How much effort will you put for $5?

[Life_is_Simple]

So I went to Walgreens earlier this week, and bought some stuff which should have earned me 5000 ($5 worth) rewards points. The items did not ring up correctly at the sale price, so the clerk had to put them in manually. Additionally, they did not give me the 5000 points. She said they can't make points adjustments at the store yet, so call the 800 number in a few days. She also asked if I wanted to redeem 5000 points that I had already.

So today I called the 800 number, and the woman said "You can't earn points on the same purchase event as you redeem points." I said, "Well, why didn't the clerk know that?"

So ultimately, she gave me the 5,000 points, after she was aware that I wasn't going to hang up until I got them :D

Anyway... What will you do for $5? ;)

[gimmethesimplelife]

For me personally, it often is not about the small amount of money such as $5 - but the principle involved. Based on that, I can go a little far seeking the $5, or whatever the amount is. In this case it seems to me that the left hand didn't know what the right one was doing - there was a lack of knowledge on the employee's part of how the points program worked. This is the kind of thing I need to learn to let go of as the blood pressure spikes are not worth it and honestly, getting the small amount of money is not going to change the world and make it better.....But bravo to you for getting your points! Rob

[Life_is_Simple]

Rob, I know what you mean. I should have checked my BP before and after the phone call ;)

[SteveinMN]

I think there's the matter of relativity, too. I'll do more Web research and make calls or drive further to save $5 on a $25 item. But spending the same time to save $5 on a $250 item? I know $5 is $5, but the latter situation just doesn't seem worth it to me.

[Spartana]

Being Lazy I won't put much (any?) effort into trying to get $5 - or even $20. If it's too much of a hassle or takes too much of my time I choose to just let it go. But since I rarely buy anything, I almost am never in that kind of situation. I also will not do garage sales or craigs list or e-bay on anything I want to get rid of. I would rather just give things away (to friends, goodwill, etc...) then spend any time at all on trying to make money. I have often given expensive items to Charity rather then sell them as I feel like it's going to a good cause - and I don't want to deal with selling even more expensive things. But again... I rarely buy anything so don't have too much I goive away.However I do some research before buying anything expensive to see where I can get it cheapest. But usually only on big ticket items like cars, etc..

[ctg492]

I am a whimp, If I go to purchase something and it does not ring up on sale I hesitate to say It's on sale, I assume I am wrong.
The points thing at the stores, I don't feel is worth my time.

[IshbelRobertson]

No effort at all!

Less than three quid is not worth the time and effort to redeem, IMO.

[ToomuchStuff]

Giving up privacy by having a "rewards: card, which in my view, means your getting a little bit off, so they can better, track and advertise to you (things you will buy), in order to get more of your money (little off now, for more later). I am constantly asked if I have a rewards card, and I say, no I use cash. (lots of places, scan a cashier card then, and give the discount)
So the current savings, have to be justified against the future savings or time savings.

[Bootsie]

Well, once the clerk told me I would have to call to get the $5, I would've lost interest. I'm not into that store discount programs. But, I will walk to a destination rather than take the subway, if it's close enough, and that will save me close to $5.

I used to be really good about taking advantage of small savings opportunities, and I've really been lax about it. Dang it, that's a big reason I came back to this board. So, I'll take this post as yet another reminder to watch for opportunities, though I will likely still avoid store discount programs as they don't really appeal to me.

[catherine]

Yes, it does depend on what the $5 is for, how much time is involved, and other factors as well. In other words, if you're working and making $20 an hour, spending a half hour recouping $5 is a waste of time. However, if that half hour recouping that $5 would otherwise be spent watching Oprah, getting the $5 is a better use of time.

Amy D. (Tightwad Gazette) also used to talk about the amount of satisfaction involved in saving money and she had a point system for determining how to balance how much money you save vs. how satisfying the work is in actually saving the money. In other words, if you can make curtains yourself for $10 but buy them for $20 and you love to sew, you should save the $10 and make them yourself. But if changing the oil in your car is going to save you $10 as opposed to paying JiffyLube $19.95 and you hate working on the car, it's better to pay Jiffy Lube.

[Spartana]

I am a whimp, If I go to purchase something and it does not ring up on sale I hesitate to say It's on sale, I assume I am wrong.
The points thing at the stores, I don't feel is worth my time.If I'm checking out and I know something is on sale, or I'm suppose to get points for it, then I will say something. If the clerk needs to check on it and there are other people waiting - or if they make me go thru what the OP hwent thru, then I tell them I don't want it. I don't argue or spend a lot of time dealing with it, but if they make it too difficult then I just won't buy it.

[Spartana]

Giving up privacy by having a "rewards: card, which in my view, means your getting a little bit off, so they can better, track and advertise to you (things you will buy), in order to get more of your money (little off now, for more later). I am constantly asked if I have a rewards card, and I say, no I use cash. (lots of places, scan a cashier card then, and give the discount)
So the current savings, have to be justified against the future savings or time savings.I also pay cash for everything but do use a grocery store rewards card. Not only do I get the store discount (and only buy things I would buy anyways) but I get points that (until recently) gave me cash back (now they give you discounts for gas) plus tons of free or discount coupons each month.

[HumboldtGurl]

Would I go out of my way to save $5? Probably not unless it was very convenient. Now $10 and that's a different story, at least for me.

[Mrs-M]

It all depends on the circumstance. Point rewards, I like, but never do I cash in points to redeem a cash savings, because the cash savings is never significant enough for me to capitalize on, however, when it comes to flyer savings on hygiene things such as TP, then I'm right there!

[MelFallen]

That's awesome! I don't care how much you spend when you get redemption points it's finding money in an old pair of pants. Maybe you're not actually getting any more money but it makes you feel good and it's money you didn't really think you had!