Held at Coupon Gunpoint

Thanks (but no thanks) to the outrageously popular TLC television show, Extreme Couponing, we're on freaking coupon overload at the grocery store. HIGH ALERT, PEOPLE! It's funny though, because what people actually DON'T learn from this show is how to coupon the right (and legal) way. I mean, it's like they think that we won't notice if they are trying to use 3 coupons to every 1 item they buy. Like we won't notice, and call them out, while they try to use coupons on things they DIDN'T buy! Some of these couponers are crazy lunatics, too! There are times when I fear for my life as I exit work... are they out by my car? Watching... waiting for me because I wouldn't let them scam the system?

It's really a shame that the bad couponers give them all a bad name. There are some great, smart and enjoyable couponers that do things the right way! I really encourage and admire them for saving a bagillion dollars the RIGHT way! I don't care if they have 100 coupons for Kraft BBQ sauce... as long as they buy 100 bottles of it!

Tonight at work, my CSM and I literally got bullied by a 70-something year old man because we wouldn't participate in coupon fraud for him. He had 4 coupons for $1.50 off of a 3-pack pouch of Beechnut chewing tobacco. In a carton there are 4  3-packs (total 12 individual packs). He wanted to use all 4 of those coupons and still get the tobacco at carton price. Carton price is considered a single item, I can't scan 4 coupons for one single item. That would be 3 coupons at $1.50 a pop that I would have to override and in turn, we wouldn't get credit for. I'm sorry- either buy them separately or settle for $1.50 off of a carton. Deal or no deal, Howie. This old turd got in my face and said that cashiers at my store have done it before for him and I'm going to do it for him tonight if I like it or not. "All the other cashiers do this for me every time I come in, it's been honored before, you WILL do it tonight with no exception!!!!" he said. Excuse me? I felt like I was being robbed... except he didn't have a gun (I don't think) and he didn't want all my cash. He just wanted me to use his damn coupons! He demanded me to call my manager to the front. Gladly! She comes up, I begin to tell her what the sitch is- he interrupts me and gets in her face, demanding! Her response? Same as mine... duh. Then he told us to call our store manager and "get him out of bed" so he could override us. I don't think so! Who do you think you are pops? I have never felt SO threatened by an elderly man in my entire life. Before he left, he told us that his wife spends $200 a week in our store (for an elderly couple... highly doubtful) and that we have just lost ALL of their business. To be quite honest, I have never seen that man in my life. I have no idea who his wife is?! And lastly, I don't care if you spend $1,000 in my store a week- I still never want to see you again! You scared little grocery girl! Go pick on somebody your own size... jerk! He asked what my CSM's name was, so I took it upon myself to write down her name on a piece of paper for him. He lost the battle and guess what?... He's gonna lose the war too! I mean, what's he gonna do? Call corporate and complain? "Uh yes, your store in Small Town, USA was following your coupon policy and wouldn't scan my coupons that would have put your company in a debt of $4.50 for my satisfaction." Haha, sorry pee-paw! Can't WAIT to see you again :-/  (or not).

So, folks... I beg of you. If you're going to coupon, please do your homework. Research each individual store's coupon policy, research what is "coupon legal" and what is "coupon fraud." And most importantly- be niiiiiiice to your little grocery girl. She isn't picking on you by not taking your coupons. She could just lose her job if she deducts money off of your transaction fraudulently via coupons. It's nothing personal... we just like having a job!
 

Holy Caca (part 2)

So, I got the job. I broke the news to my current CSM and store manager. They were upset because I was leaving, but extremely supportive! Honestly, if it weren't for them being so encouraging- I wouldn't have taken the risk I did. In all actuality, it really wasn't a risk at all. My managers told me that if I didn't like it, they'd take me back any day. I had absolutely nothing to lose!

I worked my last 2 weeks at my store, took a week (paid) off and went to the beach with my boyfriend and friends, and came back home to a brand new reality. I wasn't so much nervous as I was anxious. I had been informed that this new store is a lot different than my old store... come to find out, different means foreign country in grocery term. Everything they did was completely different than the routine I was use to. The only thing that made me feel at home was the fact that they had the same computer system... other than that- nothin'. I didn't even feel like I was working for the same company anymore.

All of the things I learned NOT to do at work- they did. For example- at my store, an 8 hour shift means an hour lunch and 2 ten minute breaks. At this new store- an 8 hour shift means an 8 hour shift. They didn't hardly take lunches and they certainly didn't take many breaks. I made it clear that if they want me to be a pleasant person at work, I need breaks and lunches. I need time away from the atmosphere to refresh myself in those 8 hours.
I felt as if I were in a foreign country, learning a new language. I don't like change like this. I don't really want to mention 99% of the things I saw/experienced there because, well, none of it was standard practice really. What I will say is that I was completely and utterly miserable for the entire duration I was there. 90% of the cashiers/baggers had to be monitored at all times... simply because no one has ever taught them the proper things they need to know. What was especially hard, though, was that I had no introduction to the store. For all they knew, I was just a cashier/office assistant (I was actually their manager). On top of all the other crap that got on my nerves, I didn't feel welcome at all by the front end. There were some people there that were awesome and that I really miss. Oddly enough, most of the only people that I liked there had all worked for my old store manager in the past. They were taught how to do things the right way (old school).
After about a week and a half of all the torture (and crying my eyes out) I could stand, I finally told the CSM that I wasn't comfortable at that store at all and that I wanted to go back to my old store. Go back down to part time, back to part time benefits, but most importantly- back to my family. Oh yeah- did I mention that throughout this "promotion" I didn't get a raise at all? That was really one of the only reasons that I moved. I knew that I wouldn't get a big raise (due to cut backs) but I still knew that I deserved some kind of raise. Technically, I was required some kind of raise but still didn't get it. Whatev. The lesson here is: the grass is NOT always greener on the other side. I'd rather work for FREE than go back to that store again! I didn't care if I was going back down to part-time... get me the heck outta here!

Of course, after it was made public knowledge that I was miserable, I called my old store and they told me to come back whenever I wanted to. I only wish it was that easy. I had to suffer through another 2 WEEKS at that store before I could go back. Well, I didn't HAVE to... but they asked me to, so I did (the good person in me comes out every once in awhile). Ugh, I regretted giving in after like, the second day I told them I was leaving.

So, here I am. Back at my old (wonderful) store again! I'll have to admit- one of the few things that got me through was THIS SONG. As corny as it is, I love music and it encouraged me to do what I wanted to do. I'm sensitive, okay? Haters gon' hate.

June-Oct Coverage (Holy Caca)

Okay... I'd like to start by saying I'm super sorry for neglecting my blog for so long. It'll never happen again! I need this therapy.

Backing up to sometime in July-ish?I was proposed with, what would have been, a huge opportunity in my life. In my company, with the economy sucking the way it does right now, it is extremely hard for any of us to promote up to full-time or management position. When the opportunity strikes- it's a battlefield. Sink or swim. Here's my story:
I caught wind at my store that the assistant customer service manager at a store a few miles away had been fired. It wasn't MY store, with MY friends and MY people that I've been surrounding for the past 3&1/2 years. That really turned me off at first. What turned me on? Full-time pay and benefits. I didn't bid at first (a bid in grocery basically means to apply... to put yourself out there for interview). I wanted to wait it out and see what the story was behind the girl that was fired (she use to work with me, so I knew her and wanted to know her story). Well, I went out on a limb anyway and bid on it. The only reason I bid on it was because I was told that there was an office assistant at that store that was already lined up and being trained for that promotion position. "Why not?!" I thought. I'll bid... just to show that I'm trying, just in case something comes open at MY store (that I don't want to leave) so corporate will know I'm serious about promoting. That's why I bid. I bid for my future with the company. Not necessarily because I wanted this particular job so bad. My heart was not ready to leave my store.

To make a rather long story short, I got a call for an interview. I know the CSM, so the interview was very smooth. Short, but smooth. I went in the interview with NO intentions on getting the job... and I by no means tried my hardest! I was wearing holy jeans and rainbow flip flops. My hair was up in a skank roll and I had on a plain tee. I was 10 minutes late (if you know me, this is expected). I talked to the CSM like we were friends... not like she was my prospective boss. Anyway. Like I said- they had already trained someone that worked there to move up... my chances of getting this job were slim.

The next day, around 9pm,  I got a call from the CSM I interviewed with. She told me that I had blown her away... that she had never met an individual like me. I am rare, I am an asset, I am a team player... I am everything she has needed. She said that she picked me for the job. She picked me over the girl she had been training for weeks, the girl that has worked at that store for ELEVEN YEARS. And she picks me?? I pretended to be super excited... and tried to lie to myself that I really was. I knew I needed this promotion. If I was promoted to full-time, it would be so much easier for me to move up from there. She didn't ask me if I accepted the position or not... no choice was given. She told me I was picked and she wanted me and then we decided when I could start.

...to be continued, stay tuned! (it's worth it)