How Costco Tricks You into Spending More
These loss leaders are designed to get you through the door and make you feel like you're already saving money for showing up. Once you're inside, the real gambit begins.
First come the luxury items right when you walk in. State-of-the-art TVs. Apple products. A $900 trampoline. Things you weren't even thinking about an hour ago. Even if you don't buy, these high-ticket items make everything after seem more affordable.
Your willpower is unwavering. You made it past the TVs without flinching, now onto the next test: no aisle signs. You wander aimlessly hunting for milk. That's intentional - more exposure means more spending. Wait, how did this ribeye and wine end up in my cart? Oh well.
Finally, there's bulk pricing as the cherry on top. A single jar of peanut butter costs $6. But three jars for $12? Your brain stops asking "Do I need this?" and starts asking "Is this a good deal?" Buying in bulk feels rational because the unit price is lower—even if half sits in your garage for a year.
Congratulations, you finally made it to checkout. $330…at least that's less than last time.
The Result
The average Costco shopper spends $114 per trip - roughly double what people spend at Target ($50) or Walmart ($54). Costco members visit about 24 times a year, spending around $3,000 annually. Memberships renew at staggering 91%.
Life hack: Costco sells DoorDash gift cards ($100 credits) for $80. If you use DoorDash at all, this is easy savings.
How Casinos Keep You Gambling Into Tomorrow
Las Vegas, 3:47 a.m.
Jeff is on vacation this weekend, a quick getaway from his 9-5 office job. Jeff usually goes to bed around 11 pm. Today, Jeff is planted at a slot machine deep inside MGM and has no idea it's already 3:47 a.m. There are no windows. No clocks. No natural light to signal that Wednesday became Thursday.
This isn't an accident. Casinos don't pressure you to gamble, they just remove every reason to stop.
Time distortion. Without clocks or windows, your brain loses its natural stopping points. When you can't tell if it's 9 p.m. or 3 a.m., you stop budgeting time and money.
Maze-like layout. Casino floors are deliberately designed with no straight paths. Bathrooms? Deep inside, past hundreds of games. Every route redirects you past slot machines, blackjack tables, roulette wheels.
Sounds are weaponized. You bet $40 across 20 lines, win $12 back - the machine erupts in lights and victorious chimes. Your brain hears "win" and releases dopamine even though you are down bad. A 2016 study showed rats exposed to slot machine sounds increased risk-taking behavior due to higher dopamine D3 receptor activation. (source)
Chips replace cash. Studies confirm people bet significantly more with chips than cash. A $100 chip is just a plastic circle, and losing three plastic circles feels way better than three $100 bills.
Even the air is calculated. In 1992, one Las Vegas casino pumped a pleasant scent into a slot machine area on a Saturday (source). That section made 50% more money than the previous Saturday. The smell boosted moods, causing people to stay longer and bet more.
But here's the twist: the nicest casinos are the most dangerous.
Steve Wynn's designer Roger Thomas broke every rule. He added windows with natural light. High ceilings. Clear pathways. Elegant European furniture. University of Guelph researchers tested both approaches using 360-degree immersive footage. Gamblers in Thomas's "playground" designs felt significantly more relaxed and less stressed. (source)
They also bet significantly more money. The Bellagio, Thomas's first masterpiece, generated the largest profits in Las Vegas history. It was half the size of MGM Grand, but made 4x more revenue per guest room than the Vegas average. The beauty of it makes you forget you are losing.
Bottom Line
Next time you're in Vegas, you can get some choice back. Or just loosen up and live a little. You are in Vegas after all.
Weekly Suck: “Cart Narcs”
You finish loading groceries into your car. The cart corral is 15 feet away—you can literally see it from where you're standing. But nah, you're tired, it's been a long day, right? So you just... leave it there. Maybe give it a little push toward the curb.
Congrats, you absolute walnut. The bar was on the ground and you still tripped over it. Obviously we aren’t talking about you. But if this is you, maybe its time for a change.
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