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Do you check your receipt every time you make a purchase? When was the last time you went item by item and made sure that you paid the price you expected to pay?
This is something that we all should be doing, and it’s something that can pay off pretty quickly. It’s definitely something that I need to do more consistently and my shopping trip today was a perfect example.
My wife asked me to stop at the grocery store today to pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables and some other miscellaneous items. We’re looking to save as much as we can on groceries, so that means buying what we need and definitely shopping the sales. I scored some decent deals, bread that was on sale for $2.00 off the regular price and some fresh items we needed were on sale as well. I wanted to buy some tortilla chips too, so I surveyed the options. Tostitos were on sale for $3.50 a bag, but Santitos were only $2.29 for a 1lb bag. I will gladly drop one bigger name brand for another that’s sold for 1/3 the price. Done deal!
When I got to checkout, the chips were the first items scanned and they rang up for $2.49 a piece. At first I thought I had looked at the wrong tag on the shelf and that I had made the mistake. But after I paid I went back and sure enough the tag on the shelf said $2.29. I purchased two bags so we’re looking at a 40 cent difference. In the past I don’t think would have bothered going up to the customer service desk for 40 cents. But since we’re looking to save as much as we can – every penny counts, especially when I don’t have to do much work to correct an obvious error.
The woman at the customer service desk happily made the price change and refunded me the 40 cent difference AND she gave me one of the bags for free. So instead of getting the 40 cents I had overpaid, I received an additional $2.29 off my total. That made my day. She thanked me for speaking up, so that they can get the correct price into the computer. That’s good customer service. And that’s why you need to speak up.
As I mentioned earlier, this seems like a small problem, one that you’re not likely to bother going out of your way to fix. But when you consider the scope of the issue, I think it’s extremely important to speak up. How many other people never checked their receipts and also paid too much for those chips? Now think about how many different items are for sale at local grocery store. THOUSANDS! There are bound to be dozens of pricing errors that could be found throughout the store. That’s why you need to pay attention when you shop and speak up if a mistake has been made.
Use your shopping list and keep track of the shelf and sale prices. Most of us shop with shopping lists, especially at grocery stores. So make sure to have a pen with you and as you find the items you’re looking for make a quick note of the price you expect to pay. That way when you get your receipt you can double-check to make sure you paid the correct price. Even better you can watch as the items are scanned and catch the error before it impacts your wallet.
Once you get home, keep a log of your purchases and the prices you paid. That way you can shop around and keep track of who has the lowest prices on the items you’re shopping for. And when the weekly circulars come out with the sale items, you can compare the prices you normally pay to the sale prices. Many stores will raise the “regular” price of an item in order to put it on sale. If you’re keeping track at home, you’ll be able to spot this tactic before ever setting foot in the store!
Don’t rely on the cashier to know the prices! They have no idea what the prices are. Most cashiers don’t even know what products the store sells, let alone what items are on sale from one week to the next! Robots could do this job, that’s all they are there for – that an trying to sell you on saving $4.14 cents by opening a new credit card account with them?! YOU can do this job better. In fact, if you have the opportunity, use a self checkout lane and do it yourself. That way you force yourself to scan every item and pay attention to the price that rings up. Don’t put the onus on someone else to pay attention, when its your money at stake.
Don’t let yourself shop in a haze. There you are aimlessly wandering the aisles with your mind in the clouds. Wake up! It’s your hard earned money being spent – pay attention! And when the time comes and when a mistake has been made – AND ERRORS WILL BE MADE – speak up and get it fixed.
What else can you do to make sure you’re getting the right price? Post a comment, I’d love to know what your strategies are!
photo credit: beverlyislike
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You are really dedicated. I used to look at every receipt and now only do it for major purchases. In fact, I hate it when I find a mistake because it means having to talk to a manager or two to get things worked out. My mother in law loved finding mistakes and would wait patiently to get her refund. Some stores I’ve noticed even offer free items if the receipt is incorrect.