Grocery shopping is one of modern life’s necessary evils. Most of the “fun” derives from the irony of getting lost among the fluorescent hell of aisles and aisles of products. Or when you find something really stupid. Like Aldi‘s famed Knoppers. What are they? Why are they called Knoppers? Who knows, but they’re tasty.
But I digress; it’s usually just an effing slog.
This usually translates into wanting to get in-and-out as quickly as humanly possible. With the rise of tap-and-go, self-serve checkouts and optional receipts, it’s become even easier to just skip all the niceties and run out of your local like you’re being chased by a bear. However, this attitude might be costing us more money that we realise.
New research from finder.com.au shows that almost one third, or 32%, of millennials they surveyed said they don’t bother to check for “transaction errors” on receipts every time they shop. Which makes us the most complacent generation surveyed when it comes to checking our weekly spends.
What’s worse is that we don’t even give a stuff to bring it up when we do find it, with those surveyed saying we’ll only make a fuss if we’re overcharged an average of $13.30. Which is, again, way higher than the surveyed average of around $10.
Stuff like scanning items twice, not applying advertised discounts, and inputting the wrong type of product (because really, what IS the difference between all the different oranges available?) are just a fraction of the types of errors that may be costing us big time if we don’t review our purchases.
Speaking with PEDESTRIAN.TV, finder.com.au’s money expert Bessie Hassan says that, “Whether the item is scanned twice or a promotional discount isn’t applied, it’s your responsibility to make sure you’re being charged the right amount. Every dollar adds up.”
Hassan also notes that it’s just as important when at a self-serve checkout; just because you’re doing the scanning and bagging yourself, it doesn’t mean you can immediately trust yourself as well.
“When you’re at the checkout, take a couple of minutes to check your payment (either on the screen or by printing a docket) and make sure you’re paying the correct amount,” Hassan says.
“If something seems wrong, or if you’ve been charged for something twice, speak to a store representative and ask them to correct the payment.”
So remember, just like someone on twitter throwing shade, never forget the receipts.
*The above article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent financial advice before making any financial decisions.
