I dig the prices of toilet paper and toothpaste at the wholesale club stores. They're the only retail concept I can think of where you're asked to pay for the privilege of shopping there. Membership fees are essentially pure profit. A plastic card at a retail country club.
When we moved our son to another state, we did what habit told us to do. We went to Costco and bought the giant package of toilet paper and the bulk toothpaste.
Then we carried it into the house.
It suddenly occurred to me: How long is it going to take one person to use all of this? Does he really need that much of his money sitting on a shelf in inventory dedicated to wiping his butt and brushing his teeth?
We returned it and bought smaller quantities instead.
Yes, the price per roll and per tube was higher, but he didn't need nine months' worth of toilet paper tying up cash sitting in his 1 bedroom bunker. Besides, who knows? Maybe after enough time Charmin dries out and turns into sandpaper.
The wholesale club reveals an interesting economic truth: it takes money to save money.
Someone living paycheck to paycheck may understand the value of buying in bulk better than anyone. They just may not have the cash available to do it.
I think about gasoline, too. Why does it often seem more expensive in poorer neighborhoods than in wealthier ones? I'm not qualified to answer that question, and I don't care enough to research it.
But the pattern is difficult to ignore.
Being poor often comes with a premium.
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