No, your pockets have to be full of the bells. No items. Tools are fine. Take the bells from your wallet in small increments and until every open slot is filled. That way, they can't try to sell you anything or have you buy anything. It doesn't have to be bells, just something that they can't offer to buy from you. Stationery or something like that could work, I guess? I never tried it that way. Bells are what I saw suggested and it has worked for me.