There are other ways to do this. When I buy groceries here in Norway, there is VAT: 15% on most food, 25% on most other items, and none on newspapers, magazine

There are other ways to do this. When I buy groceries here in Norway, there is VAT: 15% on most food, 25% on most other items, and none on newspapers, magazines, and books. It is common for me to buy a mix of items at the store. All of the prices listed on the shelf include this VAT tax, which is similar to the sales tax in the US. I can always figure out what I'm going to pay, save for guessing some prices for weighed goods. On the reciept, there is a line telling me how much of the total bill was taxes. Therefore I can always know how much goes to the tax man. Even if I was living in the states, it isn't so hard to figure out so long as you have calculator access and know the local sales tax amount.