Quote Originally Posted by jobob View Post
You know, maybe it was my tightwad (and tightassed) Northeast upbringing, but I wouldn't dream of just going up to complete strangers and asking the price they paid for something. That is just freakin' rude.

(Now on this forum, that's a different matter.)
I had the same upbringing in the midwest. It's as rude to ask the price of a sandwich as it is a mortgage. Doesn't matter! My mother always told me to quote Dear Abby: "If you forgive me for not telling, I'll forgive you for asking". Which confused me somewhat as it also seems ungracious. These days I simply reply with "Why do you ask?".