When told you need to spend a certain amount to use your credit card, to you scramble for another item, or just walk away?

I don’t think you were a douche at all! Not today! If I’m like, dying of thirst…I’ll break and meet the damn limit. But if it’s something insignificant, for sure I’ll walk away!

It depends. If I see something I like (e.g., chocolate, and I’m in the mood), I get it. If not, I’ll use cash.

It’s not a stupid rule, by the way. Credit card fees don’t pay themselves.

It depends on the situation. If there is something else I really need (like something to eat because I’m hungry), I’ll grab something else. But, if I’m not hungry and they don’t have anything else I need, I’ll leave it and walk away.

I would probably walk away unless there was something else I was jonesing for (and now have an excuse to purchase.) I don’t see how this is rude (and when I do walk away, I always thank them first and put whatever item I was planning on buying back where it came from.) The cashier isn’t guaranteed my service and shouldn’t be upset if I decide to leave without spending money.

this is probably not a “fun” answer but i try to use cash when possible. rarely am i without at least $10 or $20. if i wanted soda and that was all, and had no cash, i would drink water, or scrounge up some change.

I have a debit/credit card. I don’t know how it works exactly, I just know that it only works if I have money in my account like a debit, but when asked what type of card it is, I’m supposed to say credit. I use that when I don’t have money on me.

I would walk away. I can’t stand someone to tell me how to spend my money, charge accounts etc.

If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit. I tell them I need another minute to look around. If I find something else I want I’ll go ahead and buy them both, but if I can’t find anything else I genuinely want I put the original item back and walk out.

I suppose it would depend how much i could afford to spend at the time. Ok, so $3 isn’t so much, so i probably would find something extra if i really wanted that drink. But i hate that rule (although i can understand it, because of credit card fees the owner of the store has to pay).
This is totally unrelated really, but it makes me think of this one time in a stationery store, where i bought a folder for an A4 notepad. When i got home i noticed that the note pad didn’t even fit in the folder, it was just too small, but they sold it to fit with an A4 notepad. So anyway, i went back to the store to return it – i didn’t exchange it because that was the last one on the shelf. They wouldn’t give my money back, and said i had to buy something of equal value. I was miffed, and was not about to waste $28, so i was wondering around in the store for AGES trying to find stuff that i could actually use and that i wanted to buy. They finally noticed that i wasn’t getting done, so they said i could take the stuff i already had, and they’re refund me the difference. I thought they had a cheek, because they sold a defective product and didn’t want to give my money back, so i ended up having to buy stuff i didn’t really want.
So, i don’t like being told to buy stuff i don’t want. RE the $3 minimum again…if the staff were unfriendly and annoyed me, i’d just leave and tell them “nevermind”. If they were friendly and i was in a good mood, i’d probably use this as a good opportunity and excuse to buy some chocolates or something to make up the $3, hehe.

If you really wanted to make a stink, you used to be able to argue that it was against agreements with CC companies for a retailer to mandate a minimum purchase amount, but it seems that a $10 minimum is now legally acceptable. If it’s above that, and you want what you want, you can take whatever time you want to demand that they accept your card in this case (what I would call “Option 3”).

But that’s your time – if it’s worth it, then it’s your right. Just know that you’ll probably look like a jackwagon if there are people waiting behind you. ;-)

Gosh, I don’t have a credit card. Never have had one, too.

I tell them no, I’m not required to spend their minimum amount and if they insist, I take my business elsewhere.