This is no place for rants, girlie, my Scottish mum used to say in the kitchen. And so I’ve moved my mumblings to blogworld.

Today, for the umpteenth time, I happened upon another glossy ad for specials at a local shop. Every single item was marked $1.99 or $2.99 or $99.99.

I realise that in marketing-speak, this not-so-subtle psychological trick (which fizzles as poorly as the last Sex and the City three-quel) is designed to entice us to buy.

But in whose world does this actually work?

Give me an honest-to-goodness round number in ANY currency, baby. Tell me it’s $4 and I’ll feel the bargain. Whack me with a dead-fish $3.99 and lose my custom. Every time.

The worst? Those $9,999 plasma television deals. Right, what am I to do with my couple of cents left over? Buy a McDonald’s and praise my purchasing savvy?

Shops, retailers, marketeurs and entrepreneurs – play fair now. We’ve had enough!

And that’s 100% of the time. Not 99% of it.