diff --git a/application/helpers/locale_helper.php b/application/helpers/locale_helper.php
index d8ac76d1a..6fa642474 100644
--- a/application/helpers/locale_helper.php
+++ b/application/helpers/locale_helper.php
@@ -6,22 +6,22 @@
 
 function currency_side()
 {
-    $CI =& get_instance();
-    $fmt = new \NumberFormatter($CI->config->item('number_locale'), \NumberFormatter::CURRENCY);
-    $fmt->setSymbol(\NumberFormatter::CURRENCY_SYMBOL, $CI->config->item('currency_symbol'));
+    $config = get_instance()->config;
+    $fmt = new \NumberFormatter($config->item('number_locale'), \NumberFormatter::CURRENCY);
+    $fmt->setSymbol(\NumberFormatter::CURRENCY_SYMBOL, $config->item('currency_symbol'));
     return !preg_match('/^¤/', $fmt->getPattern());
 }
 
 function quantity_decimals()
 {
-    $CI =& get_instance();
-    return $CI->config->item('quantity_decimals') ? $CI->config->item('quantity_decimals') : 0;
+    $config = get_instance()->config;
+    return $config->item('quantity_decimals') ? $config->item('quantity_decimals') : 0;
 }
 
 function totals_decimals()
 {
-	$CI =& get_instance();
-	return $CI->config->item('currency_decimals') ? $CI->config->item('currency_decimals') : 0;
+	$config = get_instance()->config;
+	return $config->item('currency_decimals') ? $config->item('currency_decimals') : 0;
 }
 
 function to_currency($number, $escape = FALSE)
@@ -36,10 +36,6 @@ function to_currency_no_money($number)
 
 function to_tax_decimals($number)
 {
-    if (empty($number))
-    {
-        return $number;
-    }
     return to_decimals($number, 'tax_decimals');
 }
 
@@ -50,25 +46,32 @@ function to_quantity_decimals($number)
 
 function to_decimals($number, $decimals, $type=\NumberFormatter::DECIMAL)
 {
-    $CI =& get_instance();
-    $fmt = new \NumberFormatter($CI->config->item('number_locale'), $type);
-    $fmt->setAttribute(\NumberFormatter::MIN_FRACTION_DIGITS, $CI->config->item($decimals));
-    $fmt->setAttribute(\NumberFormatter::MAX_FRACTION_DIGITS, $CI->config->item($decimals));
-    $fmt->setSymbol(\NumberFormatter::CURRENCY_SYMBOL, $CI->config->item('currency_symbol'));
+	// ignore empty strings and return
+    if(empty($number))
+    {
+        return $number;
+    }
+	
+    $config = get_instance()->config;
+    $fmt = new \NumberFormatter($config->item('number_locale'), $type);
+    $fmt->setAttribute(\NumberFormatter::MIN_FRACTION_DIGITS, $config->item($decimals));
+    $fmt->setAttribute(\NumberFormatter::MAX_FRACTION_DIGITS, $config->item($decimals));
+    $fmt->setSymbol(\NumberFormatter::CURRENCY_SYMBOL, $config->item('currency_symbol'));
     return $fmt->format($number);
 }
 
 function parse_decimals($number)
 {
-    // ignore empty strings as they are just for empty input
-    if (empty($number))
+    // ignore empty strings and return
+    if(empty($number))
     {
         return $number;
     }
-    $CI =& get_instance();
-    $fmt = new \NumberFormatter( $CI->config->item('number_locale'), \NumberFormatter::DECIMAL );
-    $fmt->setAttribute(\NumberFormatter::MIN_FRACTION_DIGITS, $CI->config->item('quantity_decimals'));
-    $fmt->setAttribute(\NumberFormatter::MAX_FRACTION_DIGITS, $CI->config->item('quantity_decimals'));
+
+    $config = get_instance()->config;
+    $fmt = new \NumberFormatter( $config->item('number_locale'), \NumberFormatter::DECIMAL );
+    $fmt->setAttribute(\NumberFormatter::MIN_FRACTION_DIGITS, $config->item('quantity_decimals'));
+    $fmt->setAttribute(\NumberFormatter::MAX_FRACTION_DIGITS, $config->item('quantity_decimals'));
     return $fmt->parse($number);
 }
 
diff --git a/database/database.sql b/database/database.sql
index 837f7b70d..531e475c8 100644
--- a/database/database.sql
+++ b/database/database.sql
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ INSERT INTO `ospos_app_config` (`key`, `value`) VALUES
 ('dateformat', 'm/d/Y'),
 ('timeformat', 'H:i:s'),
 ('currency_symbol', '$'),
+('number_locale', 'en_US'),
 ('currency_decimals', '2'),
 ('tax_decimals', '2'),
 ('quantity_decimals', '0'),
diff --git a/database/migrate_phppos_dist.sql b/database/migrate_phppos_dist.sql
index a21821db4..149b5d0f8 100644
--- a/database/migrate_phppos_dist.sql
+++ b/database/migrate_phppos_dist.sql
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ INSERT INTO `ospos_app_config` (`key`, `value`) VALUES
 ('dateformat', 'm/d/Y'),
 ('timeformat', 'H:i:s'),
 ('currency_symbol', '$'),
-('decimal_point', '.'),
+('number_locale', 'en_US'),
 ('currency_decimals', '2'),
 ('tax_decimals', '2'),
 ('quantity_decimals', '0'),