Frugal Tip: Watch At Checkout
If you carefully plan out your grocery (or other) shopping, pay attention to the great deals, match them up with coupons, and work really hard at maximizing your spending dollar, it really stinks if that becomes completely unraveled at checkout. The best thing you can do to ensure all your hard work pays off is to pay attention at those last moment and make sure everything goes how you expect it to.
Sometimes, the item may ring up incorrectly at the register. This has happened to me, and at some stores (like Kroger, where I do much of my grocery shopping) if something rings up incorrectly, you get the first item free. So I am careful to pay attention and question anything I’m unsure of.
Which leads to the second point – make sure to check your receipts as you go out the door. Sometimes you may not notice a mistake as it happens, but if you catch it right away on your receipt, you can get it corrected. Bring the mistake to the attention of the service desk, and they should be happy to correct it right there.
And finally, keep track of those coupons. I’ve had some inadvertently skipped by the cashier as they were ringing others up (I usually have a fistful of coupons these days). This can lead to dollars you didn’t mean to spend going to the store instead of staying in your pocket. I generally make a list of the coupons and amounts and match them to my receipt if I am unsure.
Don’t let your hard work at finding the right deals get lost in the shuffle. Pay attention and you’ll be rewarded for all that hard work! And don’t feel guilty for holding up the line or being slow if you do have a question. It is your right as a customer to take the time you need and make sure that you are getting what you deserve. Mistakes happen – don’t let them happen to you.
This frugal tip provided by paidtwice of I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…