Not to correct too much change?

[Justbeenjabbed]

I just popped to the store (Spar)m my shopping cost about £4.80 and I gave £10. In my change I was guven a £5 note and some coins, at least two of which were pound coins. I noticed that and was glad as collect pound coins for parking. Chucked it all in my purse, no receipt given and off I go.

Only after I had left did I stop to think that I shouldn’t have had that much change. I’m not sure how much over it was as it’s mixed in with what’s already in my purse.

I haven’t gone back as without even a receipt or any idea of how much I under paid, I don’t know what I would say? But I am worried about the man who served me - what happens if the till is found to be short? Will he be in trouble?

I would go and explain it as you have here. It could make a huge difference to someone.

I was undercharged for something a few weeks ago and realised while I was still in the shopping centre. I went back to explain, at first they thought they had overcharged me. They thanked me for being honest and going back.

I didnt tell any of my family because i know they would have laughed at me and told me I was stupid.

I know what it is like to not have enough. I also appreciate how hard retailers have been hit by covid
And my inner sense of right and wrong told me I needed to go back.
It wasnt a vast amount but it would have made a difference to someone.

I don’t really know how to explain it or fix it - shall I just go and say that I underpaid by a fiver and give them a fiver? I will lose out by a few pence but better than somebody getting the sack? Do they sack people about these things?

If you choose to go back you could give the £1 coins.
Maybe they gave you £7.20 change

I think for a little local shop I would definitely go back in. The cashier is likely to get in trouble, and if not in trouble then they'll be massively inconvenienced at the end of the day trying to cash up.

Are you sure it was £4.80? Maybe it cost less than you thought and the change was right.

I'd just go back and explain, say you don't know how much extra they gave you, but you think it was £5 + some £1s. They might take your details and get back to you at the end of the day when they cash up and know for sure.

Maybe. I wish I had looked at it properly before just tipping it into my purse. I was in a rush. Ithink there was more than just 3 coins, it felt quite heavy in my hand.

@ShinyMe I don’t mind doing that though there’s a risk he’s done this several times today and I may end up footing a big bill! I don’t actually have much money to spare myself 😬

I’ve just looked inmy purse and added up the money in the compartment where the fiver is. It comes to £10. Seems likely he gave me £10 change by accident after I gave him a tenner?

It’s not a corner shop btw, it’s a SPAR. But I should still go back shouldn’t I?

I was in Debenhams once years ago where I paid for something with a tenner. Girl at the counter was distracted talking to her manager and gave me change out of £20.

I pointed out the mistake to them. Initially, they looked at me mistrustfully until the penny dropped that I was telling them they've given me too much change. The look on their faces - they couldn't believe it! And the profuse thanks.

I would always correct it if I noticed it. My dad brought me up very definitely to do that. Not sure in your situation. I usually check change is roughly in the ball park of what I expect before I put it in my purse, but I don't count exactly.

I thought no this time because you're not sure I'd leave it.
Just be more on the ball next time.

I would - my sister used to work in a well known sandwich shop inside a SPAR and if the till was short at the end of her shift she'd have the amount docked from her wages

I think it would be helpful if you let them know you think you've had too much change with a rough estimate of how much it was.

Yes people do get into trouble. At the very least he might have to make up the shortfall from his own wages

A friend works in a dif shop they get it taken off their wages.

They can check back through the till to find the error. I bought some lunch from our corner shop on the way out one morning, didn't check the change calculation, but realised as I arrived at my destination that my change was short by a couple of quid. I popped back later in the day, bearing the wrappers of what I'd bought, but they didn't need them; they were quickly able to identify what had happened and set things right. (I think they'd scanned something to check a price before serving me, and forgotten to clear it.)

I went back and gave them £5 back. Gue looked at me like I was crazy. I explained I didn’t want the staff to have to cover the cost. He told me they don’t do that and tried to give it back to me! I couldn’t really take it at that point so said said never mind and left. So I feel ridiculous and have a clear conscience (and it’s useful to know in future they don’t charge the staff in that shop!)

It was the right thing to do and sometimes that is the only reason you need.

Think like this:
Those that laugh at you and think you are a fool are showing a dishonesty that might extend to how they treat you,

If it was the other way around would you want someone to be honest with you,

If you are fundamentally an honest person, that you seemed to be, profiting from a genuine mistake won't sit well with you.

The real sad part is that the shop was so surprised that someone was honest they wouldn't take back the money.

I definitely would have done the same as you. Even if they didn’t need it I would feel the need to clear my conscience.

I would always. point out a mistake in change.
Some shops make staff pay it back, and they may also be suspected of stealing if their till is very short.

You did the right thing by going back.

Till shortages can only legally be taken from staff wages if it’s in their contract. If there’s no mention of it, it’s illegal.

But even if it isn’t docked from their wages, staff can be suspected of stealing. Few staff steal big amounts - it’s usually a fiver or a tenner here or there.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a corner shop or a big chain - that shouldn’t make a difference to whether you go back or not.

I once forgot to put about 10 items through on the self checkout (it was a weird layout, you had to put the unpaid items amongst the paid items). I had only paid for 2 items! I didn't even notice when the bill was really small. When I got home I suddenly realised my mistake 😳 I went straight back and explained what I had done, they looked at me like I was crazy and even said they needed to double check on the till before I can pay for the rest of the items. It was my regular so I was scared they would ban me.

Well done in going back op.

ClareBlue has it absolutely spot-on.

Not quite the same thing, but a similar principle, I believe: if you stopped at a parking place on a busy A-road and noticed it strewn two-feet-deep with rubbish at the side, would you feel entitled to chuck your own rubbish in with the rest rather than using the bin (or taking it home with you, if there is no bin), figuring that 'it makes absolutely no difference'? After all, plenty of other people have clearly come to the same conclusion.

If your answer is Yes, would it still be Yes if there had been no (un-binned) rubbish there at all when you got there? If that detail would change your answer to a No, why do you think the first person who threw their rubbish was any less entitled to do so, and thus blaze the trail for you, than you are?

Well done for doing the right thing, OP.