October 21st, 2009
Do One Thing: Forego The Receipt.
This week’s Do One Thing comes from my friend Nan Fischer, an Eco-Broker here in Taos, New Mexico. When you buy gas, tell the pump that you don’t want a receipt. Not only will you be saving some paper, but it has also been reported that these kinds of receipts are coated with BPA. Wondering what BPA is? Check out my post What Is Bisphenol A And Why You Should Avoid It. Do One Thing – skip the receipt.
Related posts:
- Do One Thing: Forego The Produce Bags.
- Do One Thing: Forget The Straw.
- Do One Thing: Return The Map.
- Do One Thing: Give Up The Dryer Sheets.
- Do One Thing: Make Your Own Natural Antibacterial Spray.
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I find that not taking a receipt has it’s drawbacks:
1) You will never know if you have been overcharged on one or more items on a grocery bill. I usually get overcharged on at least one item everytime I get groceries and don’t realize it until I’m in the car looking at the receipt. Without it, I’d be shortchanged quite a bit.
2) Many business people can use gas receipts to apply to their income tax as a “write off”. This applies to many other purchases as well.
3) Many receipts have survey codes to enter into the stores website in order to be eligible for a prize. Sure it sounds like a gimmick, but I’ve won $100 by doing one of these “store satisfaction” surveys online.
4) Warranties and rebates almost always require receipts.
Is it worth keeping all receipts? Probably not. But for the most part, keeping them (and then scanning them when you get home so you aren’t keeping so much junk) is a good idea for most people.
Very true on some accounts, Dan. But for example, in my 20 years of driving, I have never once been overcharged for gasoline.
If I buy something expensive, I get the receipt. Otherwise, I skip it.
Agreed, there are times we need receipts, but I just got back from a road trip and saw that we don’t need them from the gas station. I have a notebook of scrap paper in the car, so I write down the amounts to do my banking when I get home. I’m not paranoid about being overcharged for gas.