Tanstaafl

No, I'm not starting to write in a different language LOL
It just came to mind the other day and decided to use it as my signature in my email because I believe in it and think we should keep it in mind. And then suddenly everyone was asking me what I meant.
It does sound a bit cryptic I confess, but it is quite a simple idea that is good to remember - in my opinion -.
It's a truth that people often prefer to disregard. We are all hopefuls at heart:)
I first read it in a science fiction book, when I still was still kind of young to have learned it by experience. But it made sense immediately.
It simply means: There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.
There really isn't. But I see people believing in it all the time, specially online - but not only, of course.
Without going into deeper areas of this concept, let me remind all of you:If you didn't buy that lottery ticket, believe me you did not win it no matter how many emails say you did.
There is no rich lady in some country wanting to share her fortune with you just because.
That gift you got online is not free. You paid for it in one or more of many different ways - by registering somewhere, by ( hopefully not ) giving your info, address, and phone number, by paying for something else, by spamming all your friends to join you, etc. etc. etc.-.
The sale price you paid for that special item that was on special only one day which was what urged you to buy it, could have been bough by less somewhere else. And it was marked higher just before the sale so it could be brought down - to it's regular price - for the sale.
That voucher you got for a free dinner requires that you pay double for another entree in order to be used, and you need to pay for your drinks - that are priced higher too.
The free weekend vacation you won out of the blue, is a trap to get you to listen to a 3 hour selling something or other seminar, and they will be quite aggressive in their sales pitch.
Those improvements in your favorite store that were made "for your convenience" are actually something that was done for their own convenience and you will pay for it somehow.
That nice new park they made in your neighborhood, was paid by your taxes and was only built because it suited or brought something to someone, not necessarily you ( most probably not you )
I suppose that by now you're getting the idea:)
So, my friend, believe it: Tanstaafl:)
Or do you still believe in free lunch?