Last night I stopped into the local 711 convenience store in Hollywood proper, snatched up my favorite snack, and headed towards the register to pay up.
But, when the cashier rang up the charges, it was obvious something was amiss.
When I asked him for the price of the items, I was able to ascertain that I was being billed $1.39 for a pastry that was just 69 cents yesterday!
I pushed the package back towards the clerk and informed him politely that I would forgo on purchasing the item.
Surprisingly, a tall studious-looking young man standing next to me piped in,
"How much do you need?"
I quickly noted that I could afford to pay, thanked him for his kind offer, then pointed out that I refused to support greed.
"One day the item costs 69 cents. The next day they hike it up to $1.39. If we don't stand up and voice our concerns the problem will persist," I noted in a voice as polite as I could muster up under the circumstances.
The cashier (looking a little embarrassed at this juncture) informed me he would only charge me for the price I was accustomed to paying previously.
See! It pays to speak up.
Just say "no". Don't allow yourself to get ripped off.
As Mahatma Gandhi once noted,
"Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed"