If a store makes an error in your favor and returns too much $$ to you, do you speak up?

Of course. Always.

And when it goes the other way, too.

Yes without a second thought.

Everyone makes mistakes and if you. I have worked as a cashier and to walk away leaving the drawer short is low. Sometimes the boss will take the difference out of the clerks check.

Absolutely. Whether it’s 1¢ or $1000. It’s not “the store” giving me money. It’s a (most likely) minimum-wage employee who counted wrong and will be disciplined or forced to pay the difference out of his/her own pocket. Keeping it is wrong on every conceivable level.

What if they credited it to your credit card? Would they still show a short drawer that way?

@BBSDTfamily I can’t answer that question as I don’t understand how that could happen. Crediting something to your credit card is not an easy “mistake” to make. It has to be done intentionally.

Similarly, however, I was at a local bookstore a few weeks ago, and bought two books. It rang through, and I handed over my card without looking at the total, like I always do. After I signed the receipt, I noticed the cost was about half of what it should have been. I told the clerk immediately that it looks like he only rang in one book. He thanked me, rang up the second book, and I signed the second receipt too.

Yes, always.

@MrItty The instance that I am remembering was when I bought 2 of something, and instead of returning the two items at their real cost, the clerk returned them each for the price of the two items together. Not sure how. Maybe the item I bought was on sale and he returned it to me at the regular price. Anyway, didnt’ realize until a few days later, after my vacation, and I always wondered if it would have come back on him.

If I notice an error I always return the money – no matter the amount.

Always.

If it’s “a few days later” that I realize the mistake, no I probably wouldn’t mention it unless it was a substantial amount of money. Similarly, if someone gives me a five back when they meant to give me a 1, and I don’t realize it until I’ve driven home, no I probably wouldn’t mention it. But if I figured it out before I got to my car in the parking lot, I would.

A clerk once forgot to ring up an item and I did not catch it till I got home and saw the reciept. The next month when I purchased the same item I had the clerk scan it twice to cover the error the month before.

No.

Just being honest, no. I suppose if it were a larger amount, I would, but it’s only happened to me once and it was like $2 and I didn’t realize it until I was back at my car. Not gonna bother.

Yes.

Depends on the store…if it’s a large chain grocery store for example which I’m always finding they overcharge me on things, I figure it all balances out. If it’s a small, family run business, always. If the store pisses me off with their utter incompetence, maybe not. I try to be fair and even in my decisions, but just like I won’t run back to a store if I got overcharged a buck or two, I’m not going to run back just to give them a buck or two if I got too much change. If it’s more than a couple bucks, generally I’m going to notice it right at the time and I’m going to say something. But if I’ve had it up to here with the store and their incompetence, I call it a business expense for them…there’s a cost associated for having your head up your ass as an organization in my opinion.

I’ll give you a few examples….I think you do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. I forget what had happened, but something unexpected had cost me $98 out of the blue. That same day I saw a check floating around in the parking lot. It was for $98. It was made out from one person to another person. The person to whom it was made out had signed the check. Endorsed checks are like cash. I could have taken this as the fates paying me back, but I didn’t. I called the maker of the check. And even though this person wouldn’t give me the number of the payee and treated me like I was up to something, I understood. The person to whom the check was made was grateful and gave me her address. I mailed the check back, never got a thank you call or letter, sent the letter at my own expense. It was the right thing to do.

When I was in college, our cafeteria was run by a guy who had vision problems. One time he gave me back too much change. Even though once before he’d given me back too little (it was like a buck too little, but $10 too much), I couldn’t take advantage of the guy, not just because he was blind, but because he owned this business, he was a little guy, he was nice, he was competent, he didn’t deserve to get ripped off.

But one time I bought a stereo system from a big box retailer. They basically sold me a whole bunch of stuff I really didn’t need with it even though I explained exactly what I wanted. They kind of pushed me into a sale as well because they couldn’t extend prices, even though they were out of stock. I had some speakers on back order. They called me into the store to get them, they weren’t there. They called me in another time, then made me wait forever before they brought them out. Then they didn’t really help me check out, didn’t have me sign anything, and after an hour and a half, I left with the speakers, no one stopped me. They called again in a week saying my speakers were in. I told them I didn’t want them any more and to just credit them to my account. They did it. That was horrible incompetence and stupidity and dishonesty, from a company that was making money hand over fist and not giving people any service for their dollar. I figured they got what they got, and I didn’t think twice about it….for me I was just being compensated for all the time I spent just trying to get my speakers and the overcharge for all the things I didn’t need or want.

I just try to do the right thing, but fuck you if you cross me, I’ll take your ass to the cleaners.

Yes. Only problem is many times if you give the clerk dollar bills and coins, they don’t understand the concept of returning bills as the change.

I hate giving math lessons.

Yes. Every time, in any circumstance.

Well, I’m glad to see we’re all saints here. :P

Seriously. Everyone’s always talking about how all humans are evil and corrupt, and here we are returning 2 cents at a Safeway. I find it interesting and impressive. I only wish I cared enough to do it. Maybe a larger amount, but not a small amount.

I certainly would speak up! Where are they getting these $$‘s from when I expect ££‘s!?
In seriousness, yes, unless I hadn’t noticed until much later on (and this is likely given my haphazard handling of money), then I would probably disregard the issue unless it was a considerable amount of money.

@DominicX
“Many of the insights of the saint stem from his experience as a sinner”

@Nially_Bob

:)

Maybe it’s only because I’ve been overcharged before and the person “convinced” me that I was wrong and then after I got back to the car I realized I was right, but I didn’t do anything about it. I was just a kid, what was I supposed to do? Oh well…if they ever give me extra money again, I will get back to this question.

Always and I try to be discreet about it and not get the clerk look like an idiot. There was only this one time at a Winn-Dixie store… the airhead behind the counter was busy chatting on the phone and giggling, she didn’t even pay attention to what she was doing and gave me an extra $100 bill. I realized her mistake before getting in my car, so I went back in, asked another clerk to call the manager, gave him the money and explained the whole thing. Never saw the idiot clerk in that store again.

Of course! It’s not my money.

Yes—always give back the money, and expect the same from them. The amount makes no difference.

Yes, I would. It is only by living an honest life that we can expect an honest world. I am one of the most honest people I know, as are most of the members of my family.

Yes, every time.

You’re either honest or you’re not, there’s no gray area.

I always correct them.
Once, I didn’t though.
I bought a dvd online, and realized when I got it, that it wasn’t widescreen.
I emailed the site, and they agreed to send me the widescreen version if I returned the pan-and-scan. I returned it by mail the next day.
Three days later, I got the widescreen in the mail.
The next day, I got another. I thought “I will have to send this back, since they did me the favor”.
The next day I got 2 more. I thought “I will send these 3 back, and let them know of their mistake”.
The next day, I got another. At this point, I said “These people are fucking stupid, and they deserve to go out of business”.
I gave the dvd’s to friends.

Always.

Yes, always.

The only time I wouldn’t is if the cashier was a total and complete douche to me during our transaction. And even then I would speak up if the amount was something big, around or over $20. I jokingly believe in karma, and if a cashier wants to treat me without respect, well then they can suffer for their own incompetence.

Yes, Always. There is nothing I value more than my honesty. Doesn’t matter if the cashier is a nice person or a complete ass. Cheating folks is not a good habit to have, no matter your rationalization.

@DrBill

I find it hard to believe that everyone here who returns extra money is honest about everything else in their life. It’s pretty hard to be that way. I think it’s just because money is so important (especially during a recession) that we’re not going to lie about money.

I think characterizing it as rationalization doesn’t fit at least my ethical standpoint. My belief is, if it’s not mine, it’s not mine, and if it’s not yours, it’s not yours. But I also believe that some things simply aren’t material enough to worry about when the cost of straightening them out outweighs the benefit to anyone of so doing. Now, it would be one thing to always complain when I’m overcharged a buck and never complain when I’m undercharged, but all in all, I don’t have to “rationalize” what I decide to do. If I notice it right away, I’ll point it out. If I leave the store and find out later, I’ll factor that into my decision, and I will weigh the costs and benefits to both parties of me doing the morally “pure” thing. It is only the exceptional case, such as my speaker experience when I will do something premeditatedly dishonest, but it will not be something that I “justified” to myself or “rationalized” as OK, it will be a “what should I do about this” situation which compares and contrasts the various options. Many factors will go into such a decision and I will make it entirely intentionally to achieve a certain ultimate purpose. At the end of the day, I tend to believe that if you added up every penny I’ve ever been overcharged vs. every penny I’ve ever been undercharged, I would not be ahead in this game, at best I would be nearly even. For me when I make the decision to take advantage of someone’s mistake, it falls under the category of opportunistic consumer terrorism. That is, I am not the sort to firebomb your building if I think your organization is corrupt, mismanaged and incompetent, but in the case where your corruption, mismanagement and incompetency benefits me and costs you (as opposed to the usual scenario where it benefits you and costs me), I see that as an opportunity to teach you that there is a price to be paid for not running your business correctly, and for me it’s not about the sense of enrichment I personally get, it’s more about helping to facilitate positive organizational change where it is gravely needed.

Long story short….ordinary, honest mistake…I’ll correct it. Mistake caused by gross incompetence, you get what you get. And I sleep like a baby.

@DominicX

If your honest, your honest about everything,

If your honest about most things and not others, then your dishonest.

There is no gray area.

@DrBill

So you’re honest about everything? Absolutely everything ever? You are flawless in that field?

@DominicX

yes, so don’t ask anything you don’t want to hear the truth about.

@DrBill

Alright then. Are you honest about feelings? Does that count towards this “100% honesty”?

Believe me, this is fascinating to me. I am genuinely seeking answers here. I don’t know a single person who is honest 100% of the time. I know people who tell the truth more frequently than others, but I don’t know a single person who does it 100% of the time.

Yes, I believe an honest person is honest about every aspect of their life.

PM if you have a question, so we don’t get “mod“ded for getting off subject

@DominicX I make every effort to be honest 100% of the time. There is a difference between the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

@YARNLADY

not answering is also an honest act

@DrBill Exactly!

@DrBill : Honestly, it’s “you’re” in the sense that you’re using it.

I don’t understand how being honest seems so foreign to some people, not you @dalepetrie I understand your frustration, but more like @DominicX who finds it hard to believe a person can live an honest life. I am honest simply because being dishonest hurts me. I have been cheated, but that doesn’t give me the right to cheat others, not even the people that screwed me over. They’ll get theirs eventually, and I of course will laugh at their misfortune; I just won’t be a part of it.

@DrBill is 100% right, you are either honest or you are not. There is no grey area. Life is about choices, your results may vary.

@evelyns_pet_zebra

I find it hard to believe that someone never ever lies ever and that every single thing they say is 100% truth.

So what I am to understand is that you never ever lie and that everything you say is completely true. We are talking 100% honest all of the time. Not mostly honest or more inclined to tell the truth, but never telling a lie no matter what happens.

See this thread:

http://www.fluther.com/disc/50557/is-is-true-that-some-people-are-honest-100-of-the/

I also don’t believe that lying is always always bad. That’s just my personal belief and it derives from personal experience. Who decided that lying is always wrong? Who came up with that? Who gets to decide that?

For example, my brother saw me on this site. I don’t want my brother on this site and I don’t want him to know about it. He asked me about seeing me on a site that was orange and green and he asked what it was. I said I was just looking at it, just something I came across. That was a lie. My brother is not damaged. I am not damaged. I don’t see what the problem is.

@evelyns_pet_zebra – I’ll fully admit that at times I’m dishonest, but I’m dishonest for a purpose, my dishonestly is purposeful, in much the same way as if a fat friend asks you if these jeans make her look fat, and you say, “no”, instead of saying, “no, it’s your ass that makes you look fat.” I’ll be dishonest if there’s a purpose for so doing which I think serves a greater overall good. I don’t really care if someone thinks that makes me “dishonest”, I care more about integrity than honesty.

@dalepetrie

I always thought integrity is a big part of honesty, and honesty is a big part of integrity.

I don’t see how you can have one and not the other

@evelyns_pet_zebra

Also, “honest” just means “telling the truth”. It doesn’t have anything to do with doing it all the time. It’s a word that is applied to conditions and certain contexts. Someone can be honest during a day and lie the rest of their life. You’re attaching too much of a philosophical definition to the word.

Ragingloli’s examples in the thread I linked to showed that honesty can harm people in certain contexts. I brought up the point that if your honesty harms someone or could harm someone, how do you weigh which one is more important?

@DrBill – integrity is doing the right thing, seeking a certain quality and intent to one’s actions, and sometimes honesty lacks integrity. Your definition is simplistic…simply saying you’re 100% honest about everything all the time lacks integrity if you’ve ever told a white lie.

I think I can clarify this in an even better way. Here is the definition of “integrity”:

“Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.”

For me what is moral and ethical is usually, almost 100% of the time the same as what is the honest thing. But sometimes, what I find the most ethical and moral thing to do overall is “dishonest”. I have my own moral code which I use to decide right from wrong. If I always do what I believe to be the right thing, then I am living up to my own moral/ethical code and therefore I have integrity. If I sacrifice what I believe to be the “correct” course of action simply because the opposite action is more “honest”, I lose my integrity, because I’m not living up to the standard I set for myself.

Okay, here is my version of honesty. People ask for the truth, I tell them what I feel is the truth. If someone is feeling poorly and needs a little compliment to perk them up, I will say something to make them feel better. Is that lying? Not in my book. 100% honesty is impossible, somewhere you are going to have to fudge the truth to keep the peace.

Honesty to me is taking responsibility for my actions. Honesty is saying the right thing for the right reasons. Honesty is not taking advantage of others if you can avoid it. I work in security, honesty is a very important part of my job, because security people who lie about the facts in reports or whatever WILL be found out, and they will be punished.

Do I lie to myself? Yeah, I do. I find myself rationalizing things that I shouldn’t do, but aren’t hurting anyone else.

Do I cheat people? Do I steal from people? Do I lie to gain advantage over others? No to all three of those. That is honesty in my book. My honesty is my integrity. If I fuck up, I am man enough to fess up to it. That’s the way I am. I am not above using game cheats, but hey, I’m old and my reflexes aren’t what they used to be. =)