The Coupon Stink Eye

Coupon Stink Eye: n. a discouraged look (ie: scowl, pursed lips, raised eyebrows, squinty eyes, etc.) given to a patron checking out with any number of coupons. May also be accompanied with rude remarks, deep breaths or occasional, audible heavy sighs. Can be performed by cashiers, managers or other patrons of the store.

Is this you?

If so, can you please knock it off? It's very rude, insensitive and annoying.

Those of us who spend lots of time clipping coupons, making lists and shopping carefully don't usually do it because it's "fun." We do it for a reason; each of us having our own, personal reasons. Some people might HAVE to clip coupons to properly feed their families. Maybe others do it so they can donate all of the food to pantries or homeless shelters. Those people may not be able to make this donation without saving a few dollars first. Some of us coupon shop so we may be able to help others with the money that was saved. And then, there are a few that just like to get a good rush out of scoring a deal. Whatever the case, it's not your concern.

Have some patience please.

For example, I went grocery shopping at Kroger on Wednesday. I made my list, cut my coupons and shopped as I usually do (I must make a note that early Wednesday afternoons it seems the store is empty.) I got to the front of the store where there was only one cashier open with only one person checking out ahead of me. So, I methodically started unloading my cart: cloth bags first, grocery items next, items I am getting free with coupons last*. As I am unloading, a lady with about 2 or 3 bags worth of stuff gets behind me in line. She quickly becomes impatient (after like 20 seconds) and walks to another line (the express), only to walk back to my line (I am watching this because I find it rather amusing.)

The cashier now asks me if I have any coupons (yeah, like 50.) I hand her my coupons; pre-sorted with all of the free items last. Right away, I could tell that the cashier was rather new at the job. At the first beep of one of the coupons, she calls a manager over
(at this point, I can see the lady behind me shifting from one leg to another.) The manager proceeds to teach her how to override a coupon, how to enter a free item, etc. - she was doing her job perfectly! After a minute or two...seriously, it was less than three minutes...the lady behind me says, "I didn't think it was going to be all this," complete with tight lipped expression.

Wait a second...BE ALL THIS? What the heck did you expect? OH, I know, you didn't expect people to be checking out in the check out line, did ya? That makes sense. *roll eyes here*

So, I immediately turned to her and said, "Yeah...well...I just saved fifty bucks, sooo..."

Oh...you didn't expect that? You didn't think that you could open your rude, big, fat mouth and no one would say anything back to you?

She then bobbled her head a bit, took a step back and quietly said, "well, that's one way to do it."

And you all know about that little thing called Karma? If you are not familiar, it's a belief that basically means, "What comes around goes around." Here is the point where little Miss K steps herself right in. After making her wait for what she probably thought was forEVer, she must have taken notice of the Kroger check writing policy. As I gathered my items, I overheard heard her tell the cashier, "Can you hold these items for me? I want them, but I don't have all of the proper requirements to write a check." The cashier looked at her like whhaaat and then asks, "sooo...you still want them?" The impatient lady had to repeat herself AGAIN on why SHE was now holding up the line. All the while, I just smiled and thought to myself, "Karma's a b!@tch, isn't it?"

So please people, have a little patience. Be kind to the elderly lady struggling with her wallet. Have some sympathy for the single parent trying to juggle three children and a cart load of groceries. Be supportive to those of us who work hard for our dollars and would like to keep them in our families where they belong.

And in case you just can't get rid of your stink eye, you can print a $2.00 coupon for Visine here.

Coupon Stink Eye sighted in Austin as well! Read about it here.

*I always try to put my "free with coupon" items at the end of the check out counter because the cashiers need to write in the sale price on each coupon. This is done as a courtesy as they will not have to scroll all the way up the receipt to find prices. It's much easier if they are all located together at the end of the tape.

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