January 21st, 2021 at 08:22 am » Comments (0)

Why I no longer “Hide” ads? Because one day in a BFOO (blinding flash of the obvious) I realized that by doing so I am accomplishing several things on behalf of the advertiser and the social media platform.

First, by NOT HIDING advertisements, I am NOT giving an insight into what I will or won’t buy. Valuable information for both the buyer and seller of advertising space.

Second The Platform (FB, etc) benefit two ways from ads. They are paid 2 ways. 1. to present the ad to you – that is generally known as “views”. Their second bite at the apple comes in the form of “Click Thrus” which means if you respond to the ad by clicking on it, they receive an additional amount.

Another source of revenue is using any of their “features” to collect money on your behalf using the “float”. This allows them to earn money using the financial float. So using their payment and donation “services” also puts $$ in their pocket.

There is a history and the “original” uses of the float both legal and otherwise have declined with the rise of credit cards and on-line payment.

In an article at Investopedia is a brief overview on financial float – the last paragraphs sum it up for my purposes here:
“Real World Example of Float”
Large companies and financial institutions also often “play the float” with larger sums for-profit—namely, the interest income they earn on an amount by speeding up its deposit into their accounts or slowing down a presentation for payment. Such moves are not illegal, either for individuals or for institutions, if the money involved is all their own. ”

So if your goal is to let media and their advertisers not benefit, then you have to give up the convenience of “click thru”

How? note the website for the advertiser. If a charity, send a paper check or use wire transfer thru your bank. Some business you wish you were not supporting will still benefit (Zelle, Bank, PayPal, etc) but not quite so many.
Does this eliminate your “donation” to Big Tech entities like Facebook, Amazon, etc? No, it does not.

A topic for a different day – but yes, they might benefit me directly like our small business for craft supplies – itsalljuststring.com or indirectly – affiliate commission thru my Amazon Store front Enjoy The Making https://www.amazon.com/shop/wheatcarr and other referral links that may benefit us both like this one to InstaCart https://inst.cr/t/NHE7cDZhr where we each get a credit on your first order.

May 19th, 2020 at 10:08 am » Comments (0)

I do not mind our local businesses adding what we all hope will be a temporary surcharge. Either those that “stayed open” so the rest of us could “Stay Safe” to “flatten the curve”.

Yes I’ll Pay a “Covid Surcharge without whining. It is NOT price gouging, it is FAIR, Reasonable and maybe necessary if you plan to practice what you preach to Buy (Your Country) now, or “after this is over”.

Hard to say who was smarter, those who created a surchage which seems to imply the fee is temporary or those that changed their prices, knowing the increased costs are not going to go away. Probably those listing the fee, because those who raised prices will likely be targeted by the hate squads as price gouging.

My premise is “Buy American-Made” can also be “Buy Canadian-Made” or “Buy German-Made” or “Buy Japan-Made” is equally acceptable . Buy from the nation where you live as a first choice. Let’s just get back to buying what we need even if it means a bit of patience till we can afford to support our local and overall national economy.

After reading a good bit of whining about it, more than a little of it posted by the same people who have posted one or more “buy American” statements or meme… This current media induced knee jerk reasction does not bode well for the “After this is over, buy…” movement. But then if they are planning to wait until this is over, well they will not have to live those words now will they.

A theme I learned as a child, along side having “cheap can cost you dear” pounded into my head by the same parents. So where possible I do walk the walk. Including limiting our dining out choices to those available to us in our immediate local area or at the very least in the county were we paid property taxes.

I do not believe in buying direct from another country. If I can’t live without the item for some real or perceived need, then I am obligated to purchase thru a US distributor – one that creates some kind of jobs for US Citizens.

Increased costs are what caused US business to move production outside our borders, that and the need to keep prices competitive.

If the costs of increased pay to your home nation mean paying more for a product, then we should recognize that. If it means making sure that the terms of special visas are met, particularly those where the sponsor is required to prove they cannot meet fill the job with a qualified Citizen. Then yes to that.

If we truly want our home country to return to economic health, then yes, we need to be prepared to pay a fair price so that those who brings us goods and services are adequately compensated.