by Charles Hugh Smith

Everyone has a line in the sand when it comes to inflated prices they refuse to pay. For one Walmart shopper I observed, it was a carton of eggs for close to $10. She announced her line in the sand verbally, with great force and sincerity.

What's your line in the sand, the point at which you simply refuse to pay the asking price? Is it the $25 burger? Or is it the $50 for two burritos and two beverages?

Each person's line in the sand reflects their income, wealth, budget, social status and value system--what's important to them. For some higher income folks, it might be the ridiculous "resort fee" that's tacked onto the already overpriced resort room, hotel tax, excise tax, parking fees and the extra-special charge for Internet service.

For others, it might be the outrageous estimate for repairing a system failure in a nearly-new vehicle that is (surprise!) no longer covered by the manufacturer's warranty. Hundreds of dollars for what?

How about $25 for a few ounces of specialty coffee beans?

Or is it $38 a pound for chocolate-covered nuts or some other confection?

Is it being stripmined to buy a hot dog and beer at a sporting event, or the "service charge" to buy a grossly overpriced ticket to a concert?

Or is it having to take out a second mortgage to cover the entrance fees to an amusement park?