Sunday, July 01, 2007

Did you check your bill?

During my frock days, mom used to give me a list of items written in a small paper (1/4 kg tomatoes ,1/2 kg onions, 1 packet Tata salt etc.) to buy from a nearby annachi kadai(it is also common to refer people, who are in to retail business of rice, departmental stores, medical stores as "Annachi" in Tamil Nadu,South India). But now the scenario is totally different.

The ground-floor of many apartments in Chennai are turned into supermarkets. 'Spencers Daily', 'Vitan', 'Trinethra', 'Nilgiris', 'Lifestyle' and many more are the most preferred ones here. Pick your choice is my definition of a supermarket or departmental store.My question is, are we careful enough in noticing how much we pay?How many of us cross-check our bills? After all every penny matters.Usage of plastic money creates a 'don't bother' nature for everyone of us. Wherever we purchase its our right to claim for what we buy and how much we spend. Already we are into a critisism that the younger generation spends more than saving.

People are bond to make mistakes. We might make a mistake paying more money, the shopkeeper might make a mistake claiming extra charge, or there are possibilities of intentional theft without our knowledge. Its our duty to cross-verify if things are right, especially in places like supermarkets.

Two such incidents happened with me this month. One in an electronic showroom wherein the total cost of an item was 4000 rupees in which i paid 2500 rupees through my card and decided to pay the rest as cash. The shopkeeper forgot to get the remaining 1500 from me while he packed my item; i gave him the money and advised him to be alert.Another one in a supermarket where i ended up paying 580 rupees wherein I had actually purchased for 480 rupees ; which i realised after i reached home.

Check:
  • Expiry date of the item.
  • Condition of the item and its package.
  • Quantity of items printed in the bill.
  • Take time in reading the bill if you are paying for the correct items you purchased.
  • When paying through cards,cross check the amount printed in the sales slip. Make sure you carry your customer copy.
  • Avoid using mobile phone when you are paying your bills coz little-careless mistakes may lead to future concerns.
  • I would suggest instead of humming a song while the bill is getting printed, we could straight away look into the monitors whether the salesperson is in the right track.That would minimise mistakes on either side.
  • Last but never the least make sure you have a little space in your purse for you bill. Preserve it at least for a day or two for any exchange.

12 comments:

payyan said...

So true.

Got a Spencer near my residence at bangalore, where however carefully I hapen to shop, the bill mystriously turns with .50 attachment, the balance of which disppears inside the till. Another one of financial mysteries, I suppose. After much cajoling and making of villainous eues at the cashier, I occasionally manage to get back my 8 anna, la kishorekumar.

Rajesh

Anuradha said...

Rajesh,

This happens not just with money, last week i ordered some good food from a renowned restaurant. The guy delivered it at my home and after he left i noticed one item missing.I don't understand if this is a mistake or deliberately done.

payyan said...

Oops, so whatever is wrong with good old Chennai is wrong with Bangalore too. I once ordered something from a well-known restauRANT (pl. note the RANT) as I had to RANT at them as one critical item was missing.

payyan said...

By the way, seen any new movies? I saw Bheja Fry (Highly avoidable) > The things that pass these days in the holy name of comedy!!!!

Anuradha said...

good that you ranted at the restaurant men! many a times they escape saying we never ordered such an item. so no harm ranting!

Anuradha said...

I dint go for any new movies pal, but saw some good ones sitting at home. 'Princess Dairies', 'Shrek'....

payyan said...

Shrek 1, 2 or 3? I saw 1 & 2, 3 isnt available right now. Have to try 70 mm.

Princess Diaries? Never heard of it. Did you see 'A good year'?

Watched Indira and Catwoman yesterday. Building a good movie collection seriously. Do you have one?

Rajesh

Anuradha said...

I got a DVD combination of Shrek 1,2 and 3 along with Ice Age 1 and 2 just for 100 bucks...i actually keep praising me for such a good job!!!

Haven't you heard of Princess Diaries 1 and 2, Anne Hathaway does the role of princess. Man, a must watch!!!

Well, regarding a collection, not much ;i have just started....

payyan said...

chek out the moserbaerhomevideo collection. Really cheap for Rs. 28 a VCD and Rs. 34 a DVD. I bought quite a few, a couple of Shivaji and MGR movies.

PS. Howver the DVDs dont work well on the laptop. Gotta chek it out.

Anuradha said...

moserbaerhomevideo collection? Man, i have quite a good collection....if u r familiar with old tamil movies,these are the ones i have-bama vijayam,thillu mullu,ethir neechal,paasa malar,etc.

payyan said...

hey, you have paaasa malar? i would love to have a copy. I bought Dharmam Thalai Kakkum and a Sivaji movie.

Have to hunt for some Gemini movies like sumaithangi etc. Do you get many old movies in Chennai?
Let me know abt the pricing so that i can pick up some when i come down.

Anuradha said...

Paasa Malar along with Paar magale paar for 50(25 each). I buy most of them in odyssey. Also landmark has a huge collection....when u come to chennai try landmark(citicenter, spencers), u will definitely get the movie u wanted!