Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Can I Get a Receipt?

It's bad enough that gas prices are way too high, but it seems like gas stations everywhere are trying to save money (or make money). Am I crazy?

Lately when I go to the pump, I get frustrated because I never know if I'm going to have to either dig for a pen and piece of paper or walk inside to request a receipt from the cashier. And, it doesn't matter where I stop for gas. It seems that more often gas stations aren't refilling receipt paper at the pumps. I don't know if they are trying to get me to walk in and make an "impulse purchase" or what. But it's driving me nuts! I just want to pull up to the pump, swipe my card, press "YES" for receipt, finish pumping, yank receipt from pump, and drive away. Is that too much to ask? I know this much, I refuse to purchase anything if I do walk in for a receipt.

Jamison did not write this.

21 comments:

JS said...

this frustrates me as well. I find that some gas stations are just too dang lazy. I am shocked that SO many people still go in to pay with a credit card for gas. Luckily, the no paper issue only occures 1 out of every 10 times for me (but those 1 times it is always the same gas station.) I will go in and say "Your pump is still out of paper, I need a reciept."

Tammy said...

This is also very annoying when you have a little one in the car and don't want to have to go into the store because that entails unloading said little one just to get a receipt. Very irksome.

Mat Brewster said...

It does seem to be getting worse. I swear on my last trip to Oklahoma I only got about half of my receipts.

Normally I just write them down on a piece of paper instead of going inside, but sometimes I just figure I'll catch it when I balance the checkbook with my online banking.

kermitgrn said...

Tammy, I've been there too. I think it's a plot. Maybe there is a way to retaliate. Though it would cost us money, maybe we could print up some post-it notes that say, “I’m sorry, but the cashier was too lazy to refill me. Please use this paper to write down your total and be sure to call and complain to this store manager.” Of course we would pull off about 10 from the stack of post-its and paste it to the pump before we leave.

kermitgrn said...

10 pads of 25 would be about $20. Hmmmm.

JS said...

retaliate by taking the printed reciept, then go outside, put it in your pocket, go back in and say "Sorry, I lost it, can you print out another? And an 2nd one for my accountant? that way, they will end up spending more money on paper, whilst trying to save money

JS said...

while we are on the subject of gas station, I want full credit for starting a new fad.

Years ago, I started getting a towel (the ones that are available under most window-washing stations at gas pumps) and using it to cover the gas pump handle to pump my gas. This way, I did not have to touch a gas pump handle that most certainly is never washed and touched by millions.

I had never seen anyone do it before. Now, when i go to the gas station, I will see at least one other person (besides me) doing it. I am a trend setter!

Similarly, you can make them spend more money by using these towels. If they dont give you a receipt, take 10 or 15 towels home and use it as toilet paper.

kermitgrn said...

For those that were here earlier I posted a comment, but then felt guilty. My new revised idea is (but you have to have time for it): Call the attendant with the green button. Say, "Please bring my receipt and a roll of paper for the machine." Then wait. I wonder what kind of response you'll get.

CL said...

What if we just accepted the fact that we all struggle some days to do our jobs and some days are harder than others to remember everything that needs to be done?
I am not defending the gas stations, but I am saying that maybe we should look for more ways to not be served and look for ways that we could brighten the day of our favorite gas station attandant and loving him/her, knowing that it (just like my job and yours) must be tough sometimes, and we're all in this thing (life) together. Instead of trying to get back at the gas station. Like I think Jesus said, "He who is greatest among you will also be your servant."
Not saying it isn't frustrating cause it is, I just need to keep myself in check - thinking out loud.

JS said...

...yeah, or just accept the fact that somedays are harder than others on us folks and sometimes we need to vent it out and the blog is a wonderful way to do it without hurting anyone.

kermitgrn said...

That was kinda my point. Just venting. But pushing that green button will tempt me the next time it happens.

Mat Brewster said...

Leave it to preacher boy to get all christian on us :)

I don't go inside, and I wouldn't mess with them simply because I'm lazy. Who needs all that aggravation, when I can write it down or just check it out online?

Gas station worker has to be pretty far down on the list of jobs I'd like to do.

JS said...

Speaking of jobs I would not like to do, brew... remember when you and I went to UPS to get a job there? It was like, a mass interview. We were 20 minutes late and the lady was all pissed at us. We went individually into a room to interview. I had gum in my mouth. I assumed having gum in my mouth would be bad in an interview so I spit it on in the loooong hallway, as hidden as I possibly could.

You ended up getting a call back for a job there and I did not. You refused the job because I didnt get an offer... what a pal!

CL said...

Jamison, my point exactly. I am totally down with venting, I do it all the time. As I said, trying to "keep myself in check."

Anonymous said...

i hate gas...i want a big truck that runs on human fecal matter. we could burn all our diapers and never spend a cent!

-sip

Anonymous said...

...except on diapers, which we have to buy now anyway...

Mat Brewster said...

Speaking of diapers, anyone of you kid laying folk use the cloth type? I'm kind of pro environment these days and pro saving money so the thought of cloths make me happy, but the thought of washing all those poopy things makes me ill.

Just curious to see if any of you guys went that route.

JS said...

if anyone in this group would be cloth, it would be us. We havent bought paper towels in 7 years. We bought a few packs of napkins that are washable and thats all weve used.

But a load of crap that id would have to scrape into the trash can like uneaten chil, then tossing a fully soiled cloth in the washer, i would be tempted to wash it immediately rather than let it ferment.

There are services that pick up your diapers and bring you clean ones. But from an environmental stand point, studies have shows that the water wated and detergent used to wash the diapers, and the gas used to deliver them to you, is no safer than trashing the bio-degratable ones.

As for price, im willing to bet it cant be MUCH cheaper.

Mat Brewster said...

Yeah, I've seen similar studies, but it would be less for the landfills too. And yes, cheaper. I look at the price of disposables and I want to just let my kid run free in the yard.

Course we are going to china where, apparently, the kids are trained to poop in the street at the sound of a whistle.

Anonymous said...

talk to your sister's in-laws, Brew. Buster and Amy have a couple of kids and have lived in China for some time...

is Amy pregnant or something?!?!?!

-sip

Mat Brewster said...

No, no no no NO NO! Let's not start that rumor. I was just curious. I mean we want to have a kid, and we're not getting any younger, so we talk about it a lot. But not pregnant now, no.