Paper or Plastic?
When the cashier at your local grocery says to you, paper or plastic they really want to know: how are you going to pay for this crap, with paper or plastic money!
Yesterday, I spent 35 minutes of my lunch hour putting groceries in my shopping cart and drooling on the box of brownies I was going to bake.
Fortunately before I put my stuff on the conveyor belt, I looked in my wallet for my debit card because I hate when people reach the cashier and act like they do not know they have to pay. You know they want your money, give it to them! Have your MOP (method of payment) ready!
Oh and don’t write a check and ask who to make it out to! You’re in Shop-Rite, take a guess. I can’t work with the public, I have a low tolerance for questions and would end up beating somebody with a loaf of bread. Okay pet peeve.
However, after realizing that I had neither paper or plastic MOP, I sheepishly spent the next 5 minutes putting some of the groceries back and left the rest in the proverbial “Isle 5.”
So, while most people were leaving with smiles and a few days worth of groceries, I left with a bottle of Tide and a box of Junior Mints. I am 37 today, what was my excuse yesterday?

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I pay with cash, unless I’m buying enough to sustain me through the next ice age.
I HATE when I don’t realize that I don’t have a MOP. But I don’t hate it as much as the people behind me do!
And uh… is it your birthday?? If it is… HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! If not, then save that for when it is. lol
Corrinas last blog post..I’m So Lame
Happy Birthday Natural!
Hope you went back today with a MOP and got them brownies.
Robins last blog post..Is The World Getting Better Or Worse?
Happy Birthday???
Girl, I have done that same thing, but I didn’t even have the cash on me to leave with 3 items. I think a part of me curled up and died right in the store.
Nowadays I check my purse for my money long before I get to the register.
Moniques last blog post..The Confessions of a Lunatic
LOL! No worries, everyone’s done it at least once, I think, if they’re over twenty-five! Some people make a habit of it! Not me, I hasten to add. Why, I don’t think I’ve done that above ten times or so … LOL!
I have a head like a sieve.
So Natural,
Do you mean it’s your birthday today? If so, Happy Birthday!
My pet peeve is when the person in line waits until the cashier is done ringing up all of the groceries, gives them their total, and THEN they dig out their checkbook and start writing a check. It’s like “come on, you know there are others waiting in line behind you”.
Like you, I often think I couldn’t work with the public.
Barbara Swaffords last blog post..What Does That Have To Do With Anything
Corrina, that’s probably the best thing to do, pay with cash, you can’t over spend. I put my debit card in my bag when I got home. I couldn’t believe I spent all that time in the store for nothing. Yeah I’m 37 today. I snuck that tibit in there, heheheh. Glad to be alive.
thanks ROBIN. I will go back today with a MOP, maybe my cart is still in isle 5. oh yes, the brownies. pillsbury is very moist.
a year older and just as confused as the day is long Monique. I don’t know what that means, just felt like saying that. I never do stuff like that, always prided myself on “thinking ahead” and being so sure of myself. Well that’s over, I’m going to have to pin notes on my blouses like they did to us in kindergarten. lol
JAY, well there’s a first time for everything is right! I was just about to get in line and I said, let me get my stuff out and my stuff was home. My head hung low as I put the stuff back and I wondered if people thought I was poor (i am) and couldn’t afford groceries (i can’t)…nobody felt sorry enough to pay for my groceries. although i did see a coworker in the store and after getting back to the office she said she would have paid for them. i think i will stick close to her when i go out.
Yep Barbara! I can’t believe I’m 37, that’s not old, I just never though I would see 37. It’s an okay age to be, I never hide it. In fact neither does my daughter, she will blab my age, dad’s age and grandma’s age to anybody that will listen. I say it’s better than the alternative.
Naturals last blog post..Paper or Plastic?
Happy birthday Natural! I once took a wrong turn and ended up on a road where I had to pay a toll. I did not have a single penny in my purse, zero, zilch, nada. The taxi driver behind me ended up paying for my toll. Sometimes it happens. Sorry you didn’t get to enjoy those brownies though.
Marelisas last blog post..What is Love?
HAPPY-HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRL !!!!!
We’re all entitled to brain farts on our birthdays!
I was behind some upity b**ch the other day in the grocery store that literally took 11 minutes to write out her check because her long fake fingernails kept getting into her way - I wanted to rip those damn things off her fingers and kick her to the curb - Whewww, that felt fantastic!!
Have a great Birthday - Here’s mountains of hugs coming your way!!!!!
Birthday girl brain cells go South in July and August ..sk
sandy kesslers last blog post..I’m off– See Ya Friday again !!!
My pet peeve is when the cashier embarks on a long-winded discussion with the customer knowing full well that there’s a long line of people waiting to check-out… And when you do your best to have just enough items for the express line (10 items or less & cash only) and the person in front of you says, “oh I’m sorry, I don’t have cash.” Ever have one of these moments?
Anyway, not sure how I found my way to this blog but “hi.” And it seems to me that it’s your birthday? If that’s the case, happy birthday! Read you later…
Ricardo Buenos last blog post..Be Consistently Interesting
Happy Birthday! We are exactly the same age, yet I wrote a whiny post about gray hairs and wrinkles and you didn’t. Interesting.
Happy birthday! And no, you didn’t write about grey hairs and wrinkles like Vered, just brain farts LOL. Don’t worry, I don’ think it has anything to do with age, more the speed at which we travel sometimes.
And don’t get me started on not being ready with your cash, card whatever. This is very similar to my ultimate favourite peeve along these lines. You are waiting at the bus stop. Someone else is waiting there. You are both waiting, say 5 minutes, before the bus comes along. The other person leaps in ahead of you. THEN they start digging through their purse for their bus fare. Hello!!!!! You had 5 minutes to to do this!!!!
Urban Panthers last blog post..Dressing to land a man - Part I Undergarments
Cash Cash Cash…no plastic..and I have had to run to the car and scoop up change and then run back in and pay…:))))
Oh! Valerie, Happy Happy Happy HAPPY Birthday.
Girl. You are hysterical. I can only imagine your embarassment when you had no MOP at the register. That sounds like something I would do. Such a “Liz Lemon” moment.
xxoo
meleah rebeccahs last blog post..Testing Comments
Happy Birthday (I think!)
I’ve done that on more than one occassion.. thankfully it usually happens at our local grocery store and they’ll let me take my groceries home then come back and pay (one big bonus for small town living lol).
Diannes last blog post..Wahm-Tabulous Wednesday - Contests 4 Moms!
Um…happy birthday? <:)
BTW, I like the blog’s new look! Not sure my comment to the last post published successfully, though…
Lanas last blog post..Art & Bird News
Hmmm… The sounds like me. It isn’t as simple as pulling out the paper or plastic anymore though. You have to have your frequent rewards card with you.
But I’m with you on being ready. Not sure why folk don’t think about it prior to reaching the cashier. I take it a step further, if I am paying cash, and calculate the tax so I’m close to being ready to walk out of there and not having to go through needless motion.
BTW… Happy Birthday.
- Mr. Urban
Thanks Marelisa, oh the wrong turn….how many times have I done that. Too many to count. At least the taxi driver was kind enough to pay for your fare. I guess he would not been able to pass had he not. I now have EZPass because I get lost a lot and like you, don’t carry cash.
MamaFlo, thanks. 11 minutes to write out a check!!! That would send me over the edge. It’s getting harder everyday to be peaceable, people make you want to choke them. Mental note to self: Cut long nails, live longer.
SANDY - i hope they come home for the winter. I need all the help I can get.
RICARDO, oh yes that too. Discussions with anybody coworkers, customers. Nix it. The lines should be like the Soup Nazi line on Seinfeld. Do your business and move down. No conversation. That sounds horrible, but it’s true. Glad you found your way here, will check you out later on aujourd’hui, uh today. read you later….
VERED, yes I rememBer your post. oh my gray hairs came long before 37 and I told you I name mine because I know exactly who causes my hair to turn colors. Wrinkles, jelly rolls, got ‘em all.
URBAN PANTHER, maybe I should stop multitasking and just be in the moment. The brain suffers when we try to do too much and we end up looking embarrassed when it malfunctions. lol. I will no longer have multiple thoughts. Oh yes, I hate it to when people wait until the last minute to start digging out money, a fist should come out of the sky and punch them in the head. Man I sound violent, I’m not….I think about it.
Robert, that’s funny. I’ll just create a check list before I go out of the house now. Money. Check. Debit Card. Check. Keys. Where are my keys?
Thanks MELEAH. I’m not going to say it, okay boo yah. See you got me saying boo yah. You say Hysterical? I say Traumatized. I have MOP now, broom and dust pan.
DIANNE, nice to see a new face, thanks. This was my first time not making sure I have some MOP on hand when in the store. I’ve left my card home before, but always checked before I went out shopping. Glad I was not at the gas station, I’d be on America’s Most Wanted right about now.
LANA, thanks. I like this look too, still working on things. Yeah your comment was published. The comments are collapsible, but I’ve opened them up so they are not. They can even go in reverse to put the last one on top, which is pretty cool, but I don’t need to confusion of reading from bottom to top, left to right is hard enough.
Naturals last blog post..Paper or Plastic?
Hey Mr. Urban, lol. Thanks for setting me straight on your blog. I had such a laugh about it. Told you I was dumb, brain damaged and all of the above. I got it now, the light bulb is on! I can see clearly now….okay.
Mr. Urban, I don’t know why people don’t think about having their MOP ready and their reward card out. I do have them both ready when I get to the cash register, you know what they want, it just makes for a smooth transition. Same thing with the drive up ATM. I get my card out before I get there. Not drive up, turn down the radio, put the car in park, dig in bag, look for debit card. etc….uggggh. Okay we’re bunch of impatient people, aren’t we. lol
Happy Birthday! And now that you’re 37, there are no excuses. But I’ll let you off the hook for not having any form of MOP. You were just thinking about those brownies. How can anyone keep their mind on paper or plastic when thoughts of delicious, chocolatey brownies are filling their head? Why, just the other day . . .
(runs off to make brownies)
JD at I Do Thingss last blog post..I Wordle so you don’t have to
I work as a cashier. I hate it when people have to give me the exact change. I have a guy who comes in and gives me 38p every single day in 1p’s and 2ps. I just take the bag off him now, take the money out, and give it back to him, just so I can serve someone else within the next 5 minutes.
Argh!
Happy HAPPY HAppy Birthday Natural, I hope you took time for yourself, LOL.
Tondys last blog post..Trouble in Paradise!
That’s hilarious that you mention Seinfeld; it’s one of my favorite shows! I agree that it’s nothing personal, just good courtesy ya know..
Ricardo Buenos last blog post..Quote of the Day
Thanks JD! I used to tell people I was a year younger, not on purpose, I just stopped counting. Now the conversation will go like this:
How old are you?
Not dead.
Just a number. Yep, I made my brownies and they are just about gone. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t share either. I forgot.
Solomon, here were are complaining about cashiers and never did we think that we might be getting on your nerves. That penny counting story makes me twitch. I see hurt people.
Tondy..uh yeah. I probably took too much time.
I love Senifeld Ricardo. It’s the funniest show about nothing.
I try to pay everything with plastic, but it is dangerous. I need to be really on top of my finances. These past 2 months for example, I was soooo over the budget that I might have to use paper again.
Hi Tina, plastic is convenient and can be dangerous if you don’t learn discipline. I’ve been to your blog, I’m sure you won’t have any trouble getting back on track.
Valerie, I stumbled across your blog and first I need to say I strong agree with people need to have their method of payment, whether credit card or cash, ready to pay! I HATE how some people stand there like a tree and when the cashier asks for money they act surprised. They know they need to pay… have something ready! Anyway I stumbled across this while researching what peoples preference is between cash and credit cards. Being that I write for a credit card forum of course you know what I prefer, but I do admit credit cards have a downside. The merchants have to pay hefty transaction fees to use them, which I think are often not fair. I pay with cash when I can if I’m at a mom and pop shop so they don’t have to pay those steep credit card processing fees.
Hi Michelle I had to chuckle at you referring to people as trees. It’s true, they get to the cash register and are stumped!
There are lots of downsides with credit cards, I’m not a fan of them anymore. If people educated themselves on how credit works and paid the balance off in full each month, then MAYBE, I can see some good…truth is that’s not happening. It’s not real money to some and many over spend when using plastic, even with a debit card…you can check out another post I did here on that “study”. Well feel free to email me if you need any input for your reseach….I’m very opinionated, but in a nice way, when I’m not hungry, or sleepy.
Thanks for the visit!
Natural’s last blog post..Are You Feeling Guilty Over Something?