The price on the shelf is not the price, and the bill is not the bill.
Tipping: who, when and how muchTipping in the US is not a bonus — for servers it's most of their income, because tipped minimum wage can be far below the normal minimum. Budget for it as part of the price.
Why the till total is higher than the shelf priceAmerican price tags exclude sales tax — it's added at checkout, and the rate depends on your state, county and even city. A handful of states charge no sales tax at all.Returns culture, seasonal sales and shopping smartTwo pleasant surprises: US return policies are famously generous, and the seasonal sale calendar is real — most big purchases have a predictable cheapest month.