Imagine if this true story happened to you. Someone drops a yogurt on the grocery store floor. You slip and shatter your knee. The grocery store says, “Not our fault. You were probably drunk. Just look at all the booze you buy all the time!”
You know the drill. Unless you hand over a unique way that identifies you to a grocery store, you’re paying more for that milk, meat and Fritos.
More than you are checking out
Every time you shop, you supply the store (and whoever they share your data with to make extra money) with more information. Each swipe of your loyalty card, phone number or email address tells the store everything you bought, when you bought it, in what quantity, and at what price, along with your payment details.
“Who cares if they know I’m 45 years old and I love Lucky Charms cereal,” you might be thinking. Fair question.
Rewards cards store data, including your name, address, phone number, and credit and debit cards. Thieves can steal this information and create a fake identity for a crime spree.
Get the discounts without giving away your data
- Use your office phone number as your loyal number. That’s what I do. If they need an email address, I give them a disposable one. Let them try to figure out who’s buying what.
- Look for stores that don’t require loyalty programs for discounts, like Trader Joe’s, Walmart and Target.
- Don’t forget physical coupons. Most grocery stores have a coupon section on their website where you can print, snip and hand in.
- Whatever you do, never give them your Social Security number or driver’s license number.
- Ask for the discount anyway. Cashiers usually have a code to charge the digital price without you needing to have a loyalty app or code.
- If all else fails, smile and ask the person behind you, “Hey, mind if I use your card?” Be polite, and I bet you’ll get a yes.