The Best Things in Life Are Free

After a long, anti-bacterial hand wipe filled lunch at Chick-Fil-A (and its OCD inducing indoor playground), I decided to make a quick stop at the Gap. I've been feeling extra spritely these last few days, and with the warm weather approaching, I felt the need to find something other than my two pairs of maternity pants and 14 pairs of "should-never-see-human-eyes" gaucho pants.

Other than the delusion that any trip into a store with two children under three will be "quick," it was a fairly successful stop... for my kids. Isn't that always the way things go? You need clothes and you end up buying cute outfits for your kids (who don't need any clothes whatsoever, particulary from GAP KIDS).

So I had just packed them both up in the car, one almost asleep, the other one screaming loud enough to wake up his sibling and all sleeping children across America and I happen upon a little squeaky duck in my stroller basket -- tags still on and a goofy grin that said "you didn't pay for me you thief."

Now I've never been one to steal -- I've walked out with an extra $4 and not realized it until I got home. And I've gotten a shirt or two for free when the cashier forgot to ring them up. I feel guilty for all of about two minutes and then realize that it's not my fault and if I had noticed it right then and there I would have said something.

But with the price of gas and oh, that's right, two kids strapped into their carseats, I decided that we were going to be adopting Mr. Quacky $6.50 Fancy Gap Duck Toy. I secretly tell myself that he's very cute and needed a good home (I mean, the florescent lights can't be good for his polyester non-feathers).

Or maybe he's just really cute because he was free.

--

So, what have you accidentally brought home? Did you return it? Did you keep it? Are you going to call the police on me?

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Comments

[mandy]

I do have one question for those of you that have gone back to the store to pay for an item that you accidently took home in the cart. Were they kind? Did they understand ? Freak out? Please let me know. I had a similar situation happen to me tonight by mistake and by accident at a self check out (one item did not ring up even though I scanned it - and I did not realize this until I got home which is over 30 miles away from the store) I just have a guilty conscience....

[Lisa]

I agree with some of the earlier comments. If everyone kept the items what would that do to business? How would you feel if you were the storeowner? If the salesclerk shortchanged you or forgot a bag of your items I bet you would take your kids back in then. What if the clerk had the same attitude of " oh well, I don't have to return it to you."

[TastesLikeCrazy]

Honestly, EVERYONE has done this at one point in their lives. It just happens. When I was a week past my due date (baby still in the belly), my husband and I went to Target. We got the bare essentials - including a box of diapers - and went along on our merry way. It wasn't until we got home that we realized that we had forgotten about said box of diapers. They were under the basket on that handy little rack and we honestly didn't see them. But, you know what? We didn't take them back and we didn't go back to pay for them. That's right folks, we're going to Target/Shoplifting Hell!
At least I know we'll be in good company.

[apricoco]

Sorry, I have to be a bad guy too... I once drove back to pay for two lip glosses that I had acidentally "shoplifted". Stealing is stealing, two kids in the carseat or no. Even if you (and I mean everyone who admitted to keeping "free" items) couldn't have managed going back in right then, you should have gone back the next day or soon thereafter. I understand that Kirsten's kids here are actually pretty young and didn't even know that the item wasn't paid for that is not the point. But living by example isn't always when people are looking but more like when people (or kids) AREN'T.

[mbbored]

I'm going to be one of the bad guys and say that I don't particularly approve. Like with the Gymboree example: when I worked there I learned that the company is in the red 3/4 of the year. They lose huge amounts of products to shoplifting, both accidental and intentional. I've walked off with stuff in the past, but always made a point to return at least in the next few days, and pay for the item.

[Gail]

I work in a grocery store, and I do understand very well the point about prices going up. It's true. This is exactly why we have to have a Loss Prevention department. Grocery store profits are actually very low, and we have to do a lot of volume (lots of customers buying lots of items) to make any money. Now I am very careful about thoroughly checking the cart and every space an item could hide!
On the other hand...at Wal Mart, I'm not so conscientious. I hate Wal Mart, but I have to shop there because the prices are low, and they have everything I need, and they're a lot closer than Target (which I hate even more, but that's another story). Wal Mart makes tons of money, no matter what, off people like me. So if their ignorant, sloppy, rude, unfriendly cashiers forget to ring something up, or give me too much change, or miss some candy my kids pick up & forget to ask me for, I say, "Oh well." LOL (Did I mention I hate Wal Mart? However, I do apologize if anyone reading this works for them and is not as I described above!)

[Mom of 3]

I can't believe how many people think that taking something out of the store that wasn't paid for isn't wrong. Perhaps you're unable to return it to the store at that time, but the item should be put away for the next day/return trip. Is it any wonder why prices keep going up and up? Everyone feels that they are entitled to a few "freebies" conveniently placed under the cart or under a seat. Get a conscience!!!

[Brandy F]

My son has done this twice. I noticed the candy from Hallmark before we left the mall and the sunglasses from Dillard's in the parking lot (both of which he had put in his baby sister's stroller). Both times I made him take the items to a store clerk, tell her what he did and apologize. He was 5 at the time. He is now 6 1/2 and has not done it again. I don't think he meant to take them (his response was you weren't listening when I asked for it!). I try to listen better now.

[stacey k]

one afternoon when my oldest son was 3 we went to Stride Rite to find a pair of shoes for his chubby footed brother. My son was running all over the store and getting into EVERYTHING! I found what I was looking for, paid for it, and left the store. When we got out to the car and I unloaded the kids and went to fold up the stroller, I found a shoe measuring device in there-you know the metal kind with the heel that slides up and down! My kids still like to play pretend with it!

[Candi C]

This has definitely happened to me. Once with a $17.98 gallon of Tide detergent at the bottom of the grocery cart, other times with a bath duckie and a few other things that my two-year-old has picked up. I definitely returned the items once I realized I had them, no matter if I was about to leave the parking lot. It is considered stealing if you don't return it. I never want to have that on my conscience. I want to set a good example for my daughter. How can I teach her not to steal when I steal.

[Kris]

I have to say I agree with the above comment.
Now that my son is old enough to understand I definetely dont keep anything that I didnt pay for, what am I teaching my children if I do? Even if Im on the road (and believe me its happened PLENTY) I go back the next day. Believe me Ive been there, with two kids less then two years apart Ive had plenty of opportunities to keep what Ive accidentally walked out without paying for but for the most part I do the right thing. The only time I havent is if my child didnt notice and it was such a small amount I could probably make up for it in dontations to the mcdonalds house or something. That at least makes me feel better about the little bit I have allowed myself to keep without returning to the store to pay.

[Becky]

Umm that's kind of funny. But think about what would happen if everyone who went into a store camee out with something that they didn't buy and they didn't take it back. Stores would have to start raising prices. Did any one ever think about that? If a store shorts you even a couple cents we all run back in, but if they give you to much change or you walk out with something what do you do? Keep it! I'm glad that my parents raised me with these kind of standards, and I am trying my best to raise my children that way. My Dad always taught us not to share refillable cups of pop too if we hadn't paid for them. He always said that if every one did it pretty soon they store would have to raise prices.

[Shannon - PHAT Mommy]

I'll usually go back and pay, even if it's the next day. I once went to Cold Stone Creamery and the cashier gave me a $20 in with my $1's for change. The kids were already packed in the car when I noticed it, so I went home. Then it was just EATING at me... and my imagination was going, thinking that the high school cashier would get fired for being $20 short on register. So I went back the next day and returned the $20.

[Zach's momma]

I like the bubbles at Gymboree. They last long enough for kids to pop and a lot come out at the same time if you use the blower it comes with. Well, twice in the past year, while shopping for clothes I've put the bubbles on the sun shade of the stroller and walked out totally forgetting to pay and don't realize it until I'm at the car. Same as everyone else, there is no way I'm getting 2 kids back into the stroller and back into the mall to pay for them. Besides, they are expensive as far as kids clothes go and the kids grow out of it so fast. Plus I buy enough bubbles there the way it is.

[Kristin]

Well every mother has that fight with them selves... "Do I risk upsetting the children to return a $3 mis-hap?"
When getting ready for baby number two, we were in Babies-R-Us. I had handed my then 2 year old daughter a pink poodle stuffed animal to keep her happy while we scurried through the store, I had no intention of actually buying this toy. Well we get out to the car after the "quick" spree, put my daughter in the car and did not notice that she had the poodle still until we were getting on the freeway... this was in Denver it is quite a feat to turn around and go back. To this day that poodle is her favorite!

[b]

I wish I could let those things go, but alas, I alway send my dear husband back to pay for it. He gets really irritated because I am in no-way a goody-goody. But I know every time I use those clothes pins they will speak to me like the Tell Tale Heart.

But I totally take all the stuff from the hotel to stock my guest bathroom.

[Amy]

I've left stores with stuff unknown. My kids have snaked something off the shelf and had it in their hands; looks like they already had it before-kind-of-thing. The grocery store by me has a window so they can look down through it and see under your grocery cart, and into your stroller basket. So I've made sure to always clear that spot out, and put my purse back on my shoulder. Except I've tucked things in the shade cover after pulling it back and forgotten to look there. HEE HEE OOPS. Hells no I'm not going back in to pay for it, do you not understand how much it took to get through the store in the FIRST place? Sheesh!!

[Mommy Macchiato]

well I frequent Walmart and they forget to ring things in all the time, the biggest problem is under the basket, I have two kids and never remember I put stuff there, and they always bypass the warning on the screen "CHEK UNDER CART" I realize it after I load up my van.... oh well, not my issue!

[thage]

We were shopping at BRU for pre-baby items and when I was looking at our reciept in the car I noticed they never charged us for the crib mattress. I figured that with the truck loads of money we spent there on other baby items, that the mattress was a bulk discount. I have no idea how the cashier missed scanning it in, she got all of the other large items in the cart with her price gun.

If I go down for the mattress, I am taking your ducky with me!

[kellylynn]

I actually left a store with a hooded sweatshirt for dad in law at the mall. When I walked into another store I set of the alarms and that was when I noticed I still had it and had not paid for it.

I took it back and paid for it. I didn't tell them that I left their store and the sensor didn't work. Maybe I should have.

[Damselfly]

I think the police are already reading your blog and are onto you right now, you duck stealer!

[Heather]

A bottle of advil, exercise dvd. The cashier just skipped over them. Ehh, I didn't return either one to the store. Bad me.

[Arkie Mama]

Tally:

One small stuffed kitten
One squeaky bath toy (a frog? turtle?)
One pair of sunglasses

I figure, however, these weren't thefts, but merely "exchanges" --

for my sanity.

[Amy H]

We walked out of Gymboree with an outfit hanging on the stroller handle. It had fallen by the shade part of the stroller so I didn't notice until later. We were still in the mall so I went back to Gymboree and paid for it. I wouldn't have felt right if I hadn't. Now...if I was already out of the mall and home...it might have been a different outcome.

[Sarah]

I have absolutely and totally accidently smuggled things. Most of the time they end up in my son's stroller to keep him occupied and they are completely forgotten about until I'm loading him back into the carseat which at that point I am soooooo not turning around to return it. Think of it as a "mommy bonus" for having to take your kids shopping with you. No guilt here.....oops did I day that?

[Jessica]

I've done the Target thing too! I usually leave my purse in the cart and let the baby sit in the seat. The little things tend to roll under the purse or get stuck in the corner of the cart. So try as I may to double check, I have in the past walked out with "free" mascara or moisturizer. I usually feel guilty for a while and then get over it. I give them so much money as it is...

[Daisymom]

I recently got a free bag of groceries that someone else paid for. The person bagging the groceries put another customers bag in my cart and I didn't know about it until I got home.

It was full of some very random items that looked like they were for particular recipes so I felt badly about the whole thing. I kept everything though, it's not like I would be able to give it back to the woman that was behind me and the grocery store was 20 min. away.

[Wendy]

I think the judge gives you a free pass, anyway. If it is a female judge then she slips you an extra little toy for the other kid. She total understands and knows that each kid need to have their own free toy.

[Amy]

Mr.Quacky definitely needed a good home! I was laughing when I read this because something (sort of) similar happened to me right after my daughter was born. I had finally managed to go out alone with her to Target (of course!). I put several things in my cart, including a picture frame. When I got to check-out, I couldn't find the frame and figured I'd misplaced it somewhere or put it back for whatever reason - I was working on a couple hours of sleep so figured anything was possible. When I wheeled the cart out to the car, got the baby in and started unloading, I found the frame wedged in a corner of the cart. I seriously debated going back in and paying for it, but facing the monumental task of getting the (now unhappy) baby back out of the car, getting back into a long line and paying the 8 bucks for the frame, I chose the criminal route! First thing I ever "stole" besides that eyeliner tester when I was 12!