# What would you do for- FIVE FREAKING CENTS?!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 10, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-for-five-freaking-cents/325659 "2005-10-10T23:54:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-for-five-freaking-cents/325659/21 "2005-10-11T17:17:54Z")
> [@andrewdt85](#): > > Well, plastic _is_ made from oil- and we’re not a huge chain. > > The question is: what would you do? Change stores? I mean, the amount of money you save at our store is ACTUALLY more than 5 fucking cents. 😃 I don’t normally ask that my plastic be doublebagged, but if your store is operating on such a shoestring that they have to charge extra for plastic bags, I’d be looking for another job, because I think they’re on their last legs. There are other ways to cover your rise in costs than nickel and diming someone as they’re walking out the door. As for me, I will never shop at Winn Dixie again, after they charged me 25 cents for writing a check for $20 over the amount. There are enough grocery stores that don’t do that (and don’t charge .05 for extra plastic bags) that I would probably take my business elsewhere. Yes, it’s only .05. But if I’ve shelled out $150-200 at your store, having to dig in my pocket for a few extra cents is a pain in the ass. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-for-five-freaking-cents/325659/22 "2005-10-11T17:35:53Z")
I think the more important question is whether your store thinks losing customers is worth that 5 cents? The question works both ways. Put me in the camp that said the store should just raise prices on beef instead of instituting a policy that would offend those that are apt to be offended. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-for-five-freaking-cents/325659/23 "2005-10-11T17:41:12Z")
If a plastic bag is really worth 5 cents, ask the store manager whether he’d be willing to reimburse customers 5 cents for every bag they returned to the store, to be recycled. I think I know how he’d respond. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-for-five-freaking-cents/325659/24 "2005-10-11T17:47:29Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > If a plastic bag is really worth 5 cents, ask the store manager whether he’d be willing to reimburse customers 5 cents for every bag they returned to the store, to be recycled. > > I think I know how he’d respond. If anyone is that worried about a nickle per extra bag, you could try bringing back the bags and reusing them. They weigh nothing folded up and can be reused several times. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-for-five-freaking-cents/325659/25 "2005-10-11T17:53:52Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > If anyone is that worried about a nickel per extra bag, you could try bringing back the bags and reusing them. They weigh nothing folded up and can be reused several times. BTW, this or cloth bags is a good practice even if you are not worried about a nickel. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-for-five-freaking-cents/325659/26 "2005-10-11T18:28:04Z")
> [@middleman](#): > > I think the more important question is whether your store thinks losing customers is worth that 5 cents? > > The question works both ways. > > Put me in the camp that said the store should just raise prices on beef instead of instituting a policy that would offend those that are apt to be offended. Exactly. I’d argue about such a thing, too, because it’s such a _petty_ policy. As has been pointed out, $0.05 isn’t enough that the market has to rely on it and there’s no logic to charging extra for an extra bag used one way, but not when you use it the other way. I would consider a charge like that to be solely for the purpose of pissing me off. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-for-five-freaking-cents/325659/27 "2005-10-11T19:01:45Z")
Kate Winslet. Yeah, for five cents, I’d bag her. Hell, keep the nickel. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-for-five-freaking-cents/325659/28 "2005-10-11T19:22:11Z")
I’d eat a Klondike bar! ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-for-five-freaking-cents/325659/29 "2005-10-11T19:24:49Z")
Good, I was wondering when we’d get back to the funny. 😃 I’d walk a tightrope! (…two inches off the ground…) ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-for-five-freaking-cents/325659/30 "2005-10-11T19:26:04Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > If a plastic bag is really worth 5 cents, ask the store manager whether he’d be willing to reimburse customers 5 cents for every bag they returned to the store, to be recycled. > > I think I know how he’d respond. Our co-op actually does this. They take 5 cents off for every bag of groceries you purchase, if you’ve brought your own. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-for-five-freaking-cents/325659.md?page=1)