"Is this okay?"

I enjoy my debit card. My bank has a particularly cool looking card designed by a local artist, so every once in awhile someone will start up a conversation about it....I like my debit card because I don't have to take the time to write a check or dig up exact change, but I'm still using money I actually have in my account.

But I begin to have a lengthy (sometimes heated) conversation in my head with the little swiper machine at the checkout when it asks me this question:

"Total: $XX.XX"

"Is this okay?"

What a dumb question. Is this okay?

Is it okay that you're charging me $2.69/gallon for milk, when it was just $1.98 3 days ago?

Is it okay that the Multi-Grain Cheerios box is skinnier, but you're charging me the same price?

You really want the answer? No. It's not okay.

I'm not okay with being manipulated into buying products because they say "less sugar" or because you put a special sale sticker on them.

I'm not okay with the fact that prices on the same items at the 3 different Walmarts in town are not identical. Or that it's the 3rd time in a row I've left my re-useable grocery bags at home. Or that my daughter thinks I'm the meanest mom in the world because I wouldn't buy her frosted animal crackers.

How about instead asking "Can you afford this?" - that might keep me from adding a roll of chocolate cookie dough to the cart....

or maybe "is this really how you wanted to spend your hard-earned cash?"

but certainly "Is this total correct?" might be a more appropriate question.