The Muggers No Longer Use Guns

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They're screwing us, one penny, one nickel, or 75 cents a time, and they are doing it for good reason. Because they can. Now, it's all for a good cause, they will tell you. But is it really? What I am talking about is the culture of the "round up." So many stores and places are now doing this, and it has become as annoying as the growing trend in tip culture. It's gotten out of hand. There are two things behind this trend that make it successful. For one thing, people are just careless with their money and even though many would never tell you outright they are willing to waste their money... The reality is that most people waste money even if they are not keenly aware that that's what they are doing. People will say, "What's a nickel," or "It's only 60 cents." Well, say that 100 times and that's no longer a nickel or 60 cents. It's $5 or $60. Now, if someone just came up to you on the street and asked you to just hand them $60 would you do it? No. But if someone asks you for 60 cents? Maybe. 100 times? Maybe. "What's 60 cents?" after all, right? You don't see the $60 so you don't mind the 60 cents. What else makes this work? Guilt. I mean, you can't spare your change for some hungry or diseased kids? What's wrong with you? The cashier will see you. The guy behind you in line will see you. Your heart starts to race as unseen eyes and faces scowl at you in disgust. I don't do it. Not because I don't care. But because I refuse to feel obligated to make a donation anywhere, anytime, on demand. And because I value my money. And because I want to be in charge of where it goes and who gets it and why and in what amount. We're being robbed. We're being suckered. And we're allowing ourselves to be. It needs to end.