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I used to count the items in my cart to guess the total, but now I just stare at the candy rack.
The switch happened about two years ago when prices started changing so fast. I gave up trying to do the math in my head when a bag of chips I bought for $3.50 last month was suddenly $4.79. Does anyone else just zone out and look at the gum instead?
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hugo_hayes2mo ago
Honestly, same. I just stand there and try to guess how many packs of mints I could have bought with the mystery upcharge on my milk. My math skills gave up and went home, and now my brain just shows me pictures of chocolate bars until the beeping stops. It's like a weird coping mechanism for financial dread. Tbh, I'm probably better off not knowing the exact number until the last second anyway. Saves me from the mini heart attack happening halfway through the checkout.
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ryanj602mo agoProlific Poster
Oh man, @hugo_hayes, you just described my whole shopping trip. My brain does the same thing, but it's like a sad slideshow of stuff I decided not to buy. It'll flash a bag of chips, then my bank account, then just a picture of a sad face. By the time the card reader asks for my PIN, I'm just staring blankly, already accepting my fate. Honestly, the beeping sound is basically the theme song for my budget falling apart.
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joseph5291mo ago
Ha, @hugo_hayes, I think you might be onto something with that coping mechanism theory. But from my experience, the beeping has a way of snapping me back to reality right when the total pops up, not saving me from any heart attack at all. Your mileage may vary, but the numbers always show up before the card beeps for me, so my brain gets the full shock treatment either way.
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