Saving - 45 Days Until Christmas! Receipt Tips!

Well, with just 45 days until Christmas I have been out and about trying to finish up a majority of my shopping (yes, I have a ways to go yet).

With my shopping trips the other day, I had what I call a rough day!  You know how you can have good days and then there are other days that the stars are not aligned in your favor and everything that could go wrong does go wrong!  Well, it was one of those days.  And to top things off I have to return to three stores to get my purchases corrected! 

In all three instances, my total seemed a bit higher to me than it should have been.  After a quick review of my recipts, I was able to locate the issues.

Store #1 - My 22 month old son had slipped an extra toy into the cart.  Unknowingly it ended up with the items purchased, which would explain the additional $8 that I could not account for.  A simple return will resolve this issue...but seriously, I don't want to go back to the store! ha!  But I will.

Store #2 - An in-store coupon for $3.50 was not applied to my bill, therefore my bill was that much more than it should have been.  I am hoping that once I return the receipt to the store they will simply refund me the $3.50 even though the sale is now over. 

Store #3 - In this instance, I was without children so luckily I noticed the issue before getting to my car.  Two of my coupons, totalling $10, were not applied to my purchases.  I am not certain how this happened, but it did.  I returned to the register where the young lady gave me my coupons and sent me to Customer Service where they gave me a cash refund for $10.

So, with all that said, here are my tips for you while you are out shopping in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

*Have an idea of what your total should come to. 
Plan your shop ahead with what purchases you plan to buy and their cost.
If you are unable to plan ahead, take a calculator with you (or pen and paper) to mark each item added to the cart and total it up before checking out.

*Review your receipt!
It is best to review your receipt completely before leaving the store, however realistically this isn't always possible.  So review the receipt as soon as possible.
Return to the store for corrections as needed.

Had I not been aware of my potential totals and reviewed my receipts, I would not have been aware of the $21.50 that I was overcharged. Even $3 could push you over your budget!  So a little extra follow up on your purchases is well worth it!