Another Financial Pet Peeve of Mine

I've already noted a couple financial pet peeves of mine (getting solicited on the phone and dealing with rebates) and thought I'd share another I've experienced recently a few times. It is:

Not getting a receipt for a purchase at a gas pump.

I like to get receipts when I purchase things. They help me track what I'm spending, where I'm spending it, etc. And when I get gas, I also don't want to take extra time by going into the store -- I simply want to gas up, get my receipt, and go.

But do you know how many gas stations can't manage to get a simple receipt to print out? Here's what I've experienced in the past few weeks:

• A station near my home has about a 50% print-out rate. When I went in the store last time to get a receipt the clerk said, "Yeah, that happens all the time." Ugh. (BTW, I don't go there any longer.)

• On vacation, a receipt didn't print out at a very nice-looking gas station we've stopped at a time or two before (because they also sell Icees). I went in to get a receipt and the cashier didn't even apologize for my inconvenience (and I was especially perturbed because I had to wait in line to get it.)

• At another station near our home, I could hear the receipt printing out but nothing came out of the machine. I went in and got my receipt and at least the clerk went out as I was leaving to fix the problem.

I know that I'll get comments like "it's not that big of a deal" and "why do you need a receipt anyway", and I admit that there are many more important financial (and other) issues to be concerned with than not getting a receipt at a gas pump. But then again, aren't minor annoyances the definition of "pet peeve"? ;-)

How about you? What are your financial pet peeves? 

Comments

[Mike Hunt]

Pet peeve,

How about when you do get a receipt but the toner is empty so it's a blank receipt. Then you go into the gas station and they can't give you another one because the machine printed out the first (defective) one...

I keep a pen handy and write down the number when this would happen! I always hang on to all receipts and check them off my credit card statements- saved me some money by catching overcharges (and did discover some charges never posted!) and is just a good habit in general.

My financial pet peeve is when a transaction comes to a number like $23.37 and I give $24.12 expecting 3 quarters back in change... the peeve is when the cashier gives me back the 12 cents and then 63 more cents! How come people can't do simple math in their heads' anymore?

-Mike

[Mark B.]

I am the exact opposite, I wish all of the pumps gave you the choice of not getting a receipt. Several of them now say "Receipt Y/N?" and I always select "N".

It is just another piece of trash I have to deal with later. I can easily tell from my online bank statement that my transaction was for gas, no need for a receipt.

[Rzrshrp]

I hate the gas station thing too. I never go inside to get the receipt though. If I wanted to go into the store, I wouldn't have swiped my card outside.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when credit card companies try to sell stuff that I'm not getting such as credit protection and high fee balance transfers when I call to activate. I groan as soon as I notice that I'm being transferred to a live person for what would be a very quick process if the company didn't waste my time offering things that I'll never get.

[MC]

I agree---I'm spending $20-30 and they can't even provide the basics?

Besides being annoying, I take the lack of a decent receipt printer as meaning that they don't really want my business, and probably don't maintain their pumps to be accurate---so I make a point of going elsewhere next time.

I also avoid stations that have those broken pumps that they never seem to get fixed.

I actually encountered a gas station last summer that claimed to be *out* of regular unleaded gas. You had to buy premium if you wanted a fill up there! I just couldn't believe it. I sincerely hope they went out of business.

[Charle@PayLessForFood]

My pet peeve also has to do with gas stations but it is how many gas stations in my area (suburban Chicago) display a large price on their signs for gas but only when you get closer or pull into the gas station are you able to read the "with car wash" lettering underneath the price.

The price without the car wash is usually 20 cents higher per gallon. I've actually pulled out of a gas station just on the principle of what I consider deceptive advertising.

[Greg]

On the subject of gas stations, for me it's:

1) The stations that intentionally slow their pumps down making you wait to fill the tank in the hopes that you will use this time to go in the store to make an impulsive purchase.

2) For travelers, you know this. The stations that are strategically located on the way to the airport with premium prices. This past year, after prices had fallen below $3/gallon there was a station in Orlando near the airport that had gas priced at just under $5/gallon!

[MC]

Oh, and other financial pet peeves?

My company's employee cafeteria charges $0.30 extra if you want a bit of lettuce in your $2.50 bean burrito! Yet sour cream, guacamole, etc are optional but free. Apparently, my company intends to encourage employee atherosclerosis.

The guy that used to mow my lawn and also the guy that clears my driveway of snow in the winter both upped their prices beginning in 2008 because of "high gas costs". Of course, when gas costs went down in 2009 both guy's prices stayed exactly the same. Bogus!

Sam's club: won't take credit cards.

[Trent D.]

"How come people can't do simple math in their heads' anymore?

-Mike"

Probably the same reason they can't handle simple apostrophe use anymore ;)

::ducks::

I agree, FMF, this irks me too. Especially in the age of the driveoff, I'd like to have proof I paid for that gas.

[Stephanie]

Financial pet peeves...hmmmm...I dont have many pet peeves at all...I can't stand poor customer service though, but thats not really a pet peeve.

[LotharBot]

My pet peeve:

Pricetags in the grocery store that have per-unit costs for easy comparison... only some of them are per ounce and some per pound. OK, yes, I have a graduate degree in applied math and it's not THAT hard for me to eyeball whether a number is 16x bigger than another, but it's just extra time and effort.

[Rob]

I'm right there with you on the gas receipts pet peeve. However, I can't stand going in the store so the few times it happens, I don't bother taking the time to get one.

[Christy]

I once heard(read?) a solution to the no receipt problem. You can take a picture of the pump with your cell phone. Captures date, amount, and gallons.

[Douglas]

I'm with Mark B.
I do not need more trash to keep track of my expenses. To me those receipts are waste, and an expense to the gas station that any smart gas station owner could be passing on to me the customer.

[Texas Wahoo]

"I actually encountered a gas station last summer that claimed to be *out* of regular unleaded gas. You had to buy premium if you wanted a fill up there! I just couldn't believe it. I sincerely hope they went out of business."

This happens a lot after hurricanes because of gas shortages. Since few people buy premium, the regular unleaded runs out a lot faster. I think it's generally the fault of the trucking company that is providing the gas and not the gas station. I don't see how a gas station could possibly make more money by denying people what they want unless they truly are the only game in town.

As for the post about not keeping their printers working suggesting they probably don't keep their pumps working properly - there is no state agency coming around checking whether their printers work.

[Laura]

My financial pet peeve is people who do not count back change! I pay with a five dollar bill, and they say, 'your change is $1.17." NOOOOO! THat is NOT counting back change! You say, ' seventeen cents makes four $s and 1$ makes 5." Good grief. It's really not that difficult, people. ;-) Just announcing your change amount is NOT counting it back!

@Mark says: "I wish all of the pumps gave you the choice of not getting a receipt. Several of them now say "Receipt Y/N?" and I always select "N"."
A good reason to keep the receipt is cuz as you drive away, you may mistakenly be reported by the station as a NO PAY (they mistook whic pump you were at) and they call the cops on you, taking your license # down. Happened to a friend of mine . . . he got pulled over, cop said, 'you didnt pay for gas' and my friend was able to produce the receipt and was let go.

I usually keep my receipt until I get my credit card statment. Then I toss.

[mapgirl]

1. I agree with FMF, I get irritated with no receipt. If you have to submit receipts for reimbursement, you care about not getting one, and a JPEG of the pump will not do for documentation. I get pissy about no receipt b/c I've had to stick cat paper into pumps before (My parents have had one on and off for 30 years.) and it's not that hard to fill the pumps with paper. NEVER has any cashier gone out to fill the receipt paper after I have told them that their pump is out. NEVER. I have pretty much stopped buying gas at places that do not print receipts.

2. As someone who is familiar with gas station operations, it generally is not the fault of the gas station if they run out of gas. (Caveat, I am talking about 'branded' stations.) The central management of the gas supply is off if a station runs out of regular (87). They are much more likely to run out of premium (95). Perhaps that was a red herring because their regular tank had a problem? Who knows what the cashiers tell customers. Really. I've had them stupidly lie about all kinds of stuff for no reason. It is possible for a station owner to call up and say, "I really need you to bring me this type of gas ASAP!" But even so, that means later on that night and probably not useful on the nightly commute.

3. I'd be wary of a gas station that had a pump that was chronically broken. (over a period of months.) Generally speaking it takes a day or two for a pump to get fixed unless they have to order parts (rare).

Oh just thinking about the 2-3 stations in Northern VA that don't give receipts makes me grind my teeth. The owners are too cheap to spend money on the paper!

[Patty]

oh my goodness! I too want my receipt, would like change counted back, would like the choice of receipt or none..... BUT it's my chance to stop in the store, count the change myself, and get to print my receipt.

What I get - a moment to be nice to someone, pass on a good word or two and a smile and (try) not to let it get to me.... because it is not about me :)

[RobF]

I run a rental property (business) and have to keep all those little receipts for the tax man. The annoying and possibly costly problem is receipts that fade to nothing if the humidity is up or they rub on something. Anyone have a solution for invisible ink?

[Daniel]

Financial pet peeves:
1. The many places that accept VISA/Mastercard but not Discover Card
2. Chase ATMs only give me cash in denominations of $20.00
3. Those silly tip jars at take out restaurants like Dairy Queen

[Kristen]

I have to agree with you on this one. I have had two different situations where the wrong amount was charged to my card at a gas station. I always check my receipt to the numbers on the pump as I get back in my car too. If I didn't have a receipt what argument would I have when the charge was wrong?

[kRenee]

Many gas stations purposely 'run out of paper' at the gas pump to encourage you to go inside and wait in line for it.

Then you see a bag of chips. Hmm, I'm hungry. I think I'll buy those. And I'll need a Coke to go with it.

Voila! They've just increased their profits.

Gas stations don't make much $$ on gas. They make a TON on the crap they sell inside. Any way they can get you in the door is a money-maker for them.

[Josh]

"My financial pet peeve is people who do not count back change! I pay with a five dollar bill, and they say, 'your change is $1.17." NOOOOO! THat is NOT counting back change! You say, ' seventeen cents makes four $s and 1$ makes 5." Good grief. It's really not that difficult, people. ;-) Just announcing your change amount is NOT counting it back! "
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I am the complete opposite. I cannot stand getting change counted back to me. I already know in my head exactly what it should be so I just want to verify the change is correct and get out of there.