Always check your receipts for mistakes! via Shutterstock
This is a post by staff writer Yazmin Cruz.
Readers’ reactions to my post about keeping mum after finding out I was undercharged at the dentist were overwhelmingly in favor of my coming clean. Though there were a few who suggested I keep the money.
My main reason for not speaking up sooner was the insolent person who made the mistake in the first place. She’s always been a pain. But as reader Alexa points out, the money is not hers.
It’s never a bad idea to do the right thing — you’ll feel better about it, and anyway, the money doesn’t belong to the front desk employee, it’s not like you’re giving it back to her!
Lynda considers not speaking up cheating. I, on the other hand, consider it being cheap! That’s why I felt so crummy. She wrote:
I came from a family that would be overjoyed when someone made a mistake in their favor..gloat over it. It made me feel like they were cheating”¦and when I was on my own I decided I would do it differently.
If I am overcharged, I will require the error to be corrected. I feel that I have a responsibility to act in the way I expect them to act.
I can see EllieD shaking her finger at me.
This really is a matter of principles”¦ in this case, your principles! If something is right today, it should be right tomorrow, and vice versa. Both Jackie and Kittie offered good ideas about how to handle things. Letting the dentist know about inappropriate behavior on the part of the front office staff is important, and I’m sure you know just how to do that. As Diane said”¦ you know what to do.
My story hit a nerve with Karen Truchok and Sue, but they suggested I handle the matter differently. Karen wrote:
Call the dentist and tell him what happened. Tell him she was so rude you were tempted to keep the money. I am so tired of the staff in medical offices acting like this.
I think when you really think it through that is the crux of the matter for you.
Sue opined:
Keep the money”¦.I am so sick and tired of rude people that work in a job where they interact with the public. May be she will get fired if the mistake is found.
After days of agonizing over what to do, I’ve decided to pay up the remainder of my dentist bill. As my father pointed out, this could end up turning into a bigger headache if I don’t speak up now. The bill could end up in collections. Plus, do I really want to sell out my integrity for $33? I don’t think so.
Julia wrote about a similar experience when she was undercharged at a restaurant. Find out what happened.
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Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price.
Yazmin ~ I’m sorry if you thought I was shaking my finger at you. It’s just that I know how smart and responsible you are. I do hope you let the dentist know about the rudeness you encountered, as it’s inexcusable in a place that deals in services to the public. I’m lucky to have an excellent dentist with a terrific office staff, and have never hesitated to recommend them to any and all who ask. I was sure you’d pay the bill in full, but do think it’s important to speak up about the bad behavior!
@EllieD No need to apologize. All is well.
been going to my same dentist over 20 years (he mentions, yikes) he may retire next year. He has undercharged me on purpose for things..since I am always paying on time, and in full amounts if I can. So he does me the favor too. I agree, sometimes you feel funny (guilty) about things, make them right and the feeling will usually go away.
@Di ~ I totally agree. I’ve been going to the same dentist practically since he began his practice, and I’ve told him in no uncertain terms that he’s not allowed to retire until after I die. Of course, I never add that, because I’m so ornery, I’ll probably live forever! Did I mention he’s also a longtime friend as well as my family dentist? That’s just a bonus plus!