Change your mindset after reading this.

Most times when we walk into big malls, boutiques and supermarkets we never question their prices. We pay exactly what we see on the price tags and even hand out tips to the staff.

But the moment we are out of these shops and want to buy banana and peanut our bargaining power rises to the roof.

A poor woman with hungry children at home tells you banana is N100. She even takes her time to explain how difficult it was for her to buy it from the market. But we insist that if it's not N50, we are not buying.

Some of us even step back into our cars and make to drive away. But because 'half bread is better than none', the woman is forced to run after you and sell at no gain.

In her heart she cries, she's worried about how she'll survive with her children. She silently reassures herself that 'It's well since she is not returning home with the banana. Her motivation is God will definitely provide some other day.

Meanwhile you drive off and happily chop the luscious banana.

Take some seconds to think about this.
Am always moved to tears when I see people who genuinely and helplessly hawk petty goods to feed and survive for a day, especially women and children.

Please don't bargain too hard with small vendors. They do business not to buy designer bags, trendy phones, watches, shoes or designer clothes, but to FEED the family and CARE for the children in school.

This touched me when I realised it ... so lets CHANGE our ways. Its another way of spending on humanity in the will of God.
"He who gives to the poor lends to his Maker".

High hygiene and comfort have a cost. Most of the items sold by small vendors deserve bargains. You do not know how many people that have touched the items sampled by those small vendors. Some urinate and return to business without washing hands. Most of the vendors sell in uncomfortable and unsafe places. I rather separately give the vendor money that is not part of my payment for the item.

But there are exceptions in everything. Some people do unfair bargaining against small vendors and I condemn that one. Some rich people will refuse to patronize a small vendor because of 50 Naira. That one is bad.

Also know that most of them are not as poor as you think. Many of them make more than what some officer staff earn per month. But their ideology makes them think dressing and feeding well is ostentatious. As you pity them, try to balance your emotion with rational thinking. Some of them deliberately look unkept to arouse pity for themselves. You need to see them at night or when they are going to some events.