5-20-10; $17.77

Depending on how long my kiddo sleeps, I have a sermon to deliver. Not really, but I do want to talk about something that is super important to the frugal lifestyle. Please, please check your receipts! At least 3 times a month I would say, I get overcharged for something. Usually it's not by much, but the amounts seriously add up! Starting in March, I began saving all the money I got back from being overcharged, and I plan to continue to do so until March of 2011. And then I will either use the cash to go on a Vegas bender, or I will see if I can buy my entire months worth of groceries on that money alone. And I know I can do it (the groceries, probably not the Vegas trip)! So far, I have almost $20 in a beer stein in my computer room, and there's another $5 in receipts in my wallet to contend with.

I think the point of this exercise for me is twofold. It used to be an annoyance when I noticed that I got overcharged, but in all likelihood I wouldn't have waited at Customer Service to deal with it. Really though, I probably just wouldn't have noticed in the first place. So I am demonstrating to myself that those small amounts are important, and also that I should and will stand up the Assistant Manager. I honestly don't think that the vast majority of stores overcharge intentionally, they have thousands of items and they are bound to make some mistakes in coding them. But I still think they should be accountable for the prices that they advertise, so I will continue with my mission! And I'll update you as I go!

Please note that not all my overcharges are at the grocery store, one of the recent ones was on some pants I bought my husband, and that little $2 will go in the jar too. Also, I do report when I am undercharged on an item, just to be fair. This doesn't happen often, and when it does it comes out of my regular grocery budget.

Wish me luck, and feel free to invite us over for dinner next March if you don't see the number climbing...