silly things like pricetags

As much as I try and encourage others to shop locally, sometimes it ca be frustrating. Sure, there is the obvious price differences, and sometimes it is hard to pay 100% more for something than you would have paid at Mal-Wort (especially when you're on a tight budget). But there are also other little conveniences that you grow accustomed to with big chain stores.

For example, having your items bagged for you, or being able to see the price of anything you want to buy. The local hardware store, for example, has a nice size selection but not everything has the price tag on display. And since it is such a small store, you need to go up and have the scan it to tell you how much it costs - sort-of a pin in the ass when you're in a hurry and they already have a large line of people waiting to check out.

I remember seeing a special once about why mom-and-pop stores and restaurants were going out of business. American shoppers want convenience, but they also want a certain amount of predictability. This is why you might grab a burger at a McDonald's even if there was a mom-and-pop burger joint right next door. Sure, their burger may be awesome, but at McDonald's you know what to expect (you just don't know what the meat is made form). I hate to admit that I, too, fall into this category of people on occasion, and seeing as I sometimes have stomach troubles, I don't like to experiment with my digestive system as much as I used to.