Showerthought: The weird way people keep writing 'estimate' on their bids

I've seen three bids this month from other contractors where they wrote 'estimate' at the top but then put a hard deadline for acceptance and a line saying 'prices subject to change'. That's not an estimate, that's a quote with an escape hatch. One guy in Phoenix sent me a copy of his bid for a kitchen job, and it said 'Estimate: $25,000' but then had a tiny note saying materials could go up 15% after 7 days. How does that help the homeowner plan? It just sets everyone up for a fight later. Do you think some folks just use the word 'estimate' because it sounds less scary than 'quote'?

Found out my grocery store's 'manager's special' meat section is a total trap

I was at the big chain store on 5th Street yesterday, looking for cheap chicken. The 'manager's special' rack always has those bright orange stickers, so I grabbed a pack of thighs marked down to $3.50. I got home and checked the 'sell by' date, which was that same day. Fine, I'll cook it tonight. But then I weighed it on my kitchen scale. The package said 1.5 pounds, but it was only 1.2 pounds. They priced it based on the original weight before it lost water, which is how they get you. I felt pretty dumb for not checking. Has anyone else caught their store doing this, or is it just mine being shady?

Had to choose between a new high-end range or a full hood system upgrade. Went with the hood. Best kitchen call I ever made.