Getting over the embarassment

skyvicky123

Compared to some of my friends I am very thrifty I think but struggle to get over the embarassment of trying to save money. I know it's silly but I still find it really difficult if I feel like people are judging me. Does anybody else get this?

For example I paid for my shopping at Tesco using the self checkout tonight. I got rid of about £10.00 worth of very small change to buy some bits I needed, but I drew so much attention from the staff that one of them came over and pointed out the coinstar machine. to which i replied that this way I don't lose 10%! However I could feel myself going red in having to justify myself and couldn't get out of there quick enough.

I also hunt for reduced bargains which my friends seem to think is really odd, and i'm happy to find a bargain in a charity shop too but I swing between being proud and wanting to tell of my bargain to not wanting anyone to find out!

Some people must have money to burn! With food prices having gone up so much we would not be able to afford meat more than a couple of times a week without my reduced bargains and we earn a good salary. I wonder why more people don't try to be thrifty, and why people are still so wary about letting others know about how they save money?

Empty_pockets

Good on ya.

10% is a rip off!

Abbafan1972

Take no notice of the staff pointing out the Coinstar machine. When I have some lose change I generally do put it in the self service checkout. These checkouts are not always that busy, so I can take my time, whereas there's always a queue for the Coinstar!

I do look fo bargains too when I'm walking around the supermarket and usually do buy fruit & veg etc lose, as it's usually cheaper than the packaged stuff.

LondonDreamer

Don't be embarrassed! Your friends sound like the odd ones to me.

When my flatmate moved in two months ago, he was obsessed with buying items that had the longest date he could find so it was "fresh". I took him shopping with me once and pointed out all the clearance shelves. Now he checks for bargains every time he's in there and is proud when he finds good ones.

I use all my coins in self-service tills as well. And DH's, since he empties his pockets straight into my purse whenever he has change.

Decluttering

Maybe they thought they were being helpful and that you didn't want to spend that much time at the checkout? I would be doing the same though, 10% is a rip off, I've been keeping all my change for the rare times I go on the bus. I used to have to walk to the local shops, withdrw money from the ATM and buy something to get change. Having a ready stash of change is a little nutty but it saves me a lot of hassle and money in unneeded purchases.

I don't have much of a social life with people my age but I can imagine the majority of them thinking I was weird, which would make me embarassed. My mum's friends think I'm very clever though, there are times when I know a lot more about money saving than them!

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

A member of staff in one shop did comment upon my using a load of 1p, 2p, 5p and 10p pieces to pay in a self service machine once.

Just the once.



It's your money, it's up to you what to do with it. And balls to the fools who waste money for show.

skyvicky123

Thanks guys. I feel better now! After she said that to me I did get out the big bag of 2p's just to show her!

rosieben

skyvicky123 wrote: »

... one of them came over and pointed out the coinstar machine. ...

I'd have been really angry if that happened to me, well done for pointing out that you're not paying commission to spend your own money!

Agapanthus

I once went to a Tesco checkout with £30 worth of Luncheon Vouchers in £1 and 50p denominations. They took ages to scan and quite a queue built up. Was I embarrassed? No, not a bit - though these day I put them through in smaller quantities as it's quicker.

In answer to the OP, I thought I'd look up "legal tender" on Wikipedia:
"Throughout the United Kingdom, coins valued 1 pound, 2 pounds, and 5 pounds Sterling are legal tender in unlimited amounts. Twenty pence pieces and fifty pence pieces are legal tender in amounts up to 10 pounds; five pence pieces and ten pence pieces are legal tender in amounts up to 5 pounds; and pennies and two pence coins are legal tender in amounts up to 20 pence."

So, technically they could refuse more than 20p worth of coppers in a transaction, but in practice they don't. Don't be embarrassed.
The automated checkouts don't care anyway - it's all money!

mandragora_2

Don't give any of this a second thought. I'm astonished the staff thought they needed to interfere, and I'd have told them that if they didn't want my money, that would be fine, and I'd end the transaction then and there.

No, what you need to do is save your embarassment for the truly embarassing things. Like walking into a lampost, head on, on a busy Saturday morning in the High Street. THAT'S embarassing!:o:o:o

chewynut

You'd think they'd actually WANT all that loose change because of the people who use £20 notes to buy something worth 99p.