If I shut up I make more money

At convenience stores and other places where I'm buying little things that aren't labeled, it pays for me to not say anything and act like a local that doesn't like to talk. I seem to always get a better price.

On Friday I was walking by a small snack food vendor on the road on the east side of tiananmen square that had these wraps that were like flour burritos filled with the meat inside of dumplings. I had one and it tasted really good. But I opened my mouth to say "how much?" that day and got charged $1.50 for it, which I knew was a ripoff but I wanted one anyway.

Today I walked past the exact same store and asked for the same thing by just pointing at it and showing them one index finger to say I just wanted 1 and they charged me $1 for it!

That's a 33% savings for keeping my mouth closed! I wish my stocks did the same thing.

Granted yes, I saved all of 50 cents, but that's not the point. :) It was a great victory for jimkind. I noticed this hidden "discount" method since Japan and have been using it liberally since then.

P.s. You can ride the subway almost twice for 50 cents here