Did I do the right thing at the checkout line?

Ema of 5

Tue, Dec 27 2022, 9:04 am

SuperWify wrote:

Of course I’d pay, even if she was wearing a designer coat.

(Unpopular opinion-the store is dumb about making problems on such a small amount.)

I would, and have, done for people dressed far fancier than I ever would.
And I agree with your unpopular opinion, and think it was even worse because it was a kid. An adult might turn around and ask the customer behind if they have the 80 agurot, a kid will be much too embarrassed.

tweety1

Tue, Dec 27 2022, 9:15 am

amother OP wrote:

I'm standing there at the supermarket checkout line, waiting to pay. My kids are home alone and the oldest two are preteen girls, capable of holding down the fort, but not for long periods of time. In front of me is a little frum girl paying for her groceries. Her coat is clearly labeled with the brand of coats they give for free to kollel families. She is buying a few basics, just eggs, some leben and couscous. She pays with a pre-paid chessed card of sorts. She is short 7 shekels and 80 agurot. She pulls out 7 shekels. The checkout girl says she is still short 80 agurot. She is silent for a bit (she's really young, like first or second grade) and she says "can I go home and bring back the money?" and I'm just really in a hurry, so I pull out the 80 agurot to pay the tab and say "yallah, it's fine". The little girl paused and then took her groceries and left.

The checkout girl says "Not everyone would have done what you did". My phone starts to ring with my kids calling. I say "I'm no tzadkes, I'm just in a hurry". But as I left the store, I kind of started to think, what if the girls parents are embarrassed when she tells them the story. Did I do the right thing? What right do I have to give tzedaka to a child without the parent's permission? Even if they are clearly already taking tzedaka, I still don't know if I did the right thing. 80 agurot is a very small sum of money. But I'm still wondering if there was better way to have dealt with this? Like just let the little girl be embarassed at the checkout? Or tell her my info so she could pay me back? Those also sound like lousy options. What would you have done?

I had similar less than a year ago. A girl in front of me was paying for essentials in a grocery. She had a credit card. The amount totalled $9 and some change. Minimum CC is $10. I felt sooo bad for her. I imagined the girl being my daughter and how embarrassed she must have been. The girl was on her phone with her father trying to figure out what to do. I just pulled out a $10 bill and paid it. She looked like I'm off the moon. She told her father what this random lady did and I was asked how was going to be repaid. I told her to put the money in the pushka.

dankbar

Tue, Dec 27 2022, 9:19 am

tweety1 wrote:

Nice deed!

DrMom

Tue, Dec 27 2022, 9:30 am

SuperWify wrote:

Of course I’d pay, even if she was wearing a designer coat.

(Unpopular opinion-the store is dumb about making problems on such a small amount.)

Problem is, if stores started ignoring whether or not people pay the full amount, then nobody will pay the full amount -- except people who are paying by credit card or check. In which case they'd just artificially raise prices in order to compensate for the lost income, and those people who pay by credit card or check would wind up paying more.

A shekel or two lost for every customer can add up to quite a bit at the end of the month.

amother

Lilac

Tue, Dec 27 2022, 9:34 am

I had such things happen, where other people paid for me. I was at a huge expo sale, where a bunch of stores are under one roof for 2 days. It was at closing time, I spent my money already. I was holding two sweaters, matching for my 2 boys, each was $10. I only had $10 left, and they didn't want to take any cc. I had no choice, but take only one, that would coordinate to a similar sweater at home for other boy. One I for sure needed, because the match at home dissapeared, when I was traveling, so lady, I knew vaguely, just heard my saga, about my son being sick with cancer, seeing that I can't buy matching for him with a brother a year apart, she gave me $10 to be able to buy both sweaters, a gift for sick boy. I asked her how I can repay the money, she should give me her address or phone number, but she refused to give it to me.

One time I was at bakery on Chanukah buying donuts and my credit card wasn't working, someone behind me paid for them.

Once at the train station, a Non-jewish person swiped his metro card by the turnstile for me, because I was having some issue, don't remember, maybe my metro card used up and the machine to purchase a new one, wasn't taking any credit card or was broken.

Bnei Berak 10

Tue, Dec 27 2022, 9:45 am

DrMom wrote:

It messes up the accounting is guess. At some point you bet management is asking what's going on.

NotInNJMommy

Tue, Dec 27 2022, 10:15 am

Bnei Berak 10 wrote:

The thing is that the cashier loads his register with a certain amount if money. The sales of that register is then checked in end of day. If your forego any amount it will show.
80 agorot is really negligable I agree Smile

I agree with this.

The cashier in many places is responsible to keep a balanced drawer. Too far over or under is problematic for the business and for their employment, and if under by enough, the cashier may be expected to make it whole.

amother

Geranium

Tue, Dec 27 2022, 11:18 am

amother OP wrote:

Of course you did the right thing, maybe not for the best reasons, but it’s a chesed to her even so.
You’re overthinking.