# Have you selected cash back and walked away without it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 23, 2018, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644 "2018-05-23T00:48:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/1 "2018-05-23T00:48:47Z")
I sometimes get $20 cash back at the grocery self-checkout. I try and make a point to verify that I get the bill after the machine spits it out. I’ve gotten distracted a couple times. Walked away without it. It’s not a good feeling afterwards. It’s one reason I only select $20 for cash back. Limit my chances of loss. I “think” it happened yesterday. I can’t specifically recall retrieving that bill. I found a twenty in my pocket. Was it one I already had? I’m just not sure. Sigh… Modern day problems. A cashier would have called out, sir! your change! Machines don’t do that. How about you? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/2 "2018-05-23T00:59:28Z")
The only time I ever did it was actually with a cashier. I got talking to her about something while buying my stuff and cashing out $100. After I left I realised that I didn’t have the $100 and didn’t know whether she had actually given it to me. I went back and she recalled serving me but she couldn’t remember either. Because they were busy I told her and the supervisor to call me when they balanced her till at the end of her shift. It turned out that I had just walked away without getting the money. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/3 "2018-05-23T02:17:07Z")
Just last month in fact. $60 at the Walmart self checkout. Fortunately the girl monitoring the section grabbed it and chased me down. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/4 "2018-05-23T02:42:53Z")
Not that I know of, but I have **almost** done it quite a few times. The checker has always stopped me and given me my money before I got out of the store. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/5 "2018-05-23T03:11:40Z")
I did it once at an external (bank wall, street-facing) ATM in London, for a large amount. Not a busy spot, and I was delighted to discover that it was credited back to my account, apparently it gets sucked back in quite quickly. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/6 "2018-05-23T03:45:21Z")
Two or three times. Once I was already in the parking lot when the checker came up to me with the money. The other time(s) I went back to the store the next day where they had already found the error. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/7 "2018-05-23T05:23:57Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Modern day problems. A cashier would have called out, sir! your change! Machines don’t do that. > > How about you? Many of the self serv checkouts I use make a bunch of racket (buzzing/beeping etc) until you take your money. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/8 "2018-05-23T06:11:37Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I did it once at an external (bank wall, street-facing) ATM in London, for a large amount. Not a busy spot, and I was delighted to discover that it was credited back to my account, apparently it gets sucked back in quite quickly. Yes it does. I was once waiting to use a cash machine in a club behind two guys who were in no hurry to get out of the way. They were happily chatting away while one of them withdrew probably $200. He left it sitting partly out of the chute, still talking, putting away his wallet, still talking. I was just on the point of asking them to hurry up when the machine sucked the money back in. It can’t have been a very long time as my patience hadn’t expired. The hardest part was not laughing at how distraught the guy was. Although club staff did console him that he would eventually get it back. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/9 "2018-05-23T11:55:30Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Many of the self serv checkouts I use make a bunch of racket (buzzing/beeping etc) until you take your money. I use self serve checkouts whenever they are available, but I also often will have earbuds in listening to music/podcasts. I once had someone run up and tap me on the shoulder. Sure enough, I had left an item behind and the checkout was beeping wildly. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/10 "2018-05-23T13:27:44Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Many of the self serv checkouts I use make a bunch of racket (buzzing/beeping etc) until you take your money. I hardly ever get cash back. When I do, it is usually from a cashier. One of the two times it was from a self serve it ($10) was left behind in the knee-height tray the machine dropped it into with no lights or sounds. I felt stupid at my next stop when I went to pull it out of my wallet and there was only the five and one I’d left the house with. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/11 "2018-05-23T13:35:32Z")
Yep! I just told my story in the thread regarding important things you’ve forgotten. Just last Friday I forgot $60 at the self-checkout. I didn’t realize until Saturday night. I went back to WalMart Sunday morning and they had it for me! I was shocked. I can’t believe the next person in line didn’t just take it. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/12 "2018-05-23T14:17:22Z")
Kroger’s self checkout doesn’t beep. It does nag you to hurry up and remove your bagged groceries. I wish it did have a voice prompt to remove cash back. I’m not entirely sure if I left money a couple days ago. I don’t have a clear memory of getting it. I was distracted waiting to get my grocery receipt. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/13 "2018-05-23T14:51:52Z")
A couple times for $10. Not worth the embarrasment of giong back. I have also left items that i purchased at the checkout. My most recent goof was to stop at a gas station, go in and pay $20 in advance and then drive away. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/14 "2018-05-23T15:34:40Z")
I don’t get cash back at check outs, but a couple weeks ago we were self-checking out at Home Depot and found $40 that the previous customer had not remembered to pick up. We turned it in to the attendant who pulled the paper and tagged it. Before we had finished checking out, two young men came in and asked about it. They had the matching receipt and got their money. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2018, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/15 "2018-05-23T16:10:36Z")
It’s good to know there’s a procedure in place to return money people leave in the cash back slot. I’ll definitely go back to the store the next time this happens. I try hard, to make a mental note when I select cash back and make sure I pick up the cash. I need to really focus and not let anything distract me. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2018, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/16 "2018-05-24T01:18:48Z")
The one I worry about is forgetting to take my card out of the ATM. Why can’t you just swipe yuour card without letting go of it? What I really hate is seeing my card disappear into asn ATM, especially in a place like Mexico. My wife once left her credit card in the automated meter printer at the post office, and went back ten minutes later, and it was still in the slot. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2018, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/17 "2018-05-24T14:05:18Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > A couple times for $10. Not worth the embarrasment of giong back. I have also left items that i purchased at the checkout. > > My most recent goof was to stop at a gas station, go in and pay $20 in advance and then drive away. Hahaha! I was in a fast food drive-thru - one where you pay at one window and then drive to the next window to get your food. I paid and then drove right by the food window! ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2018, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/18 "2018-05-24T19:18:37Z")
Yes :smack: ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2018, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/19 "2018-05-28T23:12:03Z")
I just found a twenty when I used self check out. Should I start a new thread? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644/20 "2018-05-30T17:43:40Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > I don’t get cash back at check outs, but a couple weeks ago we were self-checking out at Home Depot and found $40 that the previous customer had not remembered to pick up. We turned it in to the attendant who pulled the paper and tagged it. Before we had finished checking out, two young men came in and asked about it. They had the matching receipt and got their money. That’s the only place I have forgotten, and only for a brief time. The machines at Home Depot dispense cash at knee level. Dennis [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-selected-cash-back-and-walked-away-without-it/814644.md?page=2)