22 “Culture Shocks” Encountered By This American Woman Who Moved To Australia

Whatever the reason, whatever way you spin it, I'M IN THIS STORE, I WANT TO KNOW THE PRICE IN IN THIS STORE. Changing the price later is stupid and again, only in America.

It's not just state to state. Sales taxes change from city to city sometimes.

The real reason that stores display the price of an item 'before taxes' dates to the early 20th Century when sales tax was first implemented. Customers complained about price increases, and stores wanted to make it very clear that they had not raised prices, so they continued to display the same price, and add tax at checkout.

I've seen this question asked a lot. Lots of people mention different taxes for different states, but I don't see why that's a good reason at all. So just add the tax for your state as a shop owner. I also saw people mention that it is because the taxes change sometimes. Ok so change the price when they do? You know, just like everyone else does in the rest of the world

States set their own level of sales tax. Therefore some States are potentially cheaper to live in than others. Though I suspect that is clouded by them setting different levels of tax on other things. Why they can't put both prices on the label, I don't know. We stick price comparisons on ours, such as £1.23 per 100g to make it easier to compare different pack sizes and brands.

The thing I found confusing when visiting my husband in the US, is food is taxed in Idaho, but not in Washington. In Canada food isn't taxed, except for some "junk" food.

I thought we apply the sales tax to the whole thing at the end meaning you aren't being taxed for each individual item, just the total amount of the cart...not sure that having each item showing with tax would work.

It's not just state taxes; counties and cities can have their own sales tax and even areas where tourism is a big thing will have an ADDITIONAL tax. So if you buy a Coke for $1.00 in county A that has 7% sales tax, it's $1.07, but that same item in county B in a tourism area may have a 8% sales tax AND a 5% "Island authority" tax, so it's $1.13, even though the item costs the store the same amount to buy. It's a giant pain in the butt and places the burden of determining the actual cost of items in the consumer (and let's not even talk about ordering that same Coke in a restaurant where a server brings it to you and needs you to tip them for the service because restaurants don't pay a living wage in this country...)

Food isn’t taxed unless is prepared when you buy it- restaurants. If you bought peanut butter at the store & the price said $3.99 that’s is exactly what you would pay!!

For the different states, it’s basically each state is a country that operates inside of the larger country. They each have their own tax amounts, which I find ridiculous, but I have to deal with it.

In the USA, Michigan's sales tax, which doesn't apply to food, is 6%. Indiana, which borders Michigan on the southwest, has a 7% sales tax, which also doesn't apply to food. Ohio, which borders Michigan and Indiana, has 5.75%, and also doesn't apply to food. When I left Tennessee in 2004, they had a 9% sales tax which DID apply to food. It has gone down to 7%, according to Google, and groceries are taxed at a 5% tax rate. This information helps if you're deciding which state to move to, or if you live near the shared Indiana/Michigan/Ohio border.

It IS common to leave tip other places too (at least in Europe), but the difference is that it's optional and more seen as appreciation for good service etc.

and Canada to our shame we copy the wrong countries.

Erm, no. Tips are normal in Europe. The waiters are better paid than in US though.

Many Countries in Asia, Canada, and maybe few more.

Yeah, that's why people risk their lives to come here because it's so bad.

Not in Latin America, it isn't. Need to leave tips here.

Capitalism.

I lived in Korea for three years. In most every profession, they actually get offended by tips. My husband took a cab and paid with bills. Was owed some coins, and the cab driver ran after him to give him his change.

Everywhere in the first / developed world, you mean.

As it should be.

Absolutely not. Most states pay minimum wage *before* tips. Though taxes for those tips come out of their paychecks. Only a few states have a separate "tip wage". Then, if $2.13/hr, the company must cover the remaining $12.77 to reach $15/hr if the employee's tips don't. But again, most states do not have a tip wage.

USA is only paying military.. so medical are in debt

Capitalism

Again not in Latin America, Africa, parts of Asia, parts of the Middle East....

And China. Most of the homeless I met in Beijing were homeless due to medical bills (the rest were mostly slaves to organised criminals).

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...no. Others pay much, much higher taxes that pays medical. So, yes, you are paying. A lot. Not as much as us, but there we are.

Children, at least, do have medical coverage by the state. As do many, many Americans- they just have to apply for it.

umm..not to a be a greenie or anything, but it's better for reducing carbon emissions, too.

Well I don't have an outside to hang my washing, so it hangs round the house for half a day and then finishes off in the tumble drier before being put away. Saves a lot of electricity, but the clothes are still soft.

Also smells fresher, and sunlight (UV) is a great disinfectant.

The cost to the planet, as well as your pocket!

Yup, I traveled and noticed this. I had an epiphany because I realized how ridiculous it is to use a dryer when the environment will do the work for me for free.

i did put my laundry outside when the weather was dry (cloudy without rain and so on) but my bf is allergic to almost every tree/flower/grass here, so his clothes would become deathtraps for him..

Also because of CO2 emissions now.

Not just the cost, things smell so much fresher when dried outside

My family almost always has clothes on the doors

Exactly. Although Scotland is the windiest country in Europe, which also helps.

Yep, I'm in Canada and I hang my laundry as much and as often as possible.

Maybe in the states they a) dont have anywhere to hang the line from or b) think their laundry will get pinched?

And ruina your clothes

a lot of washing machines have a spin dry cycle built in now though

In other wet places we hang them inside (for days!), for example in Paris.

I actually use the dryer because it gets rid off most of the cat hair in my clothes. Friends with allergies (poor things, allergic to cats) tell me it's definitely a big difference.