Given too much change...

[Onemorefortheroad]

So, went to a shop tonight to purchase a few bits and bobs. Came to £19, handed over £20, the lady gave me change which I shoved in purse but once I left I realised that she has given me £17.50 change.

I'm going to go back and return it tomorrow as I feel awful that the store person might be in bother for their till being short but wondered what others would do?

This is more of a WWYD as opposed to AIBU but wanted to know what other would do. When I was younger I wouldn't have thought anything of keeping it but now I must have a conscience 😂

I always think Karma will kick in in these situations so always best to be honest 😂

When I was about 12 I went to the local shop for my granny, I ended up with £10 change too much. My Granny sent me back and said be honest, a good turn will always come back to you. Back I went and I remember the ladies in the shop being so shocked / grateful it has always stuck with me. I always spill the beans on the few times I've been given extra change since. It doesnt seem right to keep it especially when you've notived it. Bring it back, have a clear conscience, let it be your good deed of the day and you'll feel so good for it

If you have the receipt, which you say you do, it may have the cashier's name or code on there. Take it back with the money you owe the shop and fess up. Still can't see how you made a mistake by receiving that much change, but hey ho. Do the right thing now!!!

Yeah, not convinced you could not notice the difference between a maximum of a few coins making up a pound and £17.50s worth but ok. Anyway, yes, would absolutely return it.

@MissusGeneHunt I was always taking it back (see above) but it had just got me thinking as it's the type of thing you see in Martin Lewis money moral dilemma type thing and so I wondered if most people would do same.

But "fess up"? I didn't steal anything! 😂

I’d take it back, I’ve been handed too much change before and noticed at the time and given it back.

I’ve also been distracted while paying for stuff and been shortchanged so I’m not sure why it’s so unbelievable that it could happen the other way round!

I took some filler back to B&Q as it was rubbish. It was only £4 and I bought a rake at the same time. When I was putting my PIN in for the refund I noticed cashier was refunding me the whole bill. I told him his mistake and then had to wait about 15-20mins while he called the whole store (seemed like!) in turn for help cancelling it! Ever wish you hadn’t bothered?!

I would (and have) returned money on occasions like this.

I wouldn’t take it back if it was any inconvenience to do so to be honest.

I can see how it can happen, sometimes you’re just not paying attention to anything.

I don’t think the company can take it out of the employees wages.

Take it back. That's all there is to it. That said, I once was short-changed when leaving a super-market and walked back in to resolve it but they wouldn't refund me because I'd left the shop albeit for about 1minute. I always double-check now which makes some retail staff get quite sniffy with me

In Switzerland my then husband payed in Euros and was refunded in Swiss francs - he was short-changed about the equivalent of £20. Good thing he knew how to argue his way in French but he clearly was also a twat so there we go!

I was once given too much change in WH Smiths. I realised as I was going out of the door. I went back to the counter and told the assistant that I had been given the wrong change. She looked down her nose at me and said that mistakes cannot be rectified once the customer has left the counter. I looked her right in the eye and said "Ok, I'll keep the extra £10 then!" and walked out. Sometimes you wonder why you bother trying to do the right thing.

OH thinks I should keep it as "Tesco won't notice £17.50" but it's the impact on the cashier that would concern me. Going to nip back tonight now and then I can relax 😂

@Onemorefortheroad my phrasing could have been better... Apologies. I meant, fess up to the incident as a whole, just so the cashier doesn't get into trouble!

Are you sure you didn't already have 16.50 in your purse?

@Watto that's brilliant!

I was overcharged by 29p in Bargain Booze earlier and I'm still bitter.

I told him his mistake and then had to wait about 15-20mins while he called the whole store (seemed like!) in turn for help cancelling it! Ever wish you hadn’t bothered?!

Similar. I once put a trolley full of shopping through the till, bagged it up and paid. Then as I was about to leave I noticed a tube of toothpaste still in the trolley that had been overlooked so I hadn't paid for it. I told the cashier but she had started putting someone else's shopping through so I had to wait till they were done and then pay for it. She obviously thought I was a bit weird for not just walking off with my (accidentally) ill-gotten gains.

Yes 5foot5 I said perhaps it would be easier to let me have the full refund and save them all this trouble, but he just grinned and called someone else down!

That happened to me last tear at local garden centre. I went back the next day and as soon as I said that there was a problem with my change yesterday I was made aware of a sign that said these type of mistakes cannot be rectified after people have left. I tried to explain further but I was shut down - so I turned away but did say that actually they’d given me too much changed but I accept their rule.

Money has now been returned. Customer services seemed surprised I was so honest, guess it doesn't happen very often despite the majority of people agreeing that they would do the same

Well done OP, glad there are still decent people about

Plenty would not do the same op. This is a Mumsnet thing. In the real world plenty of people would keep it and even more would make that call if returning it caused them any small pick of inconvenience.

I'd keep it tbh

I'd keep it & id of walked out with the tooth paste tbh. Also would of gotten a free rake.