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Thanks for Nothing – Fall 2025

Every few months we spotlight offers from companies that are real head-scratchers, are actually less generous than they appear, are just plain outrageous, or may simply elicit a chuckle. Here’s the latest crop.

T-Mobile Free iPhone 17 Offer

Those of us of a certain age remember the FEDEX commercials where John Moshitta rapid-talked his way to stardom. It seems that T-Mobile found their own new rapid-talker to disclose all the catches involved in their offer for a free iPhone Pro 17.

Listen to the last 17 seconds of this commercial — mostly unintelligible for the average person.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Thanks for nothing, T-Mobile.

High Beef Prices

MrConsumer did a double-take a few weeks ago when he saw this $38 price tag on a three-pound chuck steak at his local supermarket.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Chuck Steak $11.99 /lb

When I was a kid, chuck steak was 39-cents a pound on sale! Now it’s $11.99. High demand and shrinking supplies they say is to blame. With prices like that for the cheapest type of steak, demand is sure to fall.

But perhaps we should be thankful for the relative bargain that chuck steak is compared to three pounds of Wagyu steak at Costco at ten times the price:

Wagyu steak

Thanks for nothing, Stop & Shop, Costco, and all the other grocery stories charging outrageous prices for beef.

Home Depot Free Tool Offer

An email from Home Depot made a tempting offer right in the subject line promising a free Milwaukee expansion tool (whatever that is). When you open the email, the recipient is probably surprised to learn there is a $3,000 minimum purchase necessary!

*MOUSE PRINT:

Free tool

Thanks to David B. for this submission, but thanks for nothing, Home Depot.

Gizmodo Charger Offer

On Gizmodo’s deal page recently they promoted a three-port phone charger as “almost free.”

Almost free charger

However, when you scroll down, you learn the charger isn’t anywhere near “almost free.”

*MOUSE PRINT:

Not almost free

Thanks for nothing, Gizmodo.

Walmart Mayonnaise Price Rollback

Everyone knows when you see a rollback sign at Walmart, that signals a price drop.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Walmart rollback

This must be the new math. Thanks for nothing, Walmart.

Groupon Deal at AMC Theatres

It looked like quite a deal at AMC to get a movie ticket and a snack for only $5.03 with a Groupon discount.

Groupon AMC deal

*MOUSE PRINT:

It turns out that only the drink was $5.03. The movie was an additional $12.

Groupon discounted drink

Groupon discounted movie ticket

Thanks for nothing, Groupon.

If you find an offer suitable to be called out here, please send a copy of it to Edgar(at symbol)MousePrint.org . Thanks.

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AT&T’s Free iPhone Pro 17 Has a High Price Tag

All the major cell carriers are offering free deals on the new Apple iPhone 17 Pro cellphone to get you to switch to them.

Particularly obnoxious is the AT&T offer.

They make a point of saying that you don’t have to enroll in their most expensive plan in order to get the free phone… great!

most expensive plan not required

The almost unreadable fine print even on a 55-inch TV, enlarged below, discloses the real deal.

*MOUSE PRINT:

min $75.99 plan required

Looking at the various plans offered by AT&T, their $75.99 plan (before taxes and fees) is not the most expensive. It is the second most expensive plan!

*MOUSE PRINT:

second most expensive plan

Given that you can get unlimited plans for between $25 and $30 without a “free” phone at some carriers, thanks for nothing, AT&T.

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Total Wireless’ Too-Good-to-Be-True Offer

It sounded like such a great deal from Total Wireless: $25 a month for cell service on four lines, taxes and fees included, and four free 5G phones.

Here’s their commercial:

Apparently, that is not the real offer. The free phones part of the offer is for more expensive plans and not the $25 a month plan. Who could tell that? And, it is not in the unreadable fine print either.

But the National Advertising Division (NAD) of Better Business Bureau Programs figured it out and ruled against Total Wireless.

NAD determined that the phrase, “and to top it all off, we’ll give you up to four free 5G phones,” implies the last part of a single offer. NAD determined that the commercial conveys the unsupported message that Total Wireless customers can get both four lines of wireless service for $25 per month and get four free 5G phones regardless of the plan they select, and recommended Total Wireless modify its advertising to avoid conveying such a message.

Total Wireless is part of Tracfone, owned by Verizon. The company said it disagreed with NAD’s decision, but would abide by it in the future.