Ten total rip-offs that drive us mad

Did you know that if you carefully wash and dry expensive razor blade cartridges, they can last for six months?

Better yet, switch to the old-fashioned, double-sided razor blades your father used for just pennies a blade. Add a $2 bar of shaving soap and it'll last for months, compared with pricey cans of foam.

These are a few of the tips I learned from Globe and Mail readers, who turned the comments section into a soapbox after reading an article about the nine biggest rip-offs out there.

The article identified some of the most overpriced items going, from weddings to airline fees to inkjet printer cartridges.

It really hit a nerve with readers, who left hundreds of their own comments, from which I've compiled a list of some of the most-cited rip-offs:

Razor blades Paying several dollars for a fancy razor cartridge that is tossed in the trash after a week is crazy, readers say. And if the razor is designed for women, it will likely cost even more.

Funerals Spending $10,000 on a coffin that will be displayed for a few hours and then disappear into the ground is ridiculous, readers said. Prearrange your funeral, they suggested, or risk having your bereaved family overspend on your final farewell.

Gas The way prices go up and down at the pump is beyond explanation, readers said. When will this sort of gouging end?

Cellphone contracts Fees to cancel cellphone contracts are another grievance. On our Facebook page, a reader said she was dinged $400 when she had to cancel her contract.

Cable TV packages Packages that force customers to purchase bundled channels they don't want in order to get the ones they do is no bargain, readers complained.

Insurance on loans While certain types of insurance are a justifiable expense, paying a premium to protect a mortgage or credit card company from losses is not, readers said.

Convenience fees Being hit with convenience fees for ordering tickets online or using a government kiosk to pay a parking ticket is outrageous, readers said. You do the work yourself, and you pay for it under the guise of "convenience."

Pharmacy dispensing fees While some argued it's worth the cost to have a professional handling their prescriptions, others said they would rather buy in bulk than pay fees for each refill.

Bottled water A product that is freely available from any tap should not be packaged and resold at a huge markup, readers said.

Automatic tips Tips must be earned, not assumed, Facebook readers agreed. To add an automatic tip to bills is a rip-off.

Now that we've had a chance to gripe about rip-offs, what about bargains? What do you think are some of the best deals around? Leave your ideas in the comments section and vote for your favourite by giving it a thumbs up or down.