Couponing 6/24: Register Woes

I always try to be very polite to cashiers when I am using coupons.  I have learned that a lot of them like for you to hand them  your stack of coupons before they start scanning so they can make sure all of the items are scanned and so they don't have to look all the way through your order to get the price for a free item coupon.  Also, I worked at a grocery store in high school and I don't mind bagging my own groceries when I have a large order and there is no bagger around to help.

Friday at the store I did all of the above mentioned things, trying to be nice, and I paid $13 for it. GRRRR!  I handed the cashier my coupons as she started scanning my order, and because I had a bunch of Powerades and no one was there to bag my order, I went to bagging myself.  I finished up just as the cashier did, just in time to notice my total at the end of my transaction increase by $5 instead of decrease by $5.  Right after I got it out of my mouth, the receipt came out.  The transaction had already gone through....great.  I had to take my receipt to customer service and they refunded my $11--$5.50 that was charged to my order and $5.50 for the coupon without any trouble.  I went on my way with my $11 and a smile on my face, until I looked at my receipt on the way home.  I had 2 FREE item coupons from Kraft, one for a lunch combo meal and one for a packet of lunch meat.  As I looked at my receipt I noticed that the lunch meat and the sandwich combo cost $4.29 and $3.50, respectively, which was all fine and dandy until I noticed that the clerk had given the FREE item coupon each a $2.99 value, which cost me $1.81.  NOT COOL!  I toyed with the idea of going back and getting another refund, but I decided it was not worth another trip to customer service.

I did do the math when I came home and was able to figure out my adjusted savings after I made the corrections, and here it is:

After all of the adjustments were made I spent $26.76 and I saved $38.03, for a total savings percentage of 59% this week, which is ok with me!

This week I got:
8 pack of paper towels = $4.99
10 Powerade Zeros for $.42 ea = $4.25
milk = $3.79 (ouch!)
2 bags frozen Rosetto pasta for $1.25 ea = $2.50
1 Oscar Meyer Sandwich Combo = FREE!
1 Oscar Meyer Meat Combo Pack = FREE!
1 box Publix trash bags = $2.99
2 bags Fresh Express Lettuce for $1 ea = $2
2 lbs bananas = $1.18
2 bags Cape Cod Kettle Cooked chips for $2 ea = $4

On top of my manufacturer coupons, Earthfare had another $5 off a $20 purchase for their Auburn and Montgomery, AL customers this week that I was able to use!

Lesson learned this week:  being nice is not worth $13!  I will be paying MUCH closer attention to the register from now on.