I know most everyone has a limited budget

[AUFred]

Including me. I was reminded again how much the education system in America has failed. Another Walmart adventure.

Tuesday night I ran in to pick up one item with the intent of paying cash. I head to the express checkout, "20 items or less." There is a young woman with her daughter ahead of me. She has a carry basket with at least 35 items in it which she unloads on to the counter for the clerk to ring up. My guess based on the items is somewhere around $85 to $90 worth of items just by eyeballing. When the amount reaches about 60 the young woman stops the clerk. She begins to take items out of her loaded shopping cart to be scanned and removed from her total. When they finish the young woman had a $50 giftcard and about $6 in cash. Often times if the person ahead of me is a few dollars short I will make up the difference but when you miss your spendable amount by double you need help beyond a few dollars. The clerk now is stuck with items including ice cream which someone must return to the store. I see this far too often in stores where the basic math and reading skills are lacking.

I am reminded that everyone has their own burdens but I admire the patience the cashiers at stores must have today.

 

[Zorak]

The beauty of cards, when my maths fails me (which it inevitably does), I just stick it on the card.

 

[AUFred]

The beauty of cards, when my maths fails me (which it inevitably does), I just stick it on the card.

My guess is that was not an option for this young woman. I use the card most every time my total exceeds $10.

 

[CaptainTurtles]

And then you have to ask yourself.. if she's on that tight of a budget, how important is buying ice cream?

 

[Zorak]

Having cash is a major pain for me. They closed the bank on campus, and thus the nearest set of free ATM's a few months back and the new bank won't be opening for months. So I tend to use the card a lot. I like cash, but I never seem to have any on me.

 

[hart]

I wish clerks would look at a basket with 15 or more over 20 items and have the guts to say, excuse me you will have to move to another line. I swear I'd give them $5 if they did (and hope they'd not accept it)

 

[Panacea]

I wish clerks would look at a basket with 15 or more over 20 items and have the guts to say, excuse me you will have to move to another line. I swear I'd give them $5 if they did (and hope they'd not accept it)

I'm sure they'd love to, but if they did and the customer complained (which, they're a douchebag, of course they will) the clerk will be reamed by the manager in front of said customer. It's not worth it

The customer is always right policy needs to DIE lol

 

[AUFred]

And then you have to ask yourself.. if she's on that tight of a budget, how important is buying ice cream?

Ice cream was just an example. She had several items which there are less expensive options. I think she was just unaware.

 

[pjbleek]

ah, the twelve items or less....once again, who reads signs?

 

[AUFred]

I wish clerks would look at a basket with 15 or more over 20 items and have the guts to say, excuse me you will have to move to another line. I swear I'd give them $5 if they did (and hope they'd not accept it)

I'm sure they'd love to, but if they did and the customer complained (which, they're a douchebag, of course they will) the clerk will be reamed by the manager in front of said customer. It's not worth it

The customer is always right policy needs to DIE lol

I have seen a clerk point out the express sign before but not in wally world.

 

[nadrrek]

I very rarely carry cash with me nowadays as I seem to switch everything. This woman sounds like she had it in her head that this 50$ giftcard, along with the shrapnel in her purse, was an incredibly large amount of money and assumed she had enough to buy half the shop. I bet she got a fright halfway through!

 

[Panacea]

I have seen a clerk point out the express sign before but not in wally world.

That's good!

 

[Aeval]

I have seen people directed elsewhere when they have too many items for the express lane...even at Wallyworld.

I always know (roughly) what my purchase is going to cost before I get to the cash register and have cash ready....I like using cash, I can budget better that way.

But I feel sorry for that lady...things are tight, that breaks my heart when I see people having to put stuff back, one they're more than likely embarrassed, and 2, they really wanted the stuff but are too broke to make the purchase.

There was an old guy 2 people in front of me a few months back that didn't have enough to buy what looked like his lunch, he was going to put it back - he was like a buck short, I can't remember. I covered it, he was so cute, I couldn't imagine NOT doing that.

 

[pjbleek]

last week a traveler was stranded at the airport, ATM/debit card didn't work for whatever reason.We do not do cash advances at our office, told him to call the number on the back of his card for there was truly nothing we could do for him. He was tired, hungry and frustrated. I told him to follow me and I went to the ATM took out $100 USD handed it to him. He told me that he would be back at the airport the following week and would pay me back. I had some business cards printed out and handed him mine. I heard it all from that he wouldn't pay me back to wow, I would want someone to do that for me. well, this past Friday I got an envelope filled with $120 USD in it and a card of thanks and I restored his faith in humanity....made me feel better, if he paid me back, great. if not..well...

 

[acctnt shan]

last week a traveler was stranded at the airport, ATM/debit card didn't work for whatever reason.We do not do cash advances at our office, told him to call the number on the back of his card for there was truly nothing we could do for him. He was tired, hungry and frustrated. I told him to follow me and I went to the ATM took out $100 USD handed it to him. He told me that he would be back at the airport the following week and would pay me back. I had some business cards printed out and handed him mine. I heard it all from that he wouldn't pay me back to wow, I would want someone to do that for me. well, this past Friday I got an envelope filled with $120 USD in it and a card of thanks and I restored his faith in humanity....made me feel better, if he paid me back, great. if not..well...

Love it!

Reminds me of the two times in my life that I lost my purse, in situations where everyone told me I could kiss my chances of getting it back good-bye.

#1 was when I forgot it in the woods near a scenic trail where I had gone on a date... a hiker traveling up the Appalachian Trail found my bag and called me to return it, I offered money in return and all he wanted was for me to pick him up a burger because he hadn't had a fresh meal in a couple days.
#2 was when I was traveling back to Philly and had a bunch of bags with me so I accidentally forgot my purse on a bench when I boarded my train. A woman called and returned my bag, and even the $60 cash that had been in my wallet was still there. She just left it at a desk with a call to my number to let me know, so I didn't get a chance to say thank you properly or offer her anything as a token of appreciation, but I've never forgotten it.

 

[Aeval]

last week a traveler was stranded at the airport, ATM/debit card didn't work for whatever reason.We do not do cash advances at our office, told him to call the number on the back of his card for there was truly nothing we could do for him. He was tired, hungry and frustrated. I told him to follow me and I went to the ATM took out $100 USD handed it to him. He told me that he would be back at the airport the following week and would pay me back. I had some business cards printed out and handed him mine. I heard it all from that he wouldn't pay me back to wow, I would want someone to do that for me. well, this past Friday I got an envelope filled with $120 USD in it and a card of thanks and I restored his faith in humanity....made me feel better, if he paid me back, great. if not..well...

You're a good man!

 

[AstriaPorta]

i went to do groceries many times will little cash even i didnt count what i shop still always had the right amount to pay for all.. once i was worry will not be enough thinking i over done it lol still even then end up with some coins left
i always get first the most importan stuff i need then if i think i have money left i can take some other stuff if not i dont..

 

[AUFred]

I have seen people directed elsewhere when they have too many items for the express lane...even at Wallyworld.

I always know (roughly) what my purchase is going to cost before I get to the cash register and have cash ready....I like using cash, I can budget better that way.

But I feel sorry for that lady...things are tight, that breaks my heart when I see people having to put stuff back, one they're more than likely embarrassed, and 2, they really wanted the stuff but are too broke to make the purchase.

There was an old guy 2 people in front of me a few months back that didn't have enough to buy what looked like his lunch, he was going to put it back - he was like a buck short, I can't remember. I covered it, he was so cute, I couldn't imagine NOT doing that.

If she had been a few dollars short I would have covered it but it was up to her to decide what she had to have. I just was blown away she had no idea how much she had in her basket. I usually know with a couple of dollars what I have picked up.

 

[Tim]

I was once kicked out of a 10 item or less line for having a dozen eggs... :dunno

 

[AUFred]

last week a traveler was stranded at the airport, ATM/debit card didn't work for whatever reason.We do not do cash advances at our office, told him to call the number on the back of his card for there was truly nothing we could do for him. He was tired, hungry and frustrated. I told him to follow me and I went to the ATM took out $100 USD handed it to him. He told me that he would be back at the airport the following week and would pay me back. I had some business cards printed out and handed him mine. I heard it all from that he wouldn't pay me back to wow, I would want someone to do that for me. well, this past Friday I got an envelope filled with $120 USD in it and a card of thanks and I restored his faith in humanity....made me feel better, if he paid me back, great. if not..well...

Good for you. I suspect I would have considered that lost money when I gave it to the traveler.