Things I Learned in Economics that Will Make you Feel Betrayed

Trigger warning. I'm just kidding, it's not that bad.. but you'll feel a little scammed after learning these two concepts.

The Flight Scam..

Have you ever searched for a flight, come back a few hours later, and suddenly the price is higher?

Picture taken July 2025. Hot take: I love airports & flying!

It feels personal.. 👀 like you're being watched through the screen, or that the airline has a personal vendetta against your indecisiveness.

This idea comes from price discrimination: companies charging different people different prices based on their willingness to pay. In theory, tracking cookies could help airlines identify repeat searches and raise prices accordingly.

So, if you're booking your next trip, make sure to look for those flights on a private/incognito browser, or clear your cookies beforehand. Happy hunting!

Skinny Queen? Smaller Portion Sizes?

Have you noticed that food portions at your favorite fast food restaraunts are getting smaller and smaller? Yeah.. that isn't because McDonald's has heard about your new year's resolution to lose weight.

Economists call this menu costs, the costs businesses face when changing prices from reprinting menus, updating systems, changing labels, and more importantly, dealing with customer reactions. People notice when the price changes, and it might lead them to stop buying.

Yummy eats from Japan :)

So instead of increasing the price, companies do something sneakier:

They keep the price the same… and reduce the portion size.

From a business perspective, it’s genius. The price looks unchanged, customers are less likely to react negatively, and profit margins are protected.

And from a consumer perspective, you don’t immediately notice a few chips missing or a slightly smaller portion; however over time, you’re paying the same for less.

Summary

I love how economics intertwines behavior, perception, and psychology. It's not just about the money..

• With flights, the fear of price increases pushes you to act faster.

• With food, the illusion of stable prices keeps you from reacting at all.

In both cases, your decisions are being shaped not just by reality, but by how that reality is presented to you.

And once you realize that, you start to see it everywhere.