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I resisted for the longest time, and still hate the entire concept.
But I caved in because, hey, cheaper.Sometimes MUCH cheaper, and discounts on gas too.
My keychain bristles with various cards, and it saves me money. I do not get emails ever, but do sometimes get handy coupons in the mail.
If you want to get the lower prices but don't want to play the game, sign up with fake identitifiers.
It bothers me a lot. I only carry one physical key chain card but two other places use my phone number. I don't get emails or coupons or anything. I just provide a bunch of data for someone to analyze, and I feel sorry for people who have to do that.
It wasn't that big an item -- a pair of reading glasses -- and the fact that it's only an occasional purchase surely had a lot to do with the disparity, but.......
The "Suggested Retail Price", which we all know includes a fair-sized mark-up, was $12.00. When I got to checkout, the lady behind the counter asked me whether I had their "Healthy Living" (name changed to avoid making the fight personal) card. Without it, the final price, including sales tax, would have come to $21.00.
I'm fully aware that retail merchants have costs to cover. I do carry one card, from a well-run supermarket chain with outlets close to several places in which I regularly do business, But my wallet is already bulging with plastic, and if I enrolled in every program the schlockmeisters seek to foist upon us, I'd need another accessory just to carry them all.
So here's another purchase going to Wal-Mart simply because some twerp in middle management thought it would be a good idea to replace honest competition with crony capitalism, brought all the way down to the retail level.
Whenever I run across a situation like this, I ask the checker if she has a "courtesy card". Often they have a card or a code that they can punch in to give you the "member" rate. But you have to ask. If she does not, I would approach the manager and ask him if he would rather lose the sale or provide a courtesy card/code so that I can get the member price. I cannot imagine, in this day and age, that the manager would deny the request and lose the business. Even for $12.
Do you mean places like Costco,Bj's,and Sam's club?
I hate those types of places too. I refuse to pay for membership,and the prices aren't even that much cheaper than regular supermarkets. I will stick with Aldi's for now.
OP isn't referring to those clubs.
As a member of SAMS, I get value from membership - you can have free family members as well - and I've purchased TVs, tires, car batteries, deli items, etcs - I don't think ALDIs sells those. Also, I have to have a wallet full of cash to use ALDIs, don't I? I think I once tried to pay with a credit card and was told that wasn't accepted.
My keychain bristles with various cards, and it saves me money. I do not get emails ever, but do sometimes get handy coupons in the mail.
A family member once lost her keys in one of those grocery stores and the store was able to contact her using her identification on one of those tags on her keychain.
It wasn't that big an item -- a pair of reading glasses -- and the fact that it's only an occasional purchase surely had a lot to do with the disparity, but.......
The "Suggested Retail Price", which we all know includes a fair-sized mark-up, was $12.00. When I got to checkout, the lady behind the counter asked me whether I had their "Healthy Living" (name changed to avoid making the fight personal) card. Without it, the final price, including sales tax, would have come to $21.00.
I'm fully aware that retail merchants have costs to cover. I do carry one card, from a well-run supermarket chain with outlets close to several places in which I regularly do business, But my wallet is already bulging with plastic, and if I enrolled in every program the schlockmeisters seek to foist upon us, I'd need another accessory just to carry them all.
So here's another purchase going to Wal-Mart simply because some twerp in middle management thought it would be a good idea to replace honest competition with crony capitalism, brought all the way down to the retail level.
It is always stated very clearly on the signs that the price is "with blah blah card" in my area.
Did you read the entire sign before making your choice? Perhaps an oversight on your part?
Most of the cards you do not need to carry any longer, you can get them on your smart phone or they have it on record with a telephone number.
As a member of SAMS, I get value from membership - you can have free family members as well - and I've purchased TVs, tires, car batteries, deli items, etcs - I don't think ALDIs sells those. Also, I have to have a wallet full of cash to use ALDIs, don't I? I think I once tried to pay with a credit card and was told that wasn't accepted.
ALDI doesn't take credit cards, but they do take debit cards. We use ours there whenever we go, as we don't carry much cash.
Sometimes you can just ask if they have a card you can use. Toss it when you leave the store. I do this with a couple of stores that I don't visit on a regular basis. Sometimes the person behind you will let you use their card so they can get the extra points.
I would NOT do that... unless you are paying with cash.
If there is a problem with YOUR credit or debit card, I would be on the hook for the amount!
Not worth the risk....
I would NOT do that... unless you are paying with cash.
If there is a problem with YOUR credit or debit card, I would be on the hook for the amount!
Not worth the risk....
You are possibly right. It was offered to me by the person behind me and I didn't ask them to use the card. The person told me they wanted the points. The receipts don't have your name or cc# so I don't worry about the person having access to my account.
I'm going off on a tangent here. One reason I sometimes use a card as disposible it is getting to the point where every stinkin store has these cards. I don't mind having the card if I shop there a lot. My info is already out there. If it is someplace I only shop once every few months, it's not worth my hassle of going online and claiming my points or whatever. I have an email specifically for offers. It annoys me to sign up for a card and then try to log on to the store website later and not remember my password especially since I have not shopped there again for two-five years. It takes 5-10 minutes or longer to get in with a new password. Then when you try to check out, it remembers you used that card with paypal and tries to force you into paypal. Or they remember you from your old address and you have to correct every single bit of info or your order gets delivered to your last house. I tried to sign up with a big box store card a while back. I couldn't get it to work. Then when I was in the store, they looked me up in their system for a home delivery and had me linked to four different addresses and various phone numbers where I have lived in the past ten years. I can barely remember my current phone number. No way am I going to remember the phone number from four houses ago.
When I think of "reading glasses " I think of having an eye test, by a professional, and then having glasses made, according to my prescription, with things like "no line " trifocals, and non glare lenses. My last pair of "reading glasses " cost about $450.
I guess the OP meant that she picked a pair off a display, held them up to her eyes, and tried to read the signs in the store. Hardly a scientific method of selection.
I realize that this is the "frugal living " section of CD, but really..... isn't that a bad idea ?
Go ahead and save money on food , or clothes, but when it comes to my health, I pay for the best I can get.
Jim B.
Toronto.
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