Man that barber really did you a solid because most people don't stop to add up those little fees. I had a similar wake up call when my neighbor pointed out I was paying five bucks every time I used the ATM at the bar across town. It adds up way faster than you think like you said sixty bucks is a full tank of gas or a nice dinner out. I ended up switching to a bank that refunds ATM fees and now I just plan my cash withdrawals better. It feels dumb to admit but sometimes you need someone else to say the obvious thing for it to click. Good on you for listening to your barber.

Did you bring up that $500 she still owes you? Sometimes you gotta remind them of the past to make the point stick. I did the same thing with my cousin last year, offered to help him budget instead of handing over cash, and he actually figured it out on his own. It stings in the moment but you saved yourself from being stuck in that cycle again.

The scam industry is recession proof I guess.

Same thing happened to me with a "supply chain specialist" cert last year. Sounded fancy, but every manager I talked to just shrugged and asked if I had actual experience instead.

Wait, $200 for basic common sense stuff? Bro, I feel your pain. I dropped $150 on a "forklift safety certification" online once thinking it would make me look good for a job, but when I showed up to the interview they just handed me a paper test that was like half the price. The course videos were literally just some guy reading slides that said "don't run with pallets" and crap like that. Total waste of time and money, makes me wonder how many of these things are just scams preying on people trying to work their way up.