I should note that I realize I am susceptible to claims of hypocrisy, given that I keep extolling the virtue of saving all the while being in the middle of negotiating an extremely expensive wedding that I think both of us wish didn't need to be so. I really have no answer whatever to this.
Also, let me put forward a hypothetical conversation I intend to have with a bidding caterer today:
Me: I notice that you are charging me [X obscene fee] for service.
Them: Yes. We have the best service.
Me: Indeed. And I also notice this delightful 15% "service and administration fee" over here. What's that?
Them: The tip.
Me: Aha. But let's play a little intellectual game. Why has America adopted the tip (i.e., the voluntary gratuity) as a model of waiter compensation, you think? As opposed to the service included European regime?
Them: Oh, because American restaurateurs don't pay their wait staff anything resembling a reasonable wage, instead hoping that tips will compensate them fairly.
Me: Right. So it's fair to say that the tip is in lieu of some percentage of wages paid out by the restaurateur?
Them: Yes.
Me: Then why the f&@# are you charging me both $35 an hour for these waiters, from which you can pay them whatever the hell wage you'd like, *and* expecting me to pay them a tip, calculated on a base figure that somehow includes the $35 an hour fee?
Them: Because we're trying to rob you.
Me: I figured.
3/10/2009
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2 comments:
Considering the demented amount of money spent on my wedding, I never thought I'd say this, but: do you want the contact info for where we held our wedding? I'm beginning to think it wasn't as much of a total jack -- relatively speaking -- as we all believed at the time. We got charged a lot, but at least it was all in one place instead of spread out over a lot of piddling fees.
As for the virtue of saving, it's meant to be a lifelong habit, not just something pulled out counter-cyclically in recessions (indeed, I still disagree with you that one ought to emphasize saving in a recession instead of in a growing economy). So long as you don't get into a habit of expensive weddings, there's no hypocrisy.
Pg- Thanks for the offer! We really like our venue except for the fact that their rules are ridiculous, so I think we're just going to crunch through these people. My long winded explanations are breaking them down, though. Yesterday these people called back and totally revised their bid along the lines I suggested. Still absurdly expensive, but more or less de rigeur for Manhattan, and at least without giant logical stupidities. They have not heard the last of M&A Raffi though.
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