"Kalmia" wrote
"cshenk" wrote:

>> Be i check writing or using the credit card, I have it all out in advance
>> and filled out as far as possible (checks). As a matter of fact, i'm
>> usually using a few coupons and they show a talley then scan them. I
>> write
>> then and get the cash back from the coupons, normally finishing same time
>> the cashier does. What is also disruptive is an inexperienced cashier who
>> doesnt know *how* to process a check.

>Why don't you use a debit card? Fastest way to pay and be on your way.

1)- I do not have a debit card. The bank I use wants to attach it to my
checking account and the consumer protection for debit cards is
non-existant. Because of the way my paychecks roll, I can easily have
9,000$ in my checking account. With a debit card, it is possible if hacked,
to have that disappear over night and you do not get it back.

2) Someone hacked an ATM machine at a bank of mine long ago. 2,000$ went
missing. I got it all back. Reason? I was able to prove I did not *have*
an ATM card. I had declined it when I got my account so had never been
issued one.

3) Checks for some expenditures suit me. Mailing checks for some bills and
things like that. My checking account has fraud protection for checks.

4) I use my credit card for groceries if the lines are short and I don't
think I'll have time to have a check ready. Then I have to remember to pay
that full amount off when the bill comes in (but then I normally pay the
full amount spent each month plus a bit towards my larger purchases and the
interest accrued that month). Generally if someone will have to wait while
I fill out a check, I'll go credit card.

5) It's a falsehood that checks take longer. You set them up when waiting
in line. What you 'notice' is the rude ones who don't do that. You never
notice the rest of us (the majority I think) who politely have it ready to
go. I even add the phone numbers and if that store puts your DL # on them,
I add that too. BEFORE I get to the cashier.

Now what will delay my checkout? Grin, coupons for 1. I have them all
sorted and hand them over first (along with any card that store may have)
but i *may* have up to 50 of them on some runs. Normally it's 15-20. The
other one is I mostly get a large amount of fresh veggies and fruits which
have to be weighed. (We are not vegetarian, but we come a bit close in
eating habits with meats normally being more to the garnish level so a
typical meal here would be rice, 3 veggies, a fruit, and a small meat
serving of 3-4oz).

So the next time you see a person where close to 50% of the cart seems to be
fresh veggies and fruits, it might be me ;-)

Oh, that 'has to be weighed' portion is also one of 2 reasons for why I
don't use self service lines. Cashiers are fast at that, I am not. I slow
down that self service line unacceptably to my mind so don't. The other is
i feel that every time one of us uses that line, we impact the job market as
the store no longer needs as many cashiers. I'm never in that much of a
rush. If I really am in a horrible rush, then that just isnt a shopping day
so I don't shop.