There is more wrong with things than Banking, the Housing Crisis and the Economy. There is a lack of integrity in almost every aspect of American life.  People just outright lie. Products are shoddy and customer service seems to be designed to BS you and waste your time. I’m really sick and tired of it. I wonder how many other people out there are also sick and tired of the nonsense. I’ve had it.

 Back in the early 2000’s everyone I knew was refinancing their mortgages. I had a mortgage but I wanted to check out if I could reduce my monthly payment. So I checked out a few sites on the internet and made inquiries. As a result I was besieged with phone calls. I got three different proposals. I studied them. They were for much more than I wanted to borrow. They mortgage people followed up with calls to me. I had previously explained that I didn’t want to borrow more money than I already had borrowed. They were incredulous. Didn’t I want more leverage? Didn’t I want to buy more stuff? No I explained I was trying to lower my monthly payment not become more indebted. No one wanted to loan me 50K they wanted to loan me 300K. I called my accountant. He advised me to not do anything. So I did. I did nothing. The calls kept coming. After awhile I just didn’t answer the phone.

A bit over a year ago I decided to buy new glasses. I went to Costco. I thought I would save a few bucks.  About 3 months ago I started having chronic headaches. I thought there was something seriously wrong with me.  Only after spending a bundle on doctor’s visits did I realize one night that the headaches were caused by strange bubbles that were forming on the surface of these bargain glasses. I went back to Costco were the salesperson informed me it was something I did. It was of course the customer who caused the problem. They had put some sort of topical anti glare substance on the glasses and it was beginning to degrade and bubble up. I found that out when I went to the eye doctor.

What a bunch of shysters.

 Today my hideously expensive dishwasher self destructed. I had my kitchen renovated about 3 years ago and put in “top of the line” Frigidaire professional appliances. Almost from the beginning I thought there was something wrong with that dishwasher. After about 1 month it died. It took longer than a month to get someone to fix it (even under warrantee) less than a year later the same thing happened, again under warrantee it was fixed. Today it happened again. I went onto the internet and found the least expensive dishwasher I could find. I found it at Lowe’s for $248.00, a Whirlpool stainless steel (look-a-like) marked down from $398.00. I called Lowe’s they had one in stock and went in a friend’s truck to pick it up.  I got it home pulled out the expensive one and installed the cheap one. Yes, I installed it myself. It was not rocket science I assure you.

 Americans need to wise up, don’t buy it unless you absolutely need it and be very careful when you do buy. There is a scam a minute out there and there truly is a sucker born every minute.  It will only get worse as companies get more and more squeezed for profits. So today, more so then in good times, be careful.  I personally am limiting my exposure. Remember: a fool and his money are soon parted