# Would you like your Receipt? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 4, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382 "2011-01-04T16:29:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/21 "2011-01-04T21:53:16Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > Yes, if I’ve paid electronically. Then I can check the receipt against my statement. Do you really do that for every god-damn 5-dollar sandwich you ever buy though? Seems ridiculously and unnecessarily tedious to me. Of course I look over my statements but I can pretty much skim them and say “yep, that looks right” without going through such painstaking measures. I only want the receipt for purchases of note (i.e. expensive things or things I may want to return at some point). ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/22 "2011-01-04T22:03:25Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > What, did they come running out of their little office to chase you down the road? 😃 Where I live, there is no “pump first” option: you can’t dispense the gasoline until you’ve either paid cash inside or inserted a charge card outside. No, I had paid at the pump via my credit card and then went inside the store, probably for a restroom stop and picked up a soda or something while I was there. While paying for this item the cashier tried to double charge me for the gas. Luckily I had the receipt printed at the pump. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/23 "2011-01-04T22:05:44Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Do you really do that for every god-damn 5-dollar sandwich you ever buy though? Seems ridiculously and unnecessarily tedious to me. Of course I look over my statements but I can pretty much skim them and say “yep, that looks right” without going through such painstaking measures. I only want the receipt for purchases of note (i.e. expensive things or things I may want to return at some point). For a minor purchase such as a sandwich, I generally pay cash. I’d need to be spending at least $30 or so before I paid for anything electronically. However, if I were to buy a $5 sandwich electronically, then yes, I would keep the receipt. It’s hardly a ‘tedious’ process. It goes into my pocket and gets put into my banking file once I get home. Checking the statement takes perhaps five minutes a month. I’ve worked with financial institutions all my life, and I’ve seen enough to convince me that all statements need to be checked thoroughly. Mistakes are never in the customer’s favour. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/24 "2011-01-04T22:17:58Z")
If I buy a small number of insignificant items, I decline if given the choice. If no choice, I go with the flow. What I don’t understand is why the ATM provides an option of ‘no receipt.’ You are making a transaction at a machine with no other evidence of what you did other than a receipt. If I did not get a receipt, I’d immediately call the bank. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/25 "2011-01-05T04:24:45Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > I use my debit card for nearly all of my purchases, and I always take my receipt and put it in my wallet so that I can update my checking account balance in Quicken at the end of the day (I don’t like to rely on online banking for my balance, because some charges don’t appear for days). I don’t ask for/keep my receipt if I pay cash, and the rare times I use my credit card for something I also don’t need a receipt. I do this also. Sometimes I forget about a transaction if I pay with my debit card, but if there’s a discrepancy in my checkbook, I have the receipt to confirm I made the purchase and get my checkbook back in balance. ---
**Author:** ![Amblydoper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Amblydoper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amblydoper)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/26 "2011-01-05T05:50:04Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > I’d need to be spending at least $30 or so before I paid for anything electronically. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/27 "2011-01-05T05:53:54Z")
> [@Amblydoper](#): > > Why? Because I use cash for smaller transactions. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/28 "2011-01-05T06:08:47Z")
I worked in a computer store at Christmas and they started asking people, if they want their receipt printed or emailed. Of course it’s to “go green” but the real reason is to harvest your email so they can send you stuff in your email. I still like a receipt for large purchases. For small stuff no but for anything that I might need to return, I would want a receipt rather than rely on an email or something like that ---
**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:** [January 5, 2011, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/29 "2011-01-05T07:25:15Z")
I always say “yes,” in case I have to return something. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/30 "2011-01-05T18:12:16Z")
> [@Al\_Bundy](#): > > What I don’t understand is why the ATM provides an option of ‘no receipt.’ You are making a transaction at a machine with no other evidence of what you did other than a receipt. If I did not get a receipt, I’d immediately call the bank. I never request a reciept at the ATM except when making a deposit. After all, if I withdraw £100, why do I want a receipt to prove it? I have the £100 in my hand, and would be more than happy if the bank forgets to deduct it from my account! I suppose it is just possible that I could get, say, a £200 deduction, but I have never heard of that happening, and it would still be possible to rectify that by going into the bank and getting them to check their records, which they would need to do even if you did have a receipt. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/31 "2016-10-11T15:02:26Z")
This happened to me twice yesterday, at Whole Foods and a Safeway. I had bought hundreds of dollars worth of food for several events. It used to be that the stores would offer to buy your groceries for you if the cashier failed to give you your receipt. What changed? ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/32 "2016-10-11T16:05:03Z")
Didn’t realize this was a zombie thread at first. How did I know it was? The 8th post which said they do it at Blockbuster. Oh how times have changed! ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/33 "2016-10-11T16:36:49Z")
Saw it was a zombie but ------------ I went no but would like to add an exception. Sometimes when I’m on the road and using a non-standard gas station but paying by credit card. Spotted a few funky things (odd fees) I’ve followed up. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/34 "2016-10-11T17:51:26Z")
Receipt? When I buy groceries at Wal-Mart, I use their app on my phone. I scan the QR code on the terminal display and the receipt electronically goes to my phone. I don’t get a paper receipt. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/35 "2016-10-11T18:28:42Z")
I always want my receipt when I go grocery shopping to make sure I didn’t overcharge . I have been overcharge too many times , the store doesn’t always program their sale price or the person checking me out can’t tell the difference from cherries or grapes and that will be over a dollar more per lbs. I will sometime need to return an item if no it good and will need a receipt . So many people are being overcharged and have no idea this happen more than they realize. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/36 "2016-10-11T18:31:37Z")
> [@purplehearingaid](#): > > I always want my receipt when I go grocery shopping to make sure I didn’t overcharge . I have been overcharge too many times , the store doesn’t always program their sale price or the person checking me out can’t tell the difference from cherries or grapes and that will be over a dollar more per lbs. I will sometime need to return an item if no it good and will need a receipt . So many people are being overcharged and have no idea this happen more than they realize. Grocery stores probably count on people like me who never review the receipt. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/37 "2016-10-11T18:54:58Z")
I’ll take the receipt when asked if I’m planning to visit other shops where I may have to prove I didn’t steal the item(s) from them. Otherwise I decline, as I’m just going to throw it away anyway. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/38 "2016-10-11T18:57:45Z")
I’ve never been asked, but I would always take it, in case there was a discrepancy that showed up later. But I rarely look at them, they get shoved into a back pocket that I empty out once a whie with lots of other goofy stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/39 "2016-10-11T19:51:51Z")
Yes, if I paid by card, or if I’m buying something that I may possibly want to return later. ---
**Author:** ![justanothermike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@justanothermike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justanothermike)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382/40 "2016-10-11T20:52:02Z")
I always want it for two reasons. First, if there’s something wrong I have proof of purchase. Second, I put everything into my "You Need A Budget " app so I track all spending, as does my wife. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-your-receipt/566382.md?page=3)