New trend at the checkout aisle

[Gumbeaux]

I've had this happen to me at least three times within the last month at the checkout aisle. I get into the shortest line I can find which is usually only one or two people ahead of me with full shopping carts of groceries. The person in front of me obviously has about $150.00 or more worth of groceries in the shopping cart. After the cashier has spent seven to ten minutes scanning everything in the cart and bagging it the person says, " I don't have but $75.00 and I need you to unscan some things". :eek: The cashier says, "OK, what?" The person then takes about five to seven minutes digging into the bottom of the cart to remove items and wants to see the subtotal after each item is unscanned. :eek: Then, after the amount is under what she can pay, she changes her mind about some of the items that she said that she didn't want and wants some of the items that were unscanned to be rescanned and put back into basket.:eek: This process usually takes about twenty minutes. :eek:

Is this trend unique to Louisiana or do people do this in other parts of the country? :confused:

[Robyn1007]

I haven't had that one happen but I did have calculator lady in my way going all over the store today. I guess that's better than the checkout but I was more than annoyed at the expensive/unhealthy choices she was making if she was truly on that much of a budget.

[TKay]

I have not had that happen to me--at least not that I can remember. That must be so frustrating. By then I'm sure you have most of your stuff on the conveyor, so you're pretty much stuck. Ugh. You know what I don't understand? Why aren't people embarrassed to do that? Have they no concept of what they put other people through? As in, making you wait an additional 20 minutes or so? (I'm assuming this person wasn't embarrassed, based on the fact that she made multiple changes in her decisions.)

[Robyn1007]

You know, when I was on an extremely tight budget a few times I would have a couple of maybe items but I would put them at the back of the stuff ask for the total before those got rung up and then decide, quickly. That I can understand but having an order that comes to twice your budget and then not knowing what you want to leave behind is beyond my comprehension.

[Gumbeaux]

Have they no concept of what they put other people through? As in, making you wait an additional 20 minutes or so? (I'm assuming this person wasn't embarrassed, based on the fact that she made multiple changes in her decisions.)

People have no shame these days.

Today, while walking from the parking lot to the front door of Walmart I saw a guy flip over the lawnmower he was returning upside down and drain all the gas out in the parking lot while I, and everyone else was looking at him. After I was inside the store for only a couple of minutes I saw a woman take a refrigerated item out of her shopping cart and put it on a shelf in the clothing department. It didn't seem to bother her that I and a lot of other people saw her do this.

[Robyncz]

OMG. That would make me NUTS. On the one hand, I imagine it would be mortifying to have to buy groceries that way, so the virtuous part of me would probably feel like I should be patient, but more than likely, I'd get righteously ticked off at the attitude--especially if it happened more than once!!!

You know what also drives me bat-shite-crazy? When someone in front of me is writing a check and they've been standing there staring at their groceries moving up the conveyer belt for 5 minutes or so, and they can't bother to start writing the check until the cashier gives them the total. It's not like they don't know that they're going to have to write down the name of the store, the date, sign the check, etc. Why in the world can't people do that while they're just standing there doing nothing? And then there's the vvveeerrryyy careful ripping of the check out of the checkbook. The folding back and forth and the milimeter-by-milimeter slow-motion rip. Lordy, it makes me want to rip the dang thing out for them!

Grocery stores, in general, make me want to jump out of my skin. I'm a pretty efficient person and I just want to get in and out and get on with my life!

[SugarNSpice]

Nope, never experienced that one.

People should have a clue how much they are spending with every item they put in their carts. It’s a good way to put math skills to use. Although, I bet many people over spend b/c they don't pay attention to how much things cost, they just grab the most recognizable brand and dump it in the cart. Then they put the total on their credit cards and forget about it.

This is how my SO would operate if left on his own to grocery shop. A while ago the guy was about to pay $3 for a red bell pepper before I convinced him we could do without until they were cheaper. Of course he had no idea it was $3, he just wanted it in his salad that night. :)

[Beth]

Not that -- but I love getting behind the person who has a ton of stuff, a coupon for nearly every item -- a number of which the checker had to verify or look up the cost of the item to enter the value, some the checker can't find or the coupon is expired or invalid and they have to have a discussion about each one, then there's a discussion about the total and whether they were mischarged for this item or that item -- ot too many items. It's amazing how many things one person can come up with to debate and delay -- and then try to count out money and dig for change and not be able to count it. I felt so sorry for the checker.

[Canice]

I've never seen that happen; I don't even see people use cash, really. More often than not, I'm in the (ha ha) "express lane" and even there people are using debit cards -- for a deli sandwich and a can of Pepsi, or a packet of Odor Eaters. Generally there's a problem with the card (demagnatized, they can't recall their PIN, wooops - forgot it's the expired card, etc.) so much time is spent trying and retrying the same card, then an elaborate explanation of WHY the card didn't work (lest we think her/him a deadbeat) and then a few more minutes while other options are explored, often including the shaking of a purse upside down for stray coins. This is why I try to resist the temptation to use the, ahem, "express" lane.

Robyn, that is sooooo funny about the checks! (Checks!) That's what I get rewarded with when I wisely skip the express lane with my five items. These same people aren't satisfied to drop the receipt into one of the bags or their purse, but rather feel compelled to stand there and fold it into an origami snowflake before finding just the right secret stash location for it in their wallet before stepping forward. (But heck, I even find it annoying when people with HUGE numbers of items stand there picking their fingernails -no bagger on duty- rather than bagging their own d@mn groceries. But I'm pretty sure that puts me on the outer edge of supermarket intolerance. :p)

[lindrusso]

Whew - you all are a tough crowd. I hope I don't get in front of any of you at the grocery store! Not that I do most of the things you've talked about, but I may not be efficient enough for you! ;) This is like the Soup Nazi episode on Seinfeld - one mistake and NO GROCERIES FOR YOU! :D ;)

Obviously some of the things you described are maddening, but I'm a person who - GASP - sometimes forgets to get the check ready ahead of time. ;) I'm often watching my items being scanned, making sure they don't charge me twice for items or start weighing my stuff wrong, etc. I do feel a little silly when I realize I've forgotten to write out my check, but I don't feel bad for watching them scan my groceries - I've caught far too many mistakes........

Of course I get ticked off a these kinds of things when I'm in line too, but it's mostly likely because I have lots of time to stand there thinking about what the person in front of me is doing and lots of time to nitpick every little thing they don't do to my satisfaction. It's really a lot like driving in traffic - you're stuck, you can't control the situation, and it's like a pressure cooker.....anything little thing can set you off! :)

ETA: Oh, and I've done the calculator thing too. Sorry, but it's a great way to make sure you get out of the store for what you actually want to spend. I suppose I could add it up in my head, but you really expect my brain to retain from one minute to the next what total I was up to??? ;) Of course maybe the difference is that I'm never in those stores on a Saturday, so I can't imagine that I was in anyone's way..........

And Robyn - you really wouldn't want to be anywhere near me when I go and scout prices.....I write down all the prices of items I'm interested in so that I can compare them with other stores....... :eek: :D It's educational though....I think a lot of people in this area shop at Giant because they think it's cheaper than Wegmans......but it's not. :)

[Hoodone]

I think it must be a Louisiana thing. The people there ARE a different breed, after all. When I lived in Lafayette the thing that I could never get used to was people parking on their FRONT LAWNS like that was completely normal. I've never seen front-lawn parking anywhere else.

[Jazzmatazz49]

So just what breed am I? I only park on my front lawn if the kinfolk are comin over for a shotgun weddin.:D

[Robyn1007]

I think what irritated me the most about calculator lady was that she kept stopping in tight spots (and would look straight at me as I was trying to get through like what do you want, it's my store) and was buying expensive cr*p. She was not scouting the best prices just grabbing about a dozen individual microwave burritos one by one. The calculator would never work for me as I'd inevitably accidentally erase the total halfway through the trip. ;) :D

[LakeMartinGal]

Whew - you all are a tough crowd. I hope I don't get in front of any of you at the grocery store! Not that I do most of the things you've talked about, but I may not be efficient enough for you! ;) This is like the Soup Nazi episode on Seinfeld - one mistake and NO GROCERIES FOR YOU! :D ;)
Had to laugh at this! But I agree, it is sometimes like being stuck in traffic... not that I remember what that's like! Rush hour here is if there's more than one car I have to wait for at the end of the street!:p

I, too, have forgotten to write checks. Nowadays, I watch the bagger to be sure he doesn't put refrigerated stuff with non-refrigerated in the bags, (which I have put on the belt already separated) because I have to put the cold stuff into a cooler!

I kinda like being stuck in line -- it gives me yet another opportunity to people-watch!;)

[cniles]

I had to laugh!

Yesterday I ran into our local grocery store to pick up a couple of items. And I got in the lane with the brand new clerk. God bless him. A lady was ahead of me with a large amount of food and coupons. After taking his time to scan the items and carefully pack them in a bag (they do the bagging) he then carefully scanned EACH coupon and carefully filed away EACH coupon ONE BY ONE. I just did a lot of counting to 10 in my head and reminded myself he was probably about 16 and just learning the job.:cool:

[mrswaz]

Well apparently people in Wisconsin are related to people in Louisiana! I have experienced the same thing Gumbeaux has- several times. I can understand a few things, but when half the shopping cart has to go back it baffles me. I have grocery shopped on a tight budget where every half-cent counted, so I know it doesn't take much to notate the price of something on my grocery list and then pause to add it up from time to time. But I do think that many of these are food stamp purchases, and the people don't know how much they have left on their card until they check out. Then they swipe the card to purchase and when it pops up that only half the amount is covered they need to make changes.

I don't mind the extra wait in line at the grocery store- in fact, I expect it and just use the time to examine other people's shopping carts to see how they eat. But I do wish there was at least the common courtesy for the person making the error and holding up the line to look back at us waiting and apoplogize for the delay.

[FruitsAlive]

I haven't seen this too often in SoCal, but I have to admit that my dad has done it on many occasions. When I was a kid, I used to be absolutely mortified when we'd get up there and the card wouldn't work, so he'd write a check that they did not accept. When the check didn't go through, he'd get angry at the cashier as if it's his/her fault for not just giving him the groceries that he probably knew he could not pay for before he started the trip. I've seen a few others do this as well, but only in certain parts of LA...not where I live now.

[funniegrrl]

Whew - you all are a tough crowd. I hope I don't get in front of any of you at the grocery store! Not that I do most of the things you've talked about, but I may not be efficient enough for you! ;) This is like the Soup Nazi episode on Seinfeld - one mistake and NO GROCERIES FOR YOU! :D ;)

Obviously some of the things you described are maddening, but I'm a person who - GASP - sometimes forgets to get the check ready ahead of time. ;) I'm often watching my items being scanned, making sure they don't charge me twice for items or start weighing my stuff wrong, etc. I do feel a little silly when I realize I've forgotten to write out my check, but I don't feel bad for watching them scan my groceries - I've caught far too many mistakes........

...

ETA: Oh, and I've done the calculator thing too. Sorry, but it's a great way to make sure you get out of the store for what you actually want to spend.

I'm with you 100%. I'd add "judgemental" to "tough." I agree that someone who gets to the checkout with double the amt of groceries they can pay for is annoying -- hello, clue police? But, I also watch the scanner rather than write the check ahead of time, I use coupons and am **** proud of it, and it's not my fault if not all of them scan and have to be looked up. There was a day when I was calculator lady, too; not that I intentionally blocked aisles or whatever. (P.S. If she had been buying what you consider virtuously healthy economical food, it would have been OK? How do you know what her circumstances were, why she was getting what she was getting, and why she was having to keep an eye on the total?) And there was more than once when I had to put back some items because I'd gone a little over budget that week, even if I had been keeping track while shopping. There was a time in my life -- a long time -- where spending $40 instead of $35 was a huge deal. If putting back the ground beef and trading the giant package of TP for the smaller one meant I could save that $5, by golly you better believe I would do it.

I've said it before and I'll say it again ... I like you guys a lot, but sometimes there is a strain of "let them eat cake" in this group that rubs me the wrong way.

[tamawrite]

I've said it before and I'll say it again ... I like you guys a lot, but sometimes there is a strain of "let them eat cake" in this group that rubs me the wrong way.

I get what you're saying, but I'm taking the tone of this thread a different way. It seems to me that no one is criticizing other shoppers for being on a tight budget and taking steps to reduce/control their expenditures. It's the blatently rude, self-absorbed attitude of checkout and aisle-blocking that gets our hackles up.

As for Robyn's calculator-woman...I, too, have zero sympathy for low income people who waste money on processed foods. If your budget is tight, buy dry beans instead of canned. Grate your own cheese. Skip the potato chips. Saving money on groceries is not difficult.

I get particularly riled whenever I see people using MY TAX DOLLARS to buy junk food with no nutritional value. I work d@mn hard and support my own household -- and I don't waste money on gallon tubs of ice cream and two-pound boxes of cheez-its. Easy come, easy go, I suppose. :mad:

And before anyone hears "let them eat cake" in the above statement, let me make clear that I believe in helping people who really need it...but I like the way Washington does (did?) it: they give low income families coupons for specific foods like milk, rice, produce, beans, oatmeal, etc.

If you want me to feed your family, I'm going to feed them something worth eating. If you want frozen pizza, go get a job.

[Beth]

Lindrusso, don't think that because I shared the scene I would be a tough audience. My only words about my experience were to the checker about her patience through a tough order followed by coupons, food stamps and counting change. She seemed to relax. Then I called my husband on my cell phone to tell him I was delayed so he wouldn't worry.

We're all going to have bad days and be focussed on other things when shopping on at least some occassions. I've had to pinch pennies and rely on coupons (although it seems more and more coupons are promoting what they want to sell and not things you need). I hope never to need food stamps, but I do hope to be around long enough to be older and slower. I hope I can still reach the something on the top shelf for someone then, and I hope someone younger and more agile will help me with the lowest shelf if I need it.

We're all human and getting annoyed or impatient is part of life, but I hope I can keep it in perspective. None of these things are going to ruin my day -- not even my hour unless I let it.

I hope that if I'm behind you in line it will be more like the time I was in front of a frantic girl who kept checking her watch in the only lane open. All she had in her hand was a package of batteries. A second lane opened up for credit cards and debit only. I let her go in front of me, and when she got up there, she only had cash. She had been so worried she didn't hear the checker's announcement. he started explaining that she was trying to clse a store nearby and she couldn't lock up because the battery backup on the security system was dead. She had left the store with everything unlocked and was frantic. I paid for it, took her cash or most of it and scooted her on her way.

I know I'm going to have my bad days, but I hope I can help others ease through theirs enough times that I can make up for it at least in the cosmic scheme of things. And that no one's counting. ;)

And for the record, I've even gotten to the checkout and discovered I didn't have any money to pay (wallet was in a backpack from a daytrip or something mom-stupid like that). :D

[testkitchen45]

ROFLMHO!!!!!!!!!! :D :D Gumbeaux, this trend is everywhere--you've really opened a can of worms. I think this thread is hilarious. Seems that the gripe with the coupon users and calculator users (and I've been both, believe me, & still watch prices carefully, so I am very familiar with budget grocery-shopping), is not that they're on a budget, but that they aren't respectful of other people's time. I have no problem with people who are trying to be efficient as they watch the scanner (I do, too), add up groceries, or whatever--it seems to be the me-first attitude of the slowpokes that irritates people.

I once had someone steal the milk right off my cart when I stepped away for a second (with purse, thank goodness) as I waited in a long line (I wasn't next), to go four steps away to ask the customer-service lady a quick question. Took 5 seconds, & milk was gone. :eek: Hope someone enjoyed it; at least it wasn't paid for yet. (And no, I didn't hold up the line; I could have been gone for a week and not held up that line. Note to self: do NOT buy the weekend's groceries on Friday at 5:00. :p )

How 'bout the Grocery-Store Lurker-Hoverers? You know; the ones who don't have the backbone to say "excuse me, please" when they need to pass you in the aisle, but hover instead, giving you dirty looks when you finally realize that your cart is in front of the items they need to get? :rolleyes: :D It's as if they're scared to death to politely state what they need, but they're mad at you for not having the spidey sense to know they're there. :confused:

Clerk errors are similarly frustrating, at grocery stores or anywhere. I felt so bad for the line backing up behind me at Linens & Things the other day, when I was returning an item on which I'd used a 20% coupon, and buying a cheaper item with the same coupon (they routinely transfer the coupon that you'd otherwise lose, & I mentioned it b4 the clerk even started)--easy peasy, right? But the checker couldn't figure out why it wasn't an even exchange, despite the $20 price difference b/w returned & new item. Took 10 minutes b/c she keyed it in wrong & didn't know how to void the transaction. Sheesh. (At least I didn't have to stop at the grocery store on the way home!)

[charley]

Gumbeaux, you hit the nail on the head ... some people have no pride!

I remember when living on a budget was the only way I could survive. I would have been mortified if I tried to buy more than I could afford. Last week there was a woman in front of me at WM who was watching as each item was scanned. All of a sudden the clerk stopped and the customer started pulling things off the belt. At least she had the forethought to realize when she reached her limit.

Btw, I'm surprised so many of you are still writing checks. The debit/credit card makes things so much easier.

[Beth]

Btw, I'm surprised so many of you are still writing checks. The debit/credit card makes things so much easier.

Me too. I've gone even better than my ATM card now. My son's band uses a Kroger gift card issued through the band boosters to raise money to help defray his band expenses. We load money on the card -- I ususally use my Target Visa so the school gets a percentage, then all I have to do is zip the card through -- no PIN code to enter. And if I scan a share card, the school, scout troop, dog park club or some other group gets a percetage also. It's the fastest way to pay and I help 3 groups at once. :cool:

[Robyncz]

I've said it before and I'll say it again ... I like you guys a lot, but sometimes there is a strain of "let them eat cake" in this group that rubs me the wrong way.

Well yeah. As long as the cake's homemade and not being bought with foodstamps!;)


I'm with you 100%. I'd add "judgemental" to "tough."


I see your point, but I'd have to say that in my case I was exagerating a common annoying occurance to comic effect. (At least that was my intention.)

There are lots of ways to be judgemental, and I think your pot is just as black as my kettle in this instance. . .

[barbara-cook]

Grocery shopping is the pits. There is no way around it. The Wegmans near me is ALWAYS busy (except early in the AM and later in the PM). Every day, all week long. I used to like to shop Sunday afternoons because it was quieter. Seems everyone thought that and now it's the same as every other day. I like to get what I need and get out. But there are times when it just doesn't happen that way and I try my best not to get riled. But people that block the aisles with the stupid (in my mind) Kiddie Carts (Shopper in training? - please! Who came up witht hat) that a child of 3 is pushing around, or the humoungus carts with the "wegmans" truck on the front of it for the kiddies. Or the family of 7 that Mom drags with her for some reason.

But...we all have our reasons for the way we shop. I agree with a lot of what was said here about the budgets, the buying of "bad" food, the putting the frozen stuff back on the shelf in the clothing department. People are quite inconsiderate and sometimes just plain stupid. And a lot of them have no shame.

I remember there was a time - a short time really - when Wegman's had calculators built into the shopping cart handles. I tried using them a few times, with little luck. I think kids would play with them until they imploded. They weren't around very long, but I'm sure Wegman's had the best of intentions when they installed them.

We have a BJ's wholesale club that I shop at frequently and it has the self-check out aisles. I like them a lot, except when I have a lot of stuff and there are people waiting behind me. I always worry (and break out in a sweat) that I'm not moving fast enough! And then there is always the item that won't scan for me, or it won't take a BJ's coupon for something I bought and I have to wait for help. But it's great when it works and I can be in and out in a flash! The talking "register" gets on my nerves though. But I can talk back to it without fearing any reprisal and even make other people laugh!

Happy shopping everyone.

[wallycat]

I was going to say this never happened to me...
sadly, I went grocery shopping early this morning...and guess what.
There's a lady with a HUGE cart and she's doing EXACTLY what you described!
ACK.
one register open....
so I went to customer service and forced them to check me out!

[Grace]

I've never had Gumbeaux's problem around here, thankfully! Most people in the grocery stores around here are pretty good.

And for the record, I agree with Tamawrite 1000%!

I too was on a strict budget (many, MANY years ago!), and I remember being mortified if my total came up more - I was always very close though - I would only need to take ONE item out, never, ever half the cart. And what really kills me is that at most grocery stores now, the screen gives you a running total as they scan the items so you already know how much the total is as each item is scanned. They could always keep an eye on that and say STOP when they got to the point of going over their budget instead of allowing the clerk to ring up everything. :rolleyes: Ridiculous.

Yesterday though, I was driving through a grocery store parking lot (to get to a different store in the same plaza). There is the stop sign in front of the door of the grocery store to allow people to cross over from the store entrance to the aisles of cars. I don't mind stopping and allowing people with their carts and kids or whatever to cross in front of me. Even slow old people don't bother me. I know I'm going to be old and slow one day.... But yesterday, these two "lovebirds" were crossing in front of me, and they walked so slowly, I'm serious I thought they were never going to get across!! I've never seen anyone walk that slowly in my life. They nearly stopped to make out in front of me. They had one bag of groceries (no cart) and were all over each other (not a problem), but the fact that they had NO consideration that they were making me sit there and sit there and sit there while they mosied across was absolutely infuriating. It never once ocurred to them, oh, let's get out of the road - there are people trying to get through here. The whole, "who cares about anyone else, it's all about ME" mentality is getting seriously out of hand. :( And I think in an ever growing population where everything is crowded now it's especially important to be cognizant and considerate of others around you.

[Robyn1007]

As for Robyn's calculator-woman...I, too, have zero sympathy for low income people who waste money on processed foods. If your budget is tight, buy dry beans instead of canned. Grate your own cheese. Skip the potato chips. Saving money on groceries is not difficult.



Tamara, you said it better than I did. I think the calculator thing just tipped me off that she was on a tight budget and then I watched her throw so much junk food and convenience items (like pre-shredded cheese) where she could have easily bought beans and tortillas and made burritos for a lot less than the $2 a pop she was spending on each of those things. It just rubbed me the wrong way so then I was annoyed that she kept stopping in the middle of the aisle to add things into her calculator. It was a snowball effect. :o

I still am on a budget, not as tight as it once was so I understand pricing things out and making judgements based on whether something is worth the extra dollar. But, I don't understand buying expensive convenience food when the same thing can be made at home for far less.

I don't know what educational requirements are part of food stamp or WIC programs (which, by the way, I think are an important part of our social welfare programs) but I feel like there should at least be a shopping and preparing food on a budget sort of course required. I think it would cost us as tax payers far less if we educated the receivers of these benefits as to how to function better. They may have no clue as to how to make a burrito or they may have never thought about the fact that pre-shredded cheese is more expensive than the block. Maybe they don't have a shredder and they think that the $3 for the cheese and the $5 for the shredder is too expensive but they don't think about about fact that it only takes a few times of buying pre-shredded to make up the difference. Okay, off my soapbox.

By the way, I use coupons as well and don't fault anyone for that. I don't think I've ever thought "Oh, great she has coupons too" about the person in front of me. That is smart shopping.

[lindrusso]

As for Robyn's calculator-woman...I, too, have zero sympathy for low income people who waste money on processed foods. If your budget is tight, buy dry beans instead of canned. Grate your own cheese. Skip the potato chips. Saving money on groceries is not difficult.

See, this is where it goes from being a "don't you hate it when" kind of conversation - something I can totally relate to - to a place where it feels like we're judging people.

Why would you assume that someone using a calculator is low income? Can you really tell this by looking at someone?

You can be on a strict budget and be using a calculator but not necessarily be "low income" or so down and out that you cannot afford to buy a few processed foods if you want to. My family went through some tough financial times, but with very careful planning, I was able to pay all of our bills, buy what we needed to eat and have a little extra if my kids wanted Cheezits or something. I did reduce my grocery bill by cutting WAY back on all of those things, but I didn't stop buying them completely.

You also have no idea where else they've cut way back. Maybe a bag of chips is a huge treat for them - a once in a while thing. Big deal. Should we really be making snap judgments about people like that? Believe me, I do it too, but I try to redirect my thinking and give people the benefit of the doubt.

Frankly, a calculator is VERY helpful in a place like Sam's Club no matter what your income level - you can run up a $100 bill in a blink of an eye. I like keeping a careful eye on my tab so that I don't get carried away which is way too easy to do in a store like that. In this case, it has absolutely NOTHING to do with how much money I have to spend. Maybe I have $200 of disposable income that I have set aside for such expenditures and I want to make sure I don't go over it. Maybe I'm having a big party and want to buy some convenience foods, but I have a budget for said party. You cannot possibly know these things.

And FWIW - no - I don't feel like I'm personally being attacked. I'm just using myself as an example........

I hope I didn't come off like I was poo-pooing everyone's fun here. I certainly notice and roll my eyes about many of the things mentioned - it was just funny reading about how many things people get annoyed about and I felt like maybe I should be watching my every move and looking over my shoulder when I'm in line at the grocery store. :) ;)

[Meganator]

After I was inside the store for only a couple of minutes I saw a woman take a refrigerated item out of her shopping cart and put it on a shelf in the clothing department. It didn't seem to bother her that I and a lot of other people saw her do this.


This I just don't get, but I've seen it (I haven't seen people in the act, but I've seen said item sitting out somewhere). Is it that some people are so self-centered that they can't be bothered to return it to the right place, or they just have no concept that the item is probably going to spoil, or they don't care because they think the store can afford it? :confused:

I generally assume that if I am in a non-express lane, it is going to be slow for any one of 18 different reasons, so I make sure to go to a aisle that has some magazines to peruse while I'm waiting. But I do get irritated when someone with 15 items goes into the 10 item lane. And I wish that the express lane would be NO CHECKS!

[mrswaz]

And for the record, I've even gotten to the checkout and discovered I didn't have any money to pay (wallet was in a backpack from a daytrip or something mom-stupid like that). :D

Oh my gosh, I've done something similar. :o I went to the grocery store for the weekly shopping and totally filled the cart. This was the morning that, every week like clockwork, DH's paycheck is automatically deposited. So I swipe my debit card and it's declined. This particular store doesn't take credit, and when I suggest that I can write a check I get the rolled eyes and the manager that says that obviously since my debit was declined I couldn't write a check on those same nonexistent funds. I was mortified. DH's company had made an error and the money was deposited later, but I was so embarassed, I didn't go back to that same store for that week's shopping.

And Robyn, I think your statement about food education is spot on. Thank you for that reminder, because every time that is brought to my mind I think I should write my state legislation about that issue. Maybe if enough of us speak about it, it could make a difference.

[Kay Henderson]

I've never seen the extreme situation Gumbeaux describes. Once in a while, the person ahead will need to "unscan" a few items, but VERY rarely.

I must admit that when I used to write checks, I would not usually (unless I was in a hurry), partly fill it out ahead of time. Now that I use an ATM or credit card, I still usually wait until the total is completed. (Hey, this is TAHOE! Slow down and relax, folks! Some people even have this mantra on a bumper sticker on their cars.)

Kay

I suspect that my attitude was probably affected by spending most of my life in Sacramento. At one point researchers timed common actions, such as walking down the street or being given change in a bank, in many cities across the country. Sacramento came in dead last. RUSHING AIN'T NATURAL, PEOPLE. CHILL.

[wwhirledpeas]

People have no shame these days.
After I was inside the store for only a couple of minutes I saw a woman take a refrigerated item out of her shopping cart and put it on a shelf in the clothing department.

Grocery stores here trash every item returned from outside the stores. It's their attempt to control the integrity of the food - Then you have bone heads like that!!

I purchase very few items not attached to a coupon somehow. None of you would want to be behind me in the check out and I appreciate that. That said, I don't shop at peak times, only choose the dumbest looking of kiddie cashiers (the career cashiers question everything) and I often warn people that they have chosen the wrong line before they begin to unload. If there are comparable sized lines available or I have a debatable coupon - I scream, "RUN" at them while they have a chance to roll away. Rarely does one heed my warning.

Not always can I predict it though. It all depends on the neurosis of the cashier to how long it is going to take. What I get is the person standing behind me huffing and puffing through each coupon. Tapping the fingers, stomping the foot, sighing louder and louder, throwing their hands up in the air, making nasty comments to no one. Do they sincerely think I am going to say, "oh...I am keeping you? So sorry, just give me back my coupons and let me pay full price. Nevermind that I spent hours clipping and planning this shopping trip. I have been in this store for two hours alone making sure I have just the right combination of qualifiers, but, screw that 70 - 80% savings I was looking for. Give me back my coupons so this person can get out of here with their cheeypoops faster!"

Calm down, grab a magazine and read what Brittany is up to now.

OP - To address the original topic of not knowing the total before the register does, I think that the person that allows that to happen does not have the math skills to do it any other way.

[stefania4]

I just know some of you were behind Grandma in line back in the day. Her eyesight was failing and, as she got older, she got needier and more dependent on Mom. She would insist she "couldn't" read anything and couldn't understand financial matters... but the faintest blue type barely apparent on a cash register receipt? No problem. She would grill the cashier relentlessly about why the total was $.72 higher than she thought it should be. And she wouldn't let up, either... before she wrote her check.

Aahhh, memories... :o

[Debralynn]

:eek: OK, I'm guilty..........When I am shopping, I place the amount of each item on my grocery store list as I am putting it into the cart. This works for me, especially when the check book has a small balance and I don't want my NAME taped to every stores cash register in the grocery store for every one in the community to know who bounced a check!
I should note, I never tie up the aisle when shopping or calculating! :)
At the check out, I have seen MANY people in PA take groceries that have been scanned and bagged, and take them out of the bags and have them removed from the total because they don't have enough to cover the total.
Once I went to the grocery store, filled the cart with over $200 of stuff, checked out and even helped to bag my stuff to find out that my check book wasn't in my purse!!!!!!! :eek: They were nice enough to let me push the cart to the side and run home get the check book, come back and pay and walk out soooo embarrassed!! UGH. At least I didn't make them UNSCAN the entire cart! LOL :rolleyes:
Don't even get me started on the senior citizens that tie up our grocery stores in this area. We have a huge geriatric population and they LOVE to grocery shop!!!!!!!!! No kidding, they come by the bus load, and don't ever shop on a TUESDAY in PA because it's senior citizen day and the grocery stores offer an extra 5% off if your OLD FARTS. LOL
My sister lives in NJ, and places her grocery order on line, and go the the parking lot of the grocery store and they bring her groceries out to the car, she never even gets out of the car!!!!! I can't find a store aroudn here that does that. But I keep looking! Good luck shopping everyone. Debralynn

[ljt2r]

See, this is where it goes from being a "don't you hate it when" kind of conversation - something I can totally relate to - to a place where it feels like we're judging people.

Why would you assume that someone using a calculator is low income? Can you really tell this by looking at someone?

You can be on a strict budget and be using a calculator but not necessarily be "low income" or so down and out that you cannot afford to buy a few processed foods if you want to. My family went through some tough financial times, but with very careful planning, I was able to pay all of our bills, buy what we needed to eat and have a little extra if my kids wanted Cheezits or something. I did reduce my grocery bill by cutting WAY back on all of those things, but I didn't stop buying them completely.

You also have no idea where else they've cut way back. Maybe a bag of chips is a huge treat for them - a once in a while thing. Big deal. Should we really be making snap judgments about people like that? Believe me, I do it too, but I try to redirect my thinking and give people the benefit of the doubt.

Frankly, a calculator is VERY helpful in a place like Sam's Club no matter what your income level - you can run up a $100 bill in a blink of an eye. I like keeping a careful eye on my tab so that I don't get carried away which is way too easy to do in a store like that. In this case, it has absolutely NOTHING to do with how much money I have to spend. Maybe I have $200 of disposable income that I have set aside for such expenditures and I want to make sure I don't go over it. Maybe I'm having a big party and want to buy some convenience foods, but I have a budget for said party. You cannot possibly know these things.

And FWIW - no - I don't feel like I'm personally being attacked. I'm just using myself as an example........

I hope I didn't come off like I was poo-pooing everyone's fun here. I certainly notice and roll my eyes about many of the things mentioned - it was just funny reading about how many things people get annoyed about and I felt like maybe I should be watching my every move and looking over my shoulder when I'm in line at the grocery store. :) ;)

I am piggybacking on your thread bc you said it better than me. :) We are on a tight budget--but having said that we splurge on plenty of stuff at the grocery store precisely bc we don't go out to eat. I have never used a calculator or (hopefully) been blatantly inconsiderate of other people in the aisles, but I have to say I have never looked at another person's cart and judged what they were buying. I can't imagine having the time or inclination.

[armel]

Y'all are reminding me that it is time to do my grocery shopping . . . online . . . and have it delivered . . . on Friday while I am telecommuting from home anyway.

Now that is the "no stress" way of grocery shopping.

[Gracie]

I first read this thread earlier this week and went to the grocery store after work that same day. I have not seen this happen before and the woman immediately in front of me did this with half her order!! :eek:

I meant to post the next day but got caught up working of all things. :)

Doo Doo Doo Dooo... (Twilight Zone) :D

Loren

[lindrusso]

I went shopping last night at Wegmans and was treated to the sounds of a family yelling at their kids through the entire store. The best part was when the kids would shriek - mom would yell at them "Why are you yelling?". :rolleyes: Kids continued to act up, mom continued to yell. Mom got a break from yelling when DH or BF came along and took up the slack.

More than a few raised eyebrows and looks of "WTF?" among the other patrons..........

I pity whoever was their clerk and/or got to stand in line behind or in front of THEM! :eek: :eek: All the while I was praying they didn't come anywhere near my line!