--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a funny thing about Americans, we…" description: "\"“It's a funny thing about Americans, we love to bitch about paying too much for the things we really need and are really a bargain, like gas and postag..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/bill-maher-211_free-market_it-s-a-funny-thing-about-americans-we-lo_1048213.jpg" --- # It's a funny thing about Americans, we love to bitch about… ![“It's a funny thing about Americans, we love to bitch about paying too much for the things we really need and are really a bargain, like gas and postage stamps, but we willingly shell out outrageous amounts for unnecessary crap like gourmet coffee and soap to make your crotch smell good. Two…” quote by Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/bill-maher-211_free-market_it-s-a-funny-thing-about-americans-we-lo_1048213.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/bill-maher-211_free-market_it-s-a-funny-thing-about-americans-we-lo_1048213.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/bill-maher-211_free-market_it-s-a-funny-thing-about-americans-we-lo_1048213.jpg) > ““It's a funny thing about Americans, we love to bitch about paying too much for the things we really need and are really a bargain, like gas and postage stamps, but we willingly shell out outrageous amounts for unnecessary crap like gourmet coffee and soap to make your crotch smell good. Two dollars a gallon to go ten miles is too much, but five to the parking valet to go ten feet is okay.”” [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often complain about high costs for essentials while spending lavishly on non‑essential luxuries, revealing contradictory spending habits. **In simple terms:** We criticize essential prices but splurge on luxuries. Key Takeaway Recognize and align spending with true needs. Themes consumer behavior contradiction value perception spending habits Mood irritated reflective critical Type observational satirical When to use this quote - budgeting - personal finance - shopping decisions - cost evaluation Key Concepts cognitive bias social influence psychology Questions to Reflect On - Why do we rationalize spending on luxuries? - How can we shift priorities to essential needs? A Different Perspective Oversimplifies complex economic factors and cultural differences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amounts Unnecessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amounts-unnecessary-2491202/) [Dollars Gallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars-gallon-1584732/) [Free market](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-market/) [Gallon Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gallon-miles-2491200/) [Gas prices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gas-prices/) [Good Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-dollars-2491203/) [Outrageous Amounts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrageous-amounts-2491201/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Postage stamps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/postage-stamps/) ## Related quotes > [We need more expensive gasoline to change consumer behavior," Mr. Jackson said. 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Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-jackson/) > [Its 5 dollars for a gallon of gas well girl you ain't worth it no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/its-5-dollars-for-a-gallon-of-gas-well-girl-you-ain-t-worth-it-no-more/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [Change is good, but dollars are better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-wonder-years/change-is-good-but-dollars-are-better/) [The Wonder Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-wonder-years/) > [Change is good but dollars are better. - Tara daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/change-is-good-but-dollars-are-better-tara-daniels/) [Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [the pleasure of possession, whether we possess trinkets, or offspring - or possibly books, or prints, or chessmen, or postage stamps - lies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-pleasure-of-possession-whether-we-possess-trinkets-or-offspring/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [I should be a postage stamp. That’s the only way I’ll ever get licked!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-should-be-a-postage-stamp-that-s-the-only-way-i-ll-ever-get-licked/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [“I told her one of the few stories that she'd told me of myself as a child. We'd gone to a park by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-soffer/i-told-her-one-of-the-few-stories-that-she-d-told-me-of-myself-as-a/) [Jessica Soffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-soffer/) > [Paint with whatever material you please - with pipes, postage stamps, postcards or playing cards, painted paper, or newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/paint-with-whatever-material-you-please-with-pipes-postage-stamps/) [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) > [The question is: do we pay a little bit more now? Or do we pay a whole lot later? For the equivalent of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-question-is-do-we-pay-a-little-bit-more-now-or-do-we-pay-a-whole/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [It's rare that I'm able to get to my desk in the morning without stopping halfway there, turning around, and going in the opposite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-mahoney/it-s-rare-that-i-m-able-to-get-to-my-desk-in-the-morning-without/) [Rosemary Mahoney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-mahoney/) > [Of course, certain religious expressions are fine. If a tribe of Aqualishes wants to boil rhino horns in frog saliva on the National Mall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-parker/of-course-certain-religious-expressions-are-fine-if-a-tribe-of/) [Kathleen Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-parker/) > [I dream that my face appears on a postage stamp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/i-dream-that-my-face-appears-on-a-postage-stamp/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [Why do they put pictures of criminals up in the Post Office? What are we supposed to do, write to them? Why don't they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/why-do-they-put-pictures-of-criminals-up-in-the-post-office-what-are/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Designs in connection with postage stamps and coinage may be described, I think, as the silent ambassadors on national taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/designs-in-connection-with-postage-stamps-and-coinage-may-be/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Smoking dope and hanging up Che's picture is no more a commitment than drinking milk and collecting postage stamps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/smoking-dope-and-hanging-up-che-s-picture-is-no-more-a-commitment/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) ## More by Bill Maher > [A lot of people say they are dyslexic; some have to realize that they are just stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/a-lot-of-people-say-they-are-dyslexic-some-have-to-realize-that-they/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [To all conservative women out there: If you are so sure the embryo needed for stem cell research are precious human life that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/to-all-conservative-women-out-there-if-you-are-so-sure-the-embryo/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Curious people are intersting people, I wonder why that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/curious-people-are-intersting-people-i-wonder-why-that-is/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [You see, the difference is the Republicans' hatred of Obama is based on a paranoid feeling about what he might do, what he's thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/you-see-the-difference-is-the-republicans-hatred-of-obama-is-based-on/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [The food is out of this world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-food-is-out-of-this-world/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [New Rule: There is no devil, so stop blaming your screw-ups on him. 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We've seen pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-the-white-house-doesn-t-have-to-release-the-dead-bin-laden/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I think religion is bad and drugs are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-think-religion-is-bad-and-drugs-are-good/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I don't hate America. I love America. I want it to be better. The only way we can get it to be better is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-don-t-hate-america-i-love-america-i-want-it-to-be-better-the-only/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“New Rule: Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism. That's right, the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-americans-must-realize-what-makes-nfl-football-so-great/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [So many kids are fat drug addicts these days, it's almost as if Rush Limbaugh had puppies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/so-many-kids-are-fat-drug-addicts-these-days-it-s-almost-as-if-rush/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [What we don't know is about Jeb Bush and cocaine. But we do know that he did once had his brother Florida on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-we-don-t-know-is-about-jeb-bush-and-cocaine-but-we-do-know-that/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“I find that the world is changing much, much faster than I can even bitch about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-find-that-the-world-is-changing-much-much-faster-than-i-can-even/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) [Explore all 897 Bill Maher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## More Free market quotes > [“The free-market economy and globalisation process have brought about, in the late twentieth and early twenty-first century, a sharp and sudden rise in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaakov-malkin/the-free-market-economy-and-globalisation-process-have-brought-about/) [Yaakov Malkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaakov-malkin/) > [The free market is ugly and stupid, like going to the mall; the unfree market is just as ugly and just as stupid, except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-free-market-is-ugly-and-stupid-like-going-to-the-mall-the-unfree/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“How little one is justified in speaking in this connection of "optimism" and "pessimism" and how much the characterization of liberalism as "optimistic" aims…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/how-little-one-is-justified-in-speaking-in-this-connection-of/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [No one spends someone elses money as carefully as he spends his own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/no-one-spends-someone-elses-money-as-carefully-as-he-spends-his-own/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [“Yet what happens if the greedy shoemaker increases his profits by paying employees less and increasing their work hours? 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