Facebook Posts about unable to pay for shopping so the lady behind paying...?

[WhatsUpHun]

i keep seeing posts on FB saying things like

I was in SUPERMARKET around X yesterday eve and was at the scan and go check out ready to pay when I entered my pin incorrectly 3 times blocking my card. There was a lady next to me who saw what happened and asked if I was ok. I explained what had happened and without question she put her bank card into the machine and paid for my shopping. I told her I would transfer the money straight into her account and she said no and would not give me her details to do it. She said merry Christmas. And walked off. I would love to find this lady even if it’s just to show my appreciation as she didn’t have to do what she did. I am very grateful for what she did. There really are some amazing people around

but i cannot work out if this is some kind of spam? thats going around, and whats the point of it? (unless its trying to get people to be nicer to each other?)

I roll my eyes at almost all Facebook spam of that, or similar, nature but I've actually paid for someone's shopping in similar circumstances before. I've also done £25+ food shops for homeless people on more than one occasion.

I don't find the stories unbelievable at all. I agree it's generally self-aggrandizing to post of your own good deeds on social media, and haven't shared the above stories with anyone before; obviously I'm posting now because it's directly relevant to the thread.

I didn't speak to them other than to give them the money

So how do you know they were in 'great need'?

I think it happens because I have helped strangers in the past. I am lucky enough to have more than I need so will share when I can. To me it's part of being a good citizen

You can’t give car park tickets away!?

I always pass on unused parking tickets.

It is both an act of kindness and a big fuck you to grabby councils.

Most satisfying. 😁

You can’t give car park tickets away!?

Shouldn't ;)

I had a comparable example this week in Tesco. Found myself behind a little old couple, in their 80's at least, putting their shopping through. The man was doing all the packing then came to pay with his card. He must have got the PIN number wrong a few times and started to get flustered and looked through his wallet. It was on the tip of tongue to step in and help but then the cashier said the total was £40 odd pound. More than I could chip in. Fortunately he found another card he had the pin too and managed to pay. The poor guy was soooo flustered though and hedged a look at the crowd waiting behind him. I gave him a sympathy smile Nd he absolutely beamed back to me. My good deed of the week was done. Just be nice

SimplySteve sorry my punctuation was misleading - I meant to express surprise at the barmy notion that one shouldn’t pass on unused and paid for parking time.

I’m in my late 50s. I’ve done a lot of RAOK over the years, and received a number of them as well. I like the happy feeling helping someone gives me. No need to talk about it though.

I gave a stranger £185 (all I had on me) as there need was greater than mine.

Why do I never run into people who do this?

@JudasPrudy: Okay, I'm grossly exaggerating, but it's almost tantamount to public humiliation like watching duckings of "disorderly" women or throwing rotten vegetables at people restrained in stocks.

In any case, all other thoughts aside - what makes the poster think that anybody wants to see them doing a "good" (patronising) deed?

I'm getting old and cranky, I'm afraid. I went to a Catholic School, and the parable of the widow's mite was drummed into us.

When I was a student I went to lunch with a few pals in a dog friendly restaurant. A man came in with his dog and we got chatting and playing with the dog and told the man what we were doing at uni. as we went to pay he told us we were going to change the world and that he’d already paid for our lunch. It was a lovely gesture. I’ve paid it forward in different ways.

I was at my tesco local recentlty and an elderly lady at the checkout in front of me was short a couple of quid for her shop. I offered to help out but she was very reluctant to accept. But in the end she relented and it only took a few minutes to get everything put back on the shelves.

I'll get me coat

I like the ROAK, but it was the wording that got me.....

Also, do we know why greenkangeroo gave a stranger £185?

I paid for someone’s petrol once. She had got to the till and realised she didn’t have her purse. I wouldn’t dream of announcing this on Facebook.

guffaw @Grimbles

I wonder how many people are inspired by these posts to laden the trolley and go to check out and say "oh no, I've lost my purse" in the hope the person behind pays.
I bet most of them are disappointed anyway.

Saw this one recently, did make me chuckle after all the look how kind I am posts that are on FB at the moment.

Was at the checkout in Tesco and the little old lady in front of me had her card declined. She was upset and flustered, and I just thought "That could be my Granny" Made me feel awful so I decided to help her, and in no time at all we had all her shopping back on the shelves!

@Atleastihavethecat

The cashier wouldn't take a £20, so I said I'd have to go into the shop next door to get change, and would she keep it at the till as it was the last one left. She said no

Totally off the point but what an arse of a cashier. I would have walked out and not spent my money there. It sort of is a job of a cashier to sell things and give change!

Posting on Facebook or social media is not ok. There may be something in it sometimes but it doesn’t feel right. However, I have been at the receiving end enough times to know it happens everywhere.

I believe it happens I recently got stuck in a strange city as my sons appendix ruptured and he developed sepsis we were on holiday my brother and mum took rest of kids home and i stayed for 2 weeks alone with my 3 yr old
There were a couple opposite me who were there long term with there very ill baby not very chatty because serious situation one was in a hotel nearby and one was staying in hospital
When they realised I was alone and couldn't leave my sons side for long every morning there left on my table a coffe and sandwich from posh coffee shop
I was very touched

I was in Tesco before I started my shift before. I was in uniform and was really skint, DH had been made redundant and we had £600 to pay for everything for a month, rent, electric, food, everything.
I got myself some reduced cakes, reduced bread and some beams or something.
Think £3 for a bit of reduced or own brand food, and my bloody card got declined, I was pretty emotional wondering what we were going to eat.
The woman behind me in the queue paid for me.
I cried like an absolute knob and was super embarrassed to be in that position in my place of work. But it does happen.
We were 19, and apparently entitled to no benefits of help at all, they wouldn't even let DH go on JSA as they said I should be able to support him on my £600 a month (I was also at college and worked weekends and late nights).
I still can't quite work out how we managed for those few months, but we did and he got another job. It was a hard time but strangers to help.
Though I didn't put it on Facebook, I was just super grateful and thankful to her in real life.

I also had a nice customer give me a lift home from work once when they saw me phoning for a taxi.
They were lovely and did speak to me every week when doing their shopping. She had a daughter a similar age to me with her and I did text my husband her car registration plate in case I was murdered. I was not.

I gave someone my trolley yesterday and it still had the pound in. Off to write my FB post.