Short-changed by $1

[Alcott]

A couple of nights ago I went into a Dollar General store and bought $6.51 of goods. Handing a $10 dollar bill to the checkout clerk, a young woman about 20, she said my change was $3.49. I watched her and saw her get 2 dollars from the register, plus 49 cents. As this is something I have encountered before, I waited for her to put the change into my hand, then emphatically said, "This is TWO forty-nine!" She said she was very sorry, had to get a key to open and correct [supposedly] the register, and gave me the other dollar.

Do you watch money-takers like that clerk? Have you noticed being short,-changed by $1 by such people--who most likely pocket that dollar? Since most people are mentally lazy-- and don't calculate for themselves the exact price, and change, if applicable-- how easy would it be to do this many times on a shift and get an extra x$ an hour? And if you catch the person, they will just turn on the charm and apologize, as you can't prove they were deliberately short-changing you. And SHOULD we call their attention to the fact that we were shorted? To let them know that not everyone doesn't notice, or that they are violating both a legal and moral principle? Or should we not care, assume they may need such a tidbit of money more than we, and possibly hint that we hope they use that extra dollar wisely?

 

[Marooncat79]

I just basically worry about whether they are within $2-$3.

I do not worry at all about the change

I figure I have spent much more $$$ foolishly than that in life

JMO

I think most try to get it right most of the time

 

[OnlyaSinner]

I think I've received too much change more often than too little, but even if that's incorrect, I'll almost always note the error - counting a penny or 3 might be ignored. Part of that comes from long ago when I was running cash registers at a lake resort and later at a pizza shop. In each place, the manager was just as concerned about the final count being more than the tape (yes, that long ago) than being under; I would not want to contribute to register error. God has also given me some skill in mental arithmetic that makes change-checking intuitive.

 

[Salty]

As a retired clerk from a C-store - I prided myself on my register coming out to the exact penny when I closed out. (that is one of the reasons, I did not want others using my register.)

Most registers will give the amount of change, and then I would also count it back. I would NEVER just hand 3- one dollar bills in one "Clump: who know -that middle one could be a 5 dollar bill or other such situation. I would count each bill individually. First it is professionalism. Second - I do NOT want to short the customer or my register.

As a customer, I always count my change - then put it into my "petty cash" money bag.
My pet peeve is when the clerk does not give me a receipt. If they don't, I wait - the clerk usually will ask "did you want a bag" - I will tell them - "You forgot my receipt" They normally will answer - "you have to ask" and I reply - "NO, I dont - you should offer it." - I account for every penny in my petty cash!

Same with my checking account -- I balance to the penny - each and every month.

Balancing the Checkbook | What does the Bible say about it?

 

[kyredneck]

Do you watch money-takers like that clerk? Have you noticed being short,-changed by $1 by such people--who most likely pocket that dollar? Since most people are mentally lazy-- and don't calculate for themselves the exact price, and change, if applicable-- how easy would it be to do this many times on a shift and get an extra x$ an hour?

Yea, I'm pretty lazy in that area, most of the time I hardly even look at the change, just stick in my pocket or wallet and go. Lol, I'll probably start watching closer now...

 

[Marooncat79]

My dad went into a store one time and lol the lady gave him change for $100!instead of a $50

he turned around took about 3-4 steps and returned to the register and told the clerk “this isn’t right”

she said “sir it doesn’t matter now, you turned away and walked off”. He said not a problem and walked off, he was in shock, he finally called the manager over and told her and gave her the extra $50.

the lady turned like 5000 shades of red.

 

[Salty]

My dad went into a store one time and lol the lady gave him change for $100!instead of a $50 ...
...she said “sir it doesn’t matter now, you turned away and walked off”. He said not a problem and walked off, he was in shock, he finally called the manager over and told her and gave her the extra $50.

Driving back form Alaska - I stopped to buy gas. Before I pumped - I asked the clerk - if she had change for a $50. She checked with her manager - came out and gave me my change from the $50. I went out and and pumped - got in my car - and was a bit confused. -- I went back in and the clerk jokingly asked if I wanted change for another $50. I said NO. I just want to give you the first $50 bill !!!

 

[Alcott]

I wanted to see some response before I posted anything more on this. While I don't want to be an enabler of theft, I don't want to act as if being shorted one dollar is grand larceny. And it's also true that young people today don't seem to have the simple skills of counting out change and having a balance of funds for which they are responsible. But I'm not one who puts everything on a card, so that doesn't happen. In fact cards, as we know, can be hacked for far, far more. That also happened to me during the no-entry days of the pandemic, when I bought a $5 coffee funnel from Bed Bath and Beyond, and parked there to have it brought to me. Within hours I was notified of unauthorized activity on my cc.

Maybe this really leads us to consider what kids are taught these things by friends, if not by family. That the privileged, greedy white man owes them anyway, and all that. The first time I recognized I was being shorted $1 was years ago at a Grandy's. I was picking up 3 or 4 orders to take home, and the black girl at the drive-thru quoted the price of (I think) $12.xx. She said change was $6.xx. Isaw what she was doing, and I said "Change should be $7.xx." She gave a very unconvincing act of "Oh--I'm sorry. It is $7.xx." She didn't really try to make it look legitimate. But whatever they think their reasons or justifications are, I don't think it should be passed over as nothing important.

 

[Salty]

Alcott - you mentioned young folks use cards....
As a clerk, I have seen people a sale of 30 cents or so on a credit card.
My goodness......

 

[Alcott]

Alcott - you mentioned young folks use cards....
As a clerk, I have seen people a sale of 30 cents or so on a credit card.
My goodness......

That reminded me of something I remember from jr. high school. I sometimes saw a guy I knew in the lunch line who paid 50 cents for the plate lunch every day by check that one of his parents had signed. Well, maybe it wasn't every day; I didn't see him every day in the line. But that might be an indicator that there have just about always been some people who don't want to carry cash or have their children do so.

 

[Salty]

My gripe about using a credit card for such a small purchase - is the amount of time it takes - much longer than a cash transaction -
and when you have 5 or 6 people waiting in line - it gets to be a hassle.