Free free free I have been thinking about Free

**imagine** · 06-27-2011, 12:26 PM

Topic free - thoughts and questions

I love free things but lately I have been thinking about the cost of free. You know "No such things as a free lunch" there is a cost so who is paying it?

My kids can go to the summer food program at school and get a free lunch. The tax payers are paying.

A free lunch at a church is generally paid for by the church

The free library and all it's free programs are paid for by taxes

Free swimming day at the pool is generally paid for by a generous person

Free book give away at school is paid for by the PTA

Free checking accounts were paid for by merchant fees

Freedom is not even free it is won and defended by people.

Food banks are free and are paid for my donations from people who generally bought the food from the store

Which leads me to who pays for all the free stuff the extreme coupon ladies get?

As a society have we become obsessed with free? Have we forgot the cost of free?

Is free selfish?

**miss_cas** · 06-27-2011, 12:44 PM

How to be free to show appreciation:
1. Work your hardest and enjoy your free time. Don't intrude upon another's excesses unless he/she seeks information on how you have so much peace in your life (debt free and not materialistic).
2. Free events are usually offered to promote a more expensive event or allow students to showcase their developing talents -- make a donation, no matter how small, to the organization.
3. Everytime you grocery shop, pick up a couple of nonperishable products that are inexpensively priced. Provide these to your local food pantry. Do the same for school supplies. Donate your used clothing and toys to free charity closets, some can't afford thrift stores. -- The good people of this nation can keep a child fed, clothed, housed and educated in order to rise above the bad situation into which he/she was born. It doesn't cost you and I very much. It is priceless to the child. (Start a mentoring movement in your community -- these children don't have any good role models, any help with their education and sometimes no supervision as their parents are fighting financially or have addiction problems.)
4. Educate your children to show compassion to the less fortunate and show gratitude/appreciation for everything that is right in their lives. (Ask your school principal to start a needy closet, provide old coats, sweaters, gloves/hats, school supplies, toys, books and nonperishable food items. Insist there be no questions asked and no nasty comments from anyone. Insist the children making use of these materials have extra emotional and education supports including tutoring.)
5. Volunteer your time to something worthwhile in your community.

**nuisance26** · 06-27-2011, 01:10 PM

~Well, without getting into a huge political debate, there are two kinds of free you just described(besides personal freedom): 'free' social programs and benefits and 'free' merchandise. One springs from socialism and one from capitalism.
Manufacturers 'pay' for the items purchased with coupons. Like drug dealers, they hope a free fix will keep you coming back for more.
Unfortunately a lot of people view social programs the same way. They're truly addicted to being helped instead of helping themselves.
'Free' isn't selfish, people who abuse 'free' are selfish.
Just like anything else, these programs greatly enrich some people's lives and greatly skew other people's lives. So much depends on frequency, perspective and culture.
I don't like our culture of hand-outs. Where's the dignity? Do they even let you offer to work for benefits received? Even a bag of groceries at the food bank should be on a donation basis, whether that's $.10 or $10, just whatever you can spare.
There's dignity in helping yourself. And in that way, I feel like "free" is a problem in our culture.~

**imagine** · 06-27-2011, 03:24 PM

While thinking on this topic today I ran across this blog post

"Extreme Couponing: Paying Nothing and Crashing Economy"

Some quotes from the blog post

"Extreme Couponing will cause manufacturers to stop printing coupons as a marketing strategy and supermarkets to stop frequency card savings — eventually debilitating all of our pocket books"

"FREE only crashes economies. NOTHING is free."

Extreme Couponing: Paying Nothing and Crashing Economy | Gomestic

His strong words aside do you think there is any truth in this?

**Telephus44** · 06-27-2011, 04:06 PM

Well, I think if EVERYONE started using coupons and getting MOST of their things free, then yes, it would crash the system. However, I don't see that happening. Plus, coupons increase their sales and do a great job of confusing the consumer to true pricing, so it's easier for them to have high prices. And even with all the press Extreme Couponing is getting, it's not like there's extreme couponers on every corner.

But I also wanted to comment on your observation on free social programs with something I have been thinking about. My son gets free preschool through the public school system because he has autism. This spring for the first time I saw the signup forms and pricing - it's $450 a week for 5 days fulltime. And I realize that the people who are paying that basically are subsidizing me, since I'm not. Actually, I'm sure we cost the school system MORE since he also has a autism specialist and an OT specialist. We make enough money, and I was really thinking about how much we get from the school system, that I was thinking of maybe making an on-going monthly cash donation to the school system. I'm sure that they can use the money. I'm just not 100% sure how I would go about setting it up.

**imagine** · 06-27-2011, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by Telephus44

We make enough money, and I was really thinking about how much we get from the school system, that I was thinking of maybe making an on-going monthly cash donation to the school system. I'm sure that they can use the money. I'm just not 100% sure how I would go about setting it up.

Aw that is sweet.

How to good set it up? good question

Most people who do this that I know do it by donating to the parents teacher organization/association. But you might want to see what your parent teacher group spend there money on. Ours spends money for supplies, extra teacher aide field trips, books for students to keep, the extras that the district can't afford now but it directly realized to learning.

Some donate directly to their child's classroom asking the teacher what they need and the buying it for the school/classroom. Sometimes this means snacks, or equipment or furniture or kleenex. or asking the principal what is needed and that you want to donate.

**imagine** · 06-27-2011, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by Telephus44

Plus, coupons increase their sales and do a great job of confusing the consumer to true pricing, so it's easier for them to have high prices.

I'm probably high jacking the thread. LOL

Do you think they do this on purpose trying to confuse us?

It seems to me that they do.

Card and non card pricing Are we really saving with our store loyalty discount card or over paying if you don't use it?

JC Penny and it's constant biggest sale ever deals. Are we really getting a deal or just paying more when we have to buy something when it is regular priced? (Is there much in there that isn't on sale all the time)

Is the buy one get one sale really getting one free or is it double paying when we buy it not on a buy on get one sale?

Did the manufactures and stores create this environment or did the customer create it by wanting the free item or the good deal?

I wonder what the world would look like if this hadn't happened and fair prices where always charged and paid?

**Telephus44** · 06-27-2011, 04:54 PM

I agree with all that you said about confusing prices. All of the games with 10% coupons, store cards, B1G1F sales - all of this is done to hide the true price of what something ACTUALLY costs. We look at the receipts and are all proud of ourselves for "saving" so much - but the prices are inflated to begin with. If something really costs $2, but I mark the price at $4.50 and it's "on sale" for $4.00 with your card and you have a $1.00 off coupon you might think you "saved" $1.50 - but the store still makes money.

Yes, I know that some items truly are loss leaders and stores lose money on them. But not most of it!

And I love Kohl's - but they always put out 30% off coupons. If they can sell it 30% cheaper and not lose money, then why not stop the coupon nonsense and just lower all the prices?

Because at some point, when people lose track of what the "real" price is - then the stores/manufacturers make money.

And I don't mind using coupons and sales - I'll play the game too. But I know it's a game.