Do you always make sure you get the right change when you buy something?

I try really hard to be diligent in checking to ensure that I have received the correct change. In addition to that, I make sure that anytime I am handing out change I am correct. It can be somewhat time consuming but worth it. Unfortunately, there are so many dishonest people in the world today. I have been swindled more than once. Most of the time when a cashier gives out the wrong change, I truely believe it was an accident. Most business, especially large businesses like Walmart or Target, train their employees that having extra change in their drawer is just as bad as being short because that means they have shorted the customer. Often times, the cashier can get in trouble for this and in turn want to make sure that they give correct change to each and every customers. But accidents do happen.

 

I rarely pay with cash. 99% of the time I pay with a debit card. Much easier and hassle free. But when I do pay with cash I certainly double check to make sure I've received the right amount of change. It'd be silly not to do so. Most of the time I get the right change back, but once in a blue moon the cashier will make a mistake .

 

I usually pay attention to the cashier counting the money out. I double check before leaving the store sometimes. I just pull myself off at the front of the store and count through it. One time I was given to much and I returned it, because I know these employees work just ad hard ad I do and don't want mistakes on their record. Most of the time I try giving the exact amount. I carry lots of change and smaller bills for this purpose.

 

If I give a note and expect smaller notes in change I always make sure I have been given the right notes. For example if I give a £20 (UK) and need £15+ in change, I check that I have been given a £10 and a £5 in notes. Then I guesstimate the other change i.e. Quickly look to see if it's approximate to what I would expect. In the UK you can quickly tell how many £1 coins you have so you can roughly guess it's right.

 

An interesting question though - what happens if the cashier gives you too much change? Do you always let them know and give it back or do you simply hope they don't notice and keep quiet?

 

That happened to me a few months ago, I wasn't charged properly and I got a free chicken and rice meal. It was in a convenience store, and I never really count my change until I get home, since I have the receipts anyway for my reference. So when I saw the receipt that the amount was entered wrongly, I didn't bother to go back, since the chicken meal only costs $1.50 anyway.

 

I've caught one cashier in particular trying to short change me a number of times, and if it happens again I am definitely going to management about it, because at that point it's clearly not an accident. Not only has she short changed me, but she's also rang up items for more than what they should cost. It's funny how she never "accidentally" undercharges me for something or "accidentally" gives me too much change back.

The times where she's short changed me, was when I would buy some items and they would come to like $9, and I would pay with a $20, but instead of giving me back $11 in change, she would give me back $9 in change. I'm sure if she does this to a few people an hour, that's like doubling her wages. The second and third time she did this, I called her out on it, in fact I'm surprised she had the nerve to try and pull that on me a third time to begin with since I shop there regularly.

 

When there's a long line behind me, I somehow feel pressured to hurry it along, so when the cashier gives me my change back, I tend to just stuff it in my wallet. I really should check, though, since everyone makes mistakes. I bet there have probably been times when I haven't received by full change back and I never would have known because I didn't bother counting.

 

Nowadays, I often pay with debit card, but occasionally I will pay with cash. When I pay with cash, sometimes I pay with exact change, which negates the necessity of keeping up with change and cash back. However, like @mpvb, I don't always count my change, especially when there's a long line behind me, or when the transaction has already taken a long time. I do try to be careful, but occasionally I slip up, and stuff it in my purse and leave.