more safe and happy. When she slips up, it doesn't do the same damage. It's really good that she doesn't talk about scammy industries with the kiddy gloves on

[@billsmith1770]

the fashion industry in general . letting someone tell you what doesn't look good this year , even though they told you it looked great last year . be your own person , don't fall for it .

[@barbaragates9659]

77 years old and I’ve found my hero. I absolutely adore you 💕

[@lilpetz500]

Honestly, it's refreshing to hear of older KZbin users enjoying more mindful and sustainable content like Nicole's. 💙 There's this stereotype that older people don't care about the world they made for the youth, and it isn't fair to apply to the entire demographic, just because there are some influential bad actors to base it on like out of touch politicians. I want to see more people like you out there, respecting the young people with great ideas, and wanting to be mindful and compassionate in your choices 🥹

[@McGuire40695]

Also, you really sell yourself short. You "might only have a high school diploma," but you are one of the smartest, down-to-earth, honest people I've ever come across! I have an Associate's Degree (2 years), and I am now doing something related, but not my major, and I believe college is a scam for anything OTHER THAN Medicine, Law, Engineering, and Science degrees. Basically, if you're not going into a Law or STEM career, why are they trying to force college on people?

[@kendallevans4079]

Point! I think in the last 10-15 years that is becoming more evident. People graduating with social science degrees and getting a $27K job after spending 5X that much on the paper.

[@McGuire40695]

@@kendallevans4079 right? Granted, I graduated in 2015 with an Associate's in electronics engineering. Got a job i hate shortly after in a CD/DVD/Bluray manufacturing plant as a maintenance tech that was 12 hour overnights and mandatory overtime on 2 of our 4 nights off. Base pay came out to 35k/year, but with the OT I worked in 6-7 months I was there, i paid off what debt i had and saved before working in kitchens. Regret not getting back into a related field sooner, but such is life. Ive been 2 years out of the kitchen life and operating a laser C NC machine for a year now, and i enjoy it a lot. Getting the hang of CAD/CAM software, and I'm gameplanning my life again since im 28 with my whole life ahead of me. Helps that i have $37k saved and a car paid off (well, 2500 on it that i want to get paid off asap), no other debts, and i think there is tuition reimbursement at my job, so school can be an option.

[@McGuire40695]

@@kendallevans4079 oh, qnd to add to my initial comment and agreeing with you, a history degree where someone is an archaeologist or preserving history is important, but that would fall under the science umbrella.

[@kendallevans4079]

@@McGuire40695 Yes, and would think those jobs are few and far between. I think there are a lot of baristas with and undergraduate history degrees

[@XAn0nymousX0]

It's almost like college itself is mostly a scam. And the false equivalency of years spent earning a piece if paper equals higher intelligence. It doesn't. Intelligence is genetic. Any idiot can sit in a classroom for years and get a piece of paper.

[@MichelleNovalee]

Realtors are a scam too. They take so much of your money!

[@BobSure_AKA_PotatoSmasher]

We are NOT going to leave you alone about these videos. You will need to continue producing these. They're GREAT!

[@animal79thecat]

Yeah,for her,making money

[@joaquimrodriguez8961]

Just don't get offended if she calls you a smuck or tells you to mine your own business. Lol.

[@jeanneganrude8549]

@@joaquimrodriguez8961Or MIND your own business ~

[@marianhunt8899]

Nicole, have you done one on diamonds? A completely hyped market.

[@d.f.9064]

Scam: when divorcing one party needs to pay the other person to go away.

[@Childfree334]

To be fair, when that other person doesn't have a paying job so they can stay home and take care of kids and a household, they have to be paid to go away (man or woman). You can't get mad that you have to pay a person because you agreed to them quitting (or severely limiting) their job/career and earning power to stay home. Besides, there is no law that forces anyone to get married. Stay single and keep your money.

[@steveburke7675]

@@Childfree334 Even if they cheated? "Stay single and keep your money."

[@Childfree334]

@@steveburke7675Who cheated? The SAH parent or the working parent?

[@rafaelvieri2161]

I retired at 37 with Compound interest of the money I made working from 15 to 37. The Compound Far exceeds my expenses. I have an old house, with an old home gym and and an old game room. No brand clothes, no car, no dept and a vasectomy to ensure life will be kept that way. Do you know what I have, though? Time. Lots of it. I get to read, watch a Movie and exercise everytime I want. Sometimes I will even Work. Sometimes.

[@RFdaniel]

That’s awesome. What are you invested in? Just like SP500, or mutual funds?

[@rafaelvieri2161]

National treasure First. Made a huge profit selling valued increased letters back, like a 'day trade' type of thing, and then reinvested at agribusiness credit Bill that in my country pays 0,90%+ inflation per month. To make It easier to understand, It is like getting 6 thousand Bucks every single month, spending 3 thousand Bucks out of It to have a middle class life and make the original investment grow and grow. Soon It Will be 7 grand, 8 grand a month. It's comfy, you know? I won't buy a Ferrari or anything, but life will be as easy and smooth as possible. Middle class/ slightly upper middle class is Fine by me.

[@RFdaniel]

​@@rafaelvieri2161 Nice. I started a business years ago, and it does okay nowadays, but it did extremely well for me the first 2 years and I made a lot of money that I invested years ago. I wasnt real knowledgeable about investing back then (I'm still not that great at it) but I invested almost all of it into a money management account, and the fees are expensive (its where a broker basically buys and sells stocks for me and gets paid a percentage fee). If I had just dumped it all in the SP500 I would have made significantly more money by this point and paid much less fees. I want to move a lot of my money out of there sometime this year, but I'm still trying to figure out what the best strategy would be in my situation. What country do you live in by the way?

[@Wilma.Flintstone]

As someone who just got off a plane yesterday, please do "flight add-ons" in your next scam video! It is absolutely insane that you now get charged for every little "extra" thing past a seat, when everything used to be included in your ticket. Not to mention, you're lucky if you get an actual meal on a flight these days and not just a mini bag of Cheetos and 1 can of Sprite

[@suzubee9602]

I never flew growing up, I actually started flying during covid, mostly for work, I have never received a meal and gagged at the addons. I just take whatever the barebones, screw the addons

[@limewater]

Airline tickets also used to be a lot more expensive. You paid a ton and a lot of amenities. Now airline tickets are comparatively cheap, but you don't get any amenities.

[@Wilma.Flintstone]

@@limewater - our experiences vary, but I have not experienced tickets being cheaper, they are much more expensive now. I've been flying for 30 years, so I've seen many economies (American) and the past decade has been the worse for flight pricing (pandemic, withstanding). And a cheap "base" ticket price is useless if you have to then add costs for things like checking bags: most people can't fly with just a backpack they can put into the overhead bin, they have actual baggage

[@limewater]

@@Wilma.Flintstone They're more expensive in real dollars. In inflation-adjusted dollars domestic U.S. fares are about 40% cheaper than they were in 1990 and about 25% cheaper than they were in 2000, per the U.S. Department of Transportation.

[@kendallevans4079]

Meal? They haven't served a meal on an American carrier in over a decade. Maybe they still do in Europe

[@dmbfannh]

The scam videos are literally addicting to watch. It got to the end of the video and i thought to myself "oh damn its over" i just want it to keep going. You bring up a lot of good points especially about Amazon prime. I would have never thought of it that way but now i see it. Your explanations on why whatever it is your talking aboutar are scam, are great!! I mean i have collectively spent hours watching your content now off your channel. I say it has been time well spent very informative and also entertaining too. Great job!

[@zuidema161]

I work in the parts department of a car dealership. It's hard not to yell "Run away" when I see people looking at cars.

[@JubeiKibagamiFez]

19:41 You can say the same thing about any currency, though. The money we use is literally metal and a paper blend. It only has worth because we are trained to give it worth.... Even precious metals and stones, they're only precious because we are trained to believe they are worth something. Aside from gold being the best conducter on Earth and having no oxidative properties, what is gold actually worth? Aside from silver having anti-bacterial properties and no oxidative properties, what is it really worth? Same for copper, diamonds, rubies, etc. What are they actually worth, except the worth that we give to them?

[@davidweum]

I tried to give my daughter everything she needed for University at Mount Royal in Calgary. I bought a great 5 speed little car. She only had to drive a 5 speed . She knows how. I taught her!, I gave her a $4000 limit credit card for emergencies ( beer included), and I told her 1 year before when and how to get her special bursary. Well, she traded the car for an automatic Honda that broke down in 3 months the financed (somehow) an SUV. I got the credit card bill in November $3800 including hotels and meals in Edmonton and a trip somewhere sout ( do you know how long it takes me to pay off a $3800 credit card bill)? I drove to Calgary and asked the bursary outfit if my daughter picked up this $6000 bursary ( she just had to sign for it free $6000)!!! I phoned her mid-April and told her they told me you didn't pick up your $6000 bursary money. She said, " no I forgot, oh well"😢 I HAD TO CUT HER OFF THEN AND THERE!!!

[@clarkalbritton4071]

The most painful buying experience there is - sitting as a hostage in a car dealership while they "check out" your trade vehicle (of course they're not checking it out - they're going to ultra low ball you on the trade in no matter what the condition). For the past 20 years, I have exclusively purchased used vehicles from private parties - and the experience and process has usually taken between 10 and 15 minutes vs 2 to 3 hours of torture.

[@gunkulator1]

Trading-in/selling your car to a dealership is a different experience than buying a used car from a dealer. Never do the former - they will lowball you mercilessly. But buying from a dealership, especially a new car dealership that has been in business for a long time is another matter. Because their supply is from lowballed trade-ins, they have a lot of wiggle room on the price. Dealerships will also inspect every used car they acquire and will simply auction off anything that is too old or has an issue. You're must less likely to have a problem if you buy used from them and if you do have a problem, they will more than likely make it right rather than risk a negative review. Buying from a private party is cheaper but riskier and you're likely to have no recourse at all if there's a problem.

[@rockymtnsteeze1815]

It took that long for me to buy a car and I was not trading in a vehicle.

[@Unterwelten]

Damn Nicole, you're awesome! My friend and I have had these same discussions for years now and although her and I have minor disagreements, we generally agree with all of the scams you identify. People are so susceptible to accepting the most stupid shit as 'normal'.

[@Maplecook]

My friends and I call the car shops, "Stealerships." lol Thank God that I own a 1991 Civic, and learned how to do my own service on it. For the last 30 years, my monthly car payment has been a cool $0.00, and I look forward to never ever again, having to deal car salesmen. Sweet, sweet freedom.

[@Angela-uo4ur]

What's your mileage on your odometer?

[@dabneydee9109]

WOW! 1991?? I thought my 1999 van was the most ancient thing on the Canadian roads. Very impressive.

[@CuriousEarthMan]

Stealership, perfect and true! Mind if I steal your term?

[@sylviaodhner]

Have you talked about the wedding industry yet? I don't remember.

[@matthewsemenuk8953]

I think smart phones sizes and OS updating are becoming a scam. I want a small phone that functions well and is comfortable to use and to carry in my pocket. Not an almost tablet sized computer camera device that doubles as a phone. Most video watching, gaming, researching are done on larger devices while at home. They need to stop trying to make a phone do more than what a phone should do at the expense of a larger phone, with less comfort, less battery life and less durability. (I figure small phones don't break as I've only owned 2 smart phones in almost 15 years). Latest phone being a LG G5, 2016 model, but now the battery is useless and reviews say replacing the battery doesn't help because the new batteries are also 2016, old and those batteries haven't had proper battery maintenance.

[@skyiscrying]

I love small phones too. I bought an iPhone 13 mini, used on eBay, and it fits my pockets perfectly

[@h4k2t]

What bro yapping about

[@GDL2024]

Phones are an example of planned obsolescence, which is another scam Nicole should include.

[@ronda176]

@@GDL2024 omg don’t get me started on planned obsolescence. The fact that I had to get rid of a perfectly good chromebook just because it was a few years old and google doesn’t want to update it anymore is bs. I get that technology changes but to just pick a random number of years and refuse to send updates trying to force people to buy a new one really ticks me off.

[@Giardintek]

As a former used car dealer, I have to agree with the above statements Nicole. Dealers will take advantage of you as many times as possible and things only got worse since. Now sales ppl have to take a 2 days ethics course by Georgian college to get their sales permit, however they still operate on the same principal, especially used car dealers. My recommendation is: Sale your trade in privately and do not trade it in, Do not tell the dealer how much you want to spend, not if you pay cash or financing. If you find a similar car you want on a private sale, get it from the private vendor, better yet, buy it as-is, if it looks good, and certify it yourself. Another huge and legalized scam in the west is insurance! Most Canadians/Americans don't know what insurance costs outside of their state. As a dual citizen, I can tell you that my insurance on the car I have in the EU costs about $75- / year, yes that is per year, You most likely pay more that that each month, here in NA. it's not a co-incidence that Insurance is one of the most lucrative businesses in NA. They declare huge profits every year. Again it's legalized scam.

[@Bob-cd5pp]

The Mafia started Insurance in the early 1990s they came by your shop and tried to sell you Insurance if you refused your store burnt down(;

[@emc6511]

Good point; buy private used as is & DIY certify it. Seller allowed me to pay for inspection before I bought it. We went to a same make as car dealership for the inspection and I said find a reason for me not to buy this and to buy yours on the lot insead. No isues found; just as the seller advertised. Tag-a-long salesman was very disappointed. He actually said to the mechanic "find SOMETHING wrong". Mechanic was honest instead.

[@blondequijote]

​@@Bob-cd5ppInsurance companies just use the govt as their enforcers.

[@ed5308]

Its called the difference between being an educated buyer and someone who has money and does not care about being fleeced. You can get information on the internet but if the dealer wants to stick it to you then you have to find someone who will come as close to the amount you are willing to pay. I have walked off many car lots its not that tough to do.

[@vegansydmost1345]

I just thwarted a scam today, in about 30 minutes: this guy Private Messengered me wanting to date from his place in "Turkey". I kept putting him off, with pointed questions which he didn't answer. Red flags, I blocked him. Now I wish I had the time to string him along, wasting his time, but maybe tomorrow! Thank you for calling out the BS!

[@MrNiceGuy500]

Air duct cleaning is a big scam in my area.

[@goofyrider]

The fear of mites, dust and bugs in ducts is palpable for some people, have you heard the sales pitch? They come to clean out dryer duct which is something that is smart to do as annual home maintenance but then they upsell you on - "well since I'm already here how about I clean your air ducts too for $XXX, who knows what's lurking inside your air vent just like the lint that I removed from your dryer vent." The elderly fall for this scammy sales pitch far too often, and no one talks about it.

[@MrNiceGuy500]

@@goofyriderI take my electric leaf blower and blow out the dryer vent! Works great

[@tianamarie989]

​@goofyrider have you ever looked inside other people's air ducts?? That's not a scam.

[@ScottFrick-m2h]

@@tianamarie989 its not a scam as long as they actually do it.

[@kendallevans4079]

@@goofyrider Lots of home services use the "$69 check/tune up" just to get in there and tell you/sell you hundreds more in services, whether needed or not. Garage Doors, AC/Heating systems........

[@AverageJillM]

When I went to Walmart’s customer service window to complain that a particular frozen food item was constantly listed as in stock on their app but out of stock in the store, the representative told me to get their membership so I could get it delivered to my door. So I am supposed to spend more money because they can’t keep their website up to date?

[@allisonashcraft]

Recently I realized that skincare is a scam. People buy 10+ different products that are supposed to do different things. I just wash my face, and I’m fine. It’s insane.

[@amg9163]

@allisonashcraft About a year and a half ago, I was having some issues that left me feeling mentally miserable so I justified _splurging_ on 2 tubes of very fancy face mask creme ($150 and $175). I was familiar with the brand since I had freebie samples in the past. I still have both tubes, and they may last for another 6 months or more, and my skin does look quite good. I am in my upper 50s (with lousy genetics) but some people mistake me for being in my early to mid 40s.

[@Pemulis1]

But the rat bag was marked down from 5.100. So it's not that you're spending 4.800, it's like you're saving 300.

[@AccordingtoNicole]

😂

[@turtleanton6539]

Yes hahahaha

[@mardy_s]

Girl math? 😂

[@carmennedelea4995]

Hello, you are a person with a high ability for obsevation and analysis, please stop saying you have only high school education, a university diploma does not make a person smarter. I enjoy your videos a lot, you have a lot common sense, you share your thoughts and observations with us, presenting us your everyday life in Canada. In an era of globalisation, such scams are the same everywhere. And, unfortunately, we are guilty of falling for some of them. Thank you and greetings from Romania

[@donnacolwell3988]

You are 100% correct. Nicole is more intelligent, insightful, and successful than many individuals I know who have advanced degrees.

[@Kkiikkiirriikkiii]

VPN providers are another scam….and agree on covering funeral industry and lack of transparency in costs associated.

[@marsdale7392]

You should talk about how being poor is a scam like for example ‘poor tax’. How poor people can end up spending more money on things

[@creolelady182]

I will have to agree with you on these car dealerships. As a Planning Commissioner of my city when a person wanted to start a car dealership business in a certain district- I used the argument about online purchase and that the business model of dealerships will soon be obsolete

[@gunkulator1]

Believe it or not, local dealerships were at one time required by law. Back when cars were still a new technology, there was a real concern that consumers would have no way to service them and then be stuck with an expensive useless hunk of metal, so dealerships were required to be available to service cars for some number of years after purchase. Of course they never did this for free but the law prevented fly-by-night hucksters from trying to make a quick buck selling barely functioning lemons and then leaving town.

[@Wee_Catalyst]

@@gunkulator1That’s really neat to know!

[@sustainablelife1st]

Great content. I dropped amazon prime, i was a buy it now addict. Crypto, same experience. my brother in law drew me in. I put $600 in, its gone up and down but even if it doubles, the comissions and taxes take all the profit. No idea what crypto is - it's very cryptic.

[@kategnidenko4651]

"You're paying to become a billboard" - fantastic true phrase

[@ladybrooks3885]

Had my husband pick out my last car. I went in signed the paperwork and was out in 15 minutes. Everybody stayed away from me. I hate buying cars. Love my Amazon prime and laughed so hard when you talked about deodorant. Love you Nicole. Really enjoy your videos. All of them.

[@rogueinvestor2375]

So your husband gave them an offer they could not refuse.

[@pambrooks9312]

No kidding. They were sacred of me. I don't have time for that BS. @@rogueinvestor2375

[@noydbwia]

You are by far the most straight shooter out there and whatever I'm doing comes to screeching halt so that I can watch you deadpan straight facts with none of the fluff I seem to be inundated with on other channels...

[@gracesimplified3860]

🙌🏼 scored another good video. Scam: diamond engagement rings, wedding industry, Celebratory gift giving: baby showers, wedding showers, house warming parties… Originally, these were for people to establish a life outside their parents home where they might need essentials, but now that most people have separate households before life changing events it seems like a greedy gift grab. When it comes to babies the paraphernalia is ridiculous, most can be passed on from friends and family or purchased second hand. Diapers, food, a car seat are all that need to be purchased new.

[@tianamarie989]

While I agree with most of what you said I don't agree with baby items. When you move out of your parents house yes you're already getting plates and decor which negates the need for house warming (buying only) and bridal showers. However, you don't get any type of baby stuff. That's a very specific niche. And just because you think moms/dads don't need xyz either new or used doesn't mean they think that. So no, baby showers are not a scam.

[@TheOldTapeArchive]

Yeah, the entire wedding industry is a huge money dumpster. The cliches are endless...the engagement ring, the wedding wing, the invitations, the bridesmaids, the groomsmen, removing the garter, catching the bouquet, the cummerbund, the honeymoon, the rehearsal dinner, the limosines, the hangover..... The ideal mate is one who would rather elope. BONUS: The bride's father then isn't stuck with a $30K bill.

[@jessicaroyal57]

Maybe it's regional, but most people I know nowadays never actually move out from their parents homes... they have children, whether married or not, and still continue to live with their parents

[@kendallevans4079]

How do you purchase second hand diapers?......never mind, I don't want to know!

[@kendallevans4079]

@@TheOldTapeArchive The whole process is so Neanderthal ! It is simply a celebration saying this woman bagged herself a prize. Excuse my cynicism, but at 66 yrs old, I have been to so many super expensive weddings that ended in divorce as little as 18 months later I lost count. To me, a wedding is personal between 2 people, why make it a party? I don't need that affirmation.

[@maureenwilliford8985]

It has always irked me to no end that designers not only want want us to pay enormous prices for their products but advertise for them as well. They should be paying me. Another thing is how the definition of leather has changed over the years.😊

[@Wilma.Flintstone]

I now only buy vintage leather from the 90s and older. The "leather" that's sold from 00s to now is absolutely disgusting and should be illegal to sell

[@goosewithagibus]

People look at me crazy when I say I don't wanna be a walking billboard so I don't buy stuff with huge logos.

[@leftykeys6944]

I don't give a shit what designers charge for their bullshit products because I've never had the slightest interest in using or wearing them.

[@michaelconnolly7681]

Never underestimate yourself. Whatever education people have, everyone has a different story. You are so interesting, intelligent, realistic, clear and you see the whole picture. Having a ton of college or university education is not the most important thing. It only matters where you are at, today, and what you are planning for your future. I love your videos.

[@TheKnallkorper]

The “deadly” chemical thing is so true. One time I had a box of lucky charms in my basket and and a passerby stopped me and said “that cereal has the same ingredient as a cleaning product” and i said “yeah and plenty of cleaners use lemons. Does that make lemons inedible?”

[@joyfultrails]

Why can we haggle at the car dealership but not at the grocery store? "How much is this box of cereal? 5 bucks? I'll give you $3.50..."

[@kendallevans4079]

Or if you have to buy a car through a salesperson, then why doesn't someone meet you at the grocery store entrance and "show you" several cuts of meat and negotiate the price?

[@amg9163]

Mentioning poppy seeds reminded me of the *Seinfeld* episode when Elaine tested positive for opium use. 😆

[@BrettKuntz]

Like health insurance; people have tried to pay cash for a hospital bill but they can't even tell you what the bill would be until the insurance bills you--if you don't pay they seem to send out a bill if an individual is not insured--Yes, get up and leave the dealership if they refuse your cash and don't finance through the dealership; go through a credit union

[@rdoody2067]

I love these videos. Happiness is to live your life without all this crap. Keep up the good work. Thanks!

[@billthomas2431]

I'm old enough to remember before computers the big scam at the time was chain letters. Nothing has changed. IMO

[@kendallevans4079]

LOL!!! Chain Letters! Joe Karbo and his 2 Cadillac's !

[@Queen-ConsciousYa]

Exactly

[@davidfitnesstech]

Right. In a "Ponzi Scheme" there's only *one* person that gets rich.. and that's the person *taking your money.* The *investors never gets rich.*

[@Flatlandflyer]

I agree with you regarding Amazon. I found most items are way over priced. We cancelled a few months ago.

[@InMyBrz]

AMAZON is one of the biggest scam You are right, even if you use someone's referral link, you can get it CHEAPER on eBay, without exception I HATE AMAZON and would NEVER spend one PENNY with them IS exactly the same scan as you described TEMU

[@AmIUnderHere]

"Nuclear weapon in your armpits"... that's the only time I've laughed this weekend. Thanks Nicole!

[@AmIUnderHere]

"New Clear" deodorant

[@professormustard75]

I agree on all of these but the Prime is a huge one for me. I don't have Prime and I also just put things in the cart until I reach $35. At least half the time I realize I didn't even need what I put in there. It saves me so much money to have that friction point.

[@navydivergary1237]

I really appreciate all of your time making these videos. I discovered minimalism a few years back and your videos keep me grounded, plus I learn something that helps me to tweak my life. I look forward to your videos on Sundays. Thank you for telling it like it is!

[@cathydiamond6573]

Prescription prices ? I had to get antibiotics recently and they rang up $237.92. no way.... tablets vs capsules $11. Insurance scam? Not me Good RX

[@Mac16111]

"I promise you nobody cares". I have been telling people this for years!!! "All Natural" omgoodness don't get me started!

[@michelina75]

Love you Nicole! Not only are you sharp & honest, but you're hilarious also! Always appreciate your videos & looking forward to more. Thanks!

[@AccordingtoNicole]

Thanks :)

[@mahkuntizitchy2083]

Nicole: I recently stumbled upon one of your video's and INSTANTLY was glued!!! I subscribed, and have been binge-watch all your videos! You are articulate, very intelligent, and always TRUTHFUL! Your "flow of speech" is amazing, and believe it or not, I just love the way you incorporate swearing! You use the F word sparingly, and use it as an underline, a high-lite, an exclamation point, like a hammer to drive home your point! I have the world of respect for you for this, and please, please, please don't EVER change anything about you, your vocabulary, etc. Keep on keeping on, beautiful!

[@seltzermint5]

oh my gosh that LV bag, I saw it online last week and made my coworkers gather around to see its ridiculousness!

[@johntracy72]

Goes to show that some folks have more dollars than sense.

[@editboy09]

You’re right about their being higher tiers when it come to fashion brands. Ralph Lauren has a line called purple label. Far more expensive than Ralph Lauren Polo and not a single logo in sight.

[@brg4622]

The high amazon prices are very true. The seller(who most likely isn’t even trademarked to sell the brand) gouges the price to make a profit. There’s a lot they have to pay for to even sell with amazon

[@rosieposie9564]

I use amazon a lot and hardly ever buy from third party sellers.

[@stev-is-outside]

I agreed with you on 4 of the 5, but you made a really good case for the one. Currently going through my Amazon purchases to sort them by “necessities that I bought there out of convenience” and “things I really didn’t need” to see where we are at.

[@GreenGorgeousness]

Aluminum deodorant can darken your armpits. I have a friend who can't use it or her armpits turn black. I also have a health issues that make me need aluminum free.

[@1pinestreet]

So many people are in a constant state of either living above their means, wanting to, or trying to.

[@Andrew-rc3vh]

I don't know whether you have noticed, but proper quality clothes are much longer lasting. They are designed and produced for the intelligent customer who knows the difference between a fine fabric and a cheap one. I've been running some comparisons. You can buy a tee-shirt for 2 pounds or you could pay 100 pounds. For 2 pounds it is going to be made with a very low quality fabric that will not hold its shape and fade fast, the stitches will come out of it and the material will look scruffy and creased. I managed to pick up a few of the quality version in a sale for half price. They are made by John Smedley in England and using cotton from a special breed of sheep farmed in New Zealand and they have a very fine weave. The firm has been making cloth since the 18th century so they know a thing or two by now. But hey, guess what? No logo. The discerning customer does not want to be a walking billboard. This is how you know you are likely buying quality if you can not tell any other way. They are lovely to wear as well, so in a sense a small price to pay for a bit of comfort that is on your body all day long.

[@jedics1]

One of the reasons I like to buy online, lots of ppl are competing with price that you can see without having to talk or barter with any of them.

[@frankalexander5401]

For someone who claims she only has a “high school” education, she is pretty smart!

[@martinlutherkingjr.5582]

She doesn’t understand Bitcoin though, dumb or brainwashed. If she did, she would have bought Bitcoin instead of Ethereum.

[@gene416]

Not to mention that with Amazon a lot of bodycare and hair care products are dupes and the stores you’re buying from can look very real and official. So you don’t actually know if you’re getting your favorite cleanser and it could be a “good price” but it isn’t verified it’s the real deal.

[@krystiesolfyre5340]

Please talk about the scam of all the ridiculous apps on our phones and how they are always renewing that shit without notice. If we don’t stay on top of it, we end up paying for so much.

[@michel333100]

I think you are one of the most right on the money woman I have ever seen. You are very smart. You totally get it.

[@LynsAlteredArts]

I bought a new car eight years ago through the Costco car program. I did my research, looked all around first. I couldn’t even find what I wanted where I lived. I had to get it from a dealership 60 miles away, two guys brought it to me, one driving my car and another guy following in another car, and then had to drive back, it was a slick deal.

[@kjkj4725]

The “natural” part is brilliant - you are the first person to say exactly what I always thought. “Natural” or “Bio” or “GMO” is all just a marketing scam.

[@loiswells3062]

Likewise the choice of eggs--"cagefree" or "organic" or "free range." WTH???

[@addicted2expression]

That designer bag is genius. What if they just reuse returns by cutting out the parts of the bag that were damaged by a customer.😂

[@aokiQ]

that bag was collaboration with famous artist lol😂

[@pinkpigletparker8703]

@@aokiQ Who declares a famous artist? 😂 Idiot

[@kniknayme9865]

as genius as torn jeans!

[@kendallevans4079]

@@kniknayme9865 And pet rocks!

[@electricfishfan]

I like the way you think!

[@LindseyTeall]

I 100% agree with most of these. I grew up poor and while I do enjoy higher end and some luxury, I also practice mindfulness, especially when it comes to consuming (unless a brand pays me, then it looks less mindful). However aluminum in deodorant is where I can’t agree. I use aluminum free deo and it works just as well. I smell good bc I don’t eat crap lol. And I NEVER F with car dealerships anymore. My vehicle is all mine. It’s a huge van and kinda ugly, but it saves me so much money. Keep doing these videos, please!

[@BettyVincent-oi6sp]

I love your ramblings -- Keep 'em coming 😊

[@Ivan-pr7ku]

Luxury goods brands are not in the business of what they sell to you, but in the management of manufactured exclusivity that maintains the outrageous price margins for the things they get out of the sweatshops for pennies.

[@GDL2024]

Please, please continue to make your scams that have become so normalized...videos. I would be enthralled if you got up to part 52 or even beyond because not only do I find you so entertaining in the way you speak about these scams, but yes, of course, it's educational. You have one of the best BS monitors I've ever seen! Keep going, Nicole!

[@AccordingtoNicole]

You keep watching em and I’ll keep making em!

[@DetroitNinja]

I started my KZbin channel two years ago and the only brand I wear now is my KZbin brand everywhere I go. My brand logo is on my tshirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies.

[@ltwig476]

Love your take on Crypto. The entire stock market is a bit of the same. (valuing and devaluing businesses) to move stock prices up or down for the people in the know to buy or sell and take folks money that are not in the know. So if you don't know what a company is actually doing or about to do, you should not be investing in their stock. It is just that simple.

[@AccordingtoNicole]

At least those companies actually exist 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@ltwig476]

@@AccordingtoNicole Exactly! But if you think about it, when they falsely pump up a companies future revenues it's the same, it never existed. Ive been in the market ever since the Dot Com bubble and bust. You must be willing to take a hard hit if you need quick earnings. In that case, never play with more than 15% of your nest egg. Long term is extremely safe as long as your diversified. I use a 5,10,15 year method. Strangely enough, my 15 year is the highest risk and 5 year lowest risk throughout my portfolio. Saying that you're riding an up and down cyclical type of market 15 year being your greater investments going up and down but charting overall greater gains over 15 years.

[@tianamarie989]

So become a person "in the know".

[@Queen-ConsciousYa]

Crypto is not real. Apple, Amazon, Google etc are all legitimate businesses. That’s the difference.

[@martinlutherkingjr.5582]

@@Queen-ConsciousYaMost of what they do is not real either - they make most of their money from software, just bits of code running on pixy dust.

[@mdjones905]

Absolutely correct, BS is everywhere!

[@mht5875]

"create a nuclear weapon in your armpit" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@gailflora1835]

I just discovered you last week and think you are great! If I had saved my whole life, I could’ve easily been a millionaire, but I had a tendency to spend to make me happy. Oh well, hopefully you are helping many others.

[@aw2589]

The natural concept is both very simple and also very nuanced IMO. The answer is in the middle for a lot of it. We do have a major issue with companies being allowed to hide the ingredients in things using the trade secret law. Some ingredients as a matter of fact are endocrine disruptors. And at the same time, some things are safe but painted as toxic. It's all over the place. I think too that some things like the pea protein isolate you mentioned can have a great purpose! However, is it greater than the whole source which would include all of the enzymes and cofactors, and micro and macro nutrients along with it? Maybe not. Maybe it depends. I think we should all be told the entire truth of things so we can be free to make choices, but that will never happen.

[@gunkulator1]

I think the point is that most people make those choices emotionally and in ignorance. As Nicole says, natural does not mean safe. Most of us are simply not qualified to determine what is or isn't safe. More information is not helpful if you can't understand it.

[@carolbrazil1508]

You are correct about the abuse of over spending/buying on Amazon.

[@workinprogresssince1974]

I ditched Amazon several years ago and I can honestly say, I have not missed it for one minute.

[@jodipeterson2846]

Me too :+)

[@bunny_smith]

I don't have prime and don't purchase on Amazon much either. The thing that pisses me is when I do, I regularly wait 10 days for my items despite living 30 miles from a distribution center so they can keep up the illusion of fast shipping for those chumps who pay for prime. So they hold my order for days. I hate Amazon.

[@nikij.6058]

Never signed up for that bullshit! People think I’m weird. I think they have no idea what they are doing…

[@gunkulator1]

I get Amazon for two months out of the year, November and December, and then cancel. I have a large family and the flexibility of being to purchase only what I want when I want is well worth $20/year. While, yes, waiting to bundle until you have $35 worth makes sense in theory, it also encourages you to fill your cart with stuff you don't need just to hit $35 when you need something else asap.

[@Wee_Catalyst]

Same, I’ve bought 4 items since the beginning of the pandemic from Amazon, I won’t participate in their slave labor model

[@Quist1852-wt2vj]

You make me laugh! Everything you said is so true! Especially the "natural" segment and the "Amazon prime" segment. Go!!

[@uncomplicatedspaces]

I really love this video series! Number 2 really hit home - when I was at the height of my shopping addiction, I was also in debt trying to buy things just so people would think I was rich. It was so ridiculous. I'm definitely happy to be on the other side and currently doing a no buy year. And after years of having an amazon membership, we cut the cord earlier this year. I used to justify it because we used the streaming service but then that got really bad and there are better ones out there. So yeah, bye Amazon 👋

[@Elysian40772]

I bought a car online through Carmax, a Kia that ended up being complete garbage. After I get rid of this car, I dont think I'll ever own a car again. Too much expense and worrying about maintenance issues, too much of a headache for me after a lifetime of owning cars.

[@CassieDavis613]

I always enjoy the scam videos. IMO, make it a monthly or 6x/year post. The scam pit is bottomless.

[@sustainablelife1st]

it really is. i haven't seen the first 4 installments, but i'm going to binge. IDK if she mentioned financial planners. I've had a ton of money skimmed off the top by them. Total scam.

[@GDL2024]

@@sustainablelife1st Yes, Nicole does talk about financial planners. Have fun watching the other installments!

[@robinedwards8796]

"Are rich people ok? What is going on?" 😂 How apt ☺

[@lleo9703]

Hi Nicole, love these scam videos! You are correct in all! If I missed it, I apologise but I’d like to see your thoughts on the diet “food” and diet “drugs” industries. For me, I lost weight and got healthier because I couldn’t afford to eat products out of my budget. Like, chips and sweets. Cut out all that crap food and am HAPPY I DID!

[@wildmano1965]

The retail car industry is really corrupt. They get away with so much BS, it is truly mind-boggling.

[@cycleguy666]

You will need car dealers as long as your manufacturers warranty is in effect as they are the factory representative. And Tesla has one of the worse track records as far as repairing vehicles under warranty. Check out their service chat rooms. Scary stuff for sure. Good Video!! Thank you!!

[@Ladythyme]

Speaking from 67 years of experience I say you’re a really smart cookie and I agree with you on all counts 😊

[@esmbsharp]

You mentioned being "just" a high school grad. You are much to smart to ever go to college. It would wreck your IQ. You produce great stuff on this forum. Kudos to you!

[@Queen-ConsciousYa]

😂😂😂 college is great for STEM majors. Stop fooling yourself

[@oscarzepeda1558]

1st timer here!!! Wow !!!! I’m definitely impressed and instantly hooked !! Thank you and keep up your great work !!

[@akikokina1732]

You inspired me to quit Amazon prime and switch to Mint Mobile. Thank you Nicole:)

[@AccordingtoNicole]

That is awesome!

[@theripper121]

Mint is saving my family a ton too

[@tascker0]

Please never stop doing these videos.

[@paul_domici]

The LV Bag!!! OMG Lolololol

[@alyssapruneau6855]

Can confirm about car dealers pushing loans. I talked to a sales person earlier this year to see if I could get a reduced price on a used car if I paid cash. He said they could knock off a hundred, but nothing more because they are leaning towards loans.

[@jakubzbroda]

I'm wondering how many more of these you have up your sleeve :D

[@CassieDavis613]

IMO, the supply is limitless.

[@psychojoe3087]

I've worked for a new /used Chevrolet dealer. I saw them altering invoices and other illegal things. Definitely learn how to shop for a vehicle so you don't get ripped off