# What do you do when you leave your grocer discount card at home? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 14, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674 "2003-04-14T17:11:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/21 "2003-04-15T12:55:41Z")
I’ve got my cards on my keyring. I find them to be useful because I often hold my keys in my mouth, and the tags give me something non-metallic to hold onto. That said, I do use them quite often. My local grocery chain often has a promotion where you accumulate points for a future discount. When you’re buying $21.00 cans of formula and $10.00+ packages of diapers, the points rack up rather quickly. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/22 "2003-04-15T13:10:32Z")
\ What’s with people writing “Krogers” or “Kroger’s”? The name of the store is “Kroger”, with no ‘s’. People tend to do this for Kmart and Walmart as well, and I’ve never been able to figure out why. \ If I actually shopped somewhere that had a discount card, and I managed to forget it, I would just pay the full price and be on my way. My time is more valuable to me than the few dollars I would save. ---
**Author:** ![chukhung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/23 "2003-04-15T13:20:31Z")
How about Option G: Before entering the store, look around the parking lot for a card that someone might have dropped. Personally, I’ve never applied for a grocery discount card. I’ve always just used lost or discarded ones that I’ve found. Who knows? Maybe I’m using **Kat** ’s. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/24 "2003-04-15T13:36:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\*Um, I don’t think any of these places _require_ you to have a card. They simply offer a discount to the people that have them, and that use them. \*\* Um, a thousand pardons. I meant places that require a card for the discount. I can see how that may have confused a lot of people, seeing how this is a thread about discount cards. Thank you so much for correcting me.:rolleyes: \*\* What’s with people writing “Krogers” or “Kroger’s”? The name of the store is “Kroger”, with no ‘s’. People tend to do this for Kmart and Walmart as well, and I’ve never been able to figure out why. \*\* While **Kroger** is the pretty much the correct way of writing it, the property is still owned by Kroger Corporation, which would make **Kroger’s** sorta okay, assuming you don’t mean the proper name of the store, but Kroger’s store. Around here, Meijer and Ford also get the \*\*'s \*\* treatment because they are family names. You might work for Ford, but you are at Ford’s plant. I know, that’s a weasel way out. Now K-Mart’s I don’t get. As for \*\* Krogers,\*\* perhaps the person is referring to shopping at more than one Kroger store, as in **“I shop at many Krogers”** 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/25 "2003-04-15T14:09:19Z")
I never take such cards with me to the store. I don’t have them. I don’t go to places that “require” them to order to not be cheated. I go to the places that have the same or better prices and no cards. Think about it, what if a 100 stores “required” them? Would you carry a 100 cards around? Sheesh. I have degrees in Computer Science. What companies do with the info they collect is scary. Why do people go along with this nonsense??? ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/26 "2003-04-15T14:22:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lost4life \* > **While Kroger is the pretty much the correct way of writing it, the property is still owned by Kroger Corporation, which would make Kroger’s sorta okay, assuming you don’t mean the proper name of the store, but Kroger’s store.** I suppose that’s a possible explanation, but I still think it sounds . . . _wrong_. Maybe it’s because I worked in retail once upon a time, and I had to listen to customers add ‘s’ to the end of the store name every day, even though every single occurance of the name throughout the store was sans ‘s’. > [@](#): > > \*\*Around here, Meijer and Ford also get the **'s \*\* treatment because they are family names. You might work for Ford, but you are at Ford’s plant.** I’ve never heard that type of usage. Maybe because people normally say something like “I work at the Ford plant.” Kinda’ difficult to add **'s** with that type of sentence. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/27 "2003-04-15T14:31:04Z")
I use them for the simple reason that my local grocery chain often has “card-only” prices for stuff that I use a lot of. For example, baby food usually costs about sixty cents a jar. I buy a lot of it, and buy a lot more of it when it’s six jars for two bucks. Same with diapers, formula, and so forth. I know that they use the information to mine for data for advertising and so on, but since I generally use the card to buy baby products (the supermarket won’t even take the cards at the pharmacy, so the truly sensitive stuff is still out of the marketeers’ grasp) and other mundane items, it’s not like I really care. In my little mind, I’d rather have the cheap price than the privacy. Besides, I’ve been inundated with baby-related junk mail for months now. What’s a little more? Robin ---
**Author:** ![Emilio\_Lizardo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Emilio\_Lizardo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emilio_Lizardo)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/28 "2003-04-15T14:36:26Z")
The grocery store I frequent also uses phone numbers. To be on the safe side, I use someone elses number. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/29 "2003-04-15T14:47:09Z")
Oh, I have been known to ask for a new card. They give me one right away at Albertsons. A have a few cards. Bear in mind that I don’t complete the application & give it to them later. I don’t want them to know my shopping habits 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/30 "2003-04-15T16:22:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ftg \* > I have degrees in Computer Science. What companies do with the info they collect is scary. Why do people go along with this nonsense??? I’ve had a Shaw’s card for several months. I have received maybe two mailings from them in that time, two coupons for $10 off a $30 purchase. I guess I’m a huge sucker for falling for it, though. ---
**Author:** ![chukhung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/31 "2003-04-15T18:02:44Z")
This article, [http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0230/baard.php](http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0230/baard.php), in _The Village Voice_ claims that in the aftermath of 9/11, an employee of a major supermarket chain handed over the information collected from the company’s discount cards to U.S. government agents. > [@](#): > > Regulars at a national grocery chain…used the store’s preferred-customer cards, in the process putting years of their lives on file. Perhaps they expected their records would be used by marketers trying to better target consumers. Instead, says the company’s privacy consultant, the data was used by government agents hunting for potential terrorists. Personally, I’m suspicious of this report. It seems to boil down to hearsay from an unnamed source. And what, exactly, would the government have done with this information? It must have been an enormous amout of data requiring a lot of processing for dubious gain. I mean what _could_ they have done with it? Round up everybody who bought hummus for questioning? Still, I suppose it’s scenarios like this that leave people more than a little suspicious of those cards. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/32 "2003-04-15T18:16:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joe Random \* > \*\*I’ve never heard that type of usage. Maybe because people normally say something like “I work at the Ford plant.” Kinda’ difficult to add **'s** with that type of sentence. \*\* They say **"I work at Ford’s."** It might be local thing. I’m not saying it’s right or even sounds right, just that you hear it from time to time. I guess it’s better than “I works me at Fords.” Anyway, to quit hijacking the thread, I just returned from Toys R’ Us('s) and the clerk wanted my phone number (I’m guessing not for personal reasons). I said no and then she asks if I need any batteries today. I look at the batteries I’m already purchasing and say “I’m not sure how to answer that…” > [@](#): > > I’ve had a Shaw’s card for several months. I have received maybe two mailings from them in that time, two coupons for $10 off a $30 purchase. I guess I’m a huge sucker for falling for it, though. You’ll see when the jack-booted grocery thugs kick down your door.😉 ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/33 "2003-04-15T20:56:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Achernar \* > \*\*I’ve had a Shaw’s card for several months. I have received maybe two mailings from them in that time, two coupons for $10 off a $30 purchase. I guess I’m a huge sucker for falling for it, though. \*\* It true. If you use the coupons then you give them the top secret personal information that you OPEN YOUR MAIL!!! ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/34 "2003-04-15T20:58:11Z")
I’m somewhat tickled that my missing “'s” typo is so ironic in this thread. heh. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/35 "2003-04-15T21:29:09Z")
I refuse to shop at stores that have those cards, just on the principle of the thing. I go an extra couple of miles out of my way to shop at a store that doesn’t use them. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/36 "2003-04-15T22:34:26Z")
I just can’t get paranoid about things like this. We’re talking about groceries, for heaven’s sake! Does it really matter if someone knows what brand of peanut butter you prefer, how often you buy milk, or where you stand in the Great Cola War? I’d be happy to tell anyone who asked, afterall. Or even if they don’t: Skippy SuperChunk, 1 half gallon every week, whichever national brand is on sale. See? Now that you know this valuable info, am I at risk somehow? Have I put myself under your power? Of course, when I buy the twenty tons of fertilizer and the detonators…_then_ I don’t use my card. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/37 "2003-04-16T00:45:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Emilio Lizardo \* > \*\*The grocery store I frequent also uses phone numbers. To be on the safe side, I use someone elses number. \*\* That’s why I like having two phone lines. One for regular use, and one for the computer. Whenever someone like Safeway or Toys R Us wants my phone number, I give them the computer line number. No big deal. And I’m with **MsRobyn** and **StarvingButStrong**. I like the savings and I don’t really care that someone knows how much milk I buy or what brand of peanut butter I buy. ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/38 "2003-04-16T00:54:30Z")
I just go ahead and pay “full price”. I really don’t shop at the stores that use those cards. My husband did get a card for Safeway way back in November. It must take them MONTHS to update their systems. I stopped in at Safeway last week. Sure enough, they asked if I had a card and I replied that my husband does. No problem, cashier says…what’s your phone number? I give it to her, NOPE still not in the system. Really and truly I shop mainly at Fred Meyer and Costco. I don’t need a card for Freddie’s to get sale prices. Yes, Costco requires a membership card, but well, there are SO many good things there! Plus, I get a rebate on my anniversary month. I spend enough money at Costco that I receive a nice check to spend at Costco. It paid for my photo printer!🙂 I mainly just don’t want the hassle of using Club cards and applying for them. I feel sale prices should be offered to all the customers. ---
**Author:** ![Govindha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5fc32e/32.png) [@Govindha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Govindha)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/39 "2003-04-16T02:03:49Z")
I pay the full price. I do not want anyone to compile a list of what I buy. That goes back to why I do not use any other “card” and do not give a phone number at various stores. Paronoid or not, my friend bindrah says better safe than sorry… ---
**Author:** ![Laurasia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@Laurasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laurasia)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674/40 "2003-04-16T02:16:46Z")
Knowing that my mother is a total coupon clipping, money saving, “tightwad,” as my Aunt calls her…I enter in my her phone number int he little credit card swiping thing (they all have that option around here). I’ve found that she is registered in every damn supermarket around! No card, no problem! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-when-you-leave-your-grocer-discount-card-at-home/168674.md?page=3)