Raley's has gotten a lot better about the self-checkout being cool with my reusable bags. I figure that whatever time I lose with the wrangling myself is made up by the not having to chat to the people checking me out factor. Sure, they're all friendly, but I know they are secretly judging my cream and Splenda and eight kinds of yogurt.

Target now give me 5 cents for every bag I bring of my own. They hardly blink.

Safeway gives me 3 cents, but not per bag.

no one gives you money for bringing your own bag in NYC. in my neighborhood, they are forever surprised by it and look at you oddly.

I love the research applied to the checkout line problem. It's the new traveling salesman's dilemma! Sadly at TJs most of those rules don't apply.

Shamless pimpage! These are awesome grocery bags, and they're on sale right now. [link]

After 6 months or so mine are losing their ability to stand up on their own as nicely as they used to, but that may be because I am prone to crumpling them up when they're empty. Anyway, they're nifty and I have gotten compliments on them from the clerks.

And these are great too, while I'm pimping. They're bags with a built-in stuffsack so they'll fit in a purse or backpack but opened they hold quite a lot. [link]

msbelle - Have you tried hot & sour soup? When nothing else works I've found it will at least stop the sniffles long enough for me to inhale properly and feel sane again for an hour or two.

msbelle, you should go to bed.

tom, are you home and hale?

I'm home and I'm drunk.

I believe that counts. Miss you already.

I have been needing tissue so often now for 3 days that the skin under my nose and on either side is chapped. I am putting on petroleum jelly tonight, all lotions and make-up sting. enough stupid allergies sinus crap. and the medicines not so much really stopping the runny nose.

You need the Kleenex with the lotion. They're non-chafing.

One chain of grocery stores here has started charging .05/bag. At one of their stores they don't give out bags at all, you have to bring your own or buy thier reusable ones.

This is usually not a problem for me because I've been schlepping my groceries home in a backpack for years. I have become extremely picky and I can't let anyone else pack my own groceries in my bags, and I get irritated if they don't ring in my groceries in the way I've put them on the counter--because I have put them on the counter in the exact order I want to put them in my bag.

Sue, I am exactly the same. I just tell the vashier to put it on The back and I'll bag. Otherwise I end up angry and rebagging.