Always Check Your Grocery Receipts - You Might Get Dinner for 6

This is NO FISH TALE: 

How I Got Dinner for 6 for FREE at my Supermarket


Today I was reminded about how essential it is to always scan your receipt before leaving the store to make sure you haven't been overcharged (or to be honest, undercharged as well) for anything you buy.

In this economy when money is tight, it makes sense as a consumer to save money wherever you can. This of course, includes holding back on spending on things you don't need at the mall. I mean do you really need six pairs of black pumps?  It also means, like me, you often use coupons at checkout when buying the basic food items you need at the grocery store, too and you subscribe to some great online coupon provides like CouponMom.com

But, remember, saving money at the market doesn't just mean using cents off coupons at the store, buying generics, and buying only in-season produce.  A word of caution:  You can just as easily lose that money you just saved with your coupons (and possibly more) if the store clerk makes an error not in your favor when ringing up your order and you are not paying attention.

A case in point.  Today after finishing my weekly grocery shopping at my neighborhood Ralphs grocery store in Los Angeles I was feeling proud.  Practically all the basic foods I bought were on special and I saved quite a bit of green currency by using coupons besides.

Good thing I wasn't too smug to check my rather long receipt anyway before walking out the store's door even though I was late for a meeting.  Right away, I noticed a $3 overcharge which I immediately brought to the attention of the customer service desk.

Guess what I learned?  My market has a policy that if the item rings up incorrectly (and the customer catches the error) you get that item FREE no matter how much it is worth.  Lucky for me their mistake also was one of the most expensive single items I had dropped in my cart.  I almost feel like I won the lottery: Tonight dinner for my family of 6 (including 4 hungry TWEENS) is on Ralphs.  Thanks Ralphs, you did the right thing, because I will be back to shop at your store next week.

...Uh oh, I think I smell that huge, yummy slab of salmon fillet in the broiler now.  I better hurry up and post this NOW so my prize doesn't go up in smoke and I have to tell my hubbie when he gets home that the fish I caught for dinner got away!