1. The money. . .I know they always say money can't buy happiness but it could buy a better car while I drive around looking for happiness. And being happy is something that's really important but realistically you can't pay the bills with happiness. Anyway, the money sucks and by the time they take out taxes it sucks even worse. Let me just give one quick example. . . when I go to the gas station to fill up my car it costs between $35.00-$40.00. . .well my paycheck from the grocery store for the week is normally around $86.00. That means about half of my paycheck goes to filling up the car with gas. Some days it feels like its not even worth driving to work. . .but then I give myself a little pep talk and I remind myself that every little bit helps and I drag my sorry ass into work.
Also let me tell you a little story, I'll call it "A Tale of Two Paychecks." One paycheck is from a job where my take home pay is approximately $550.00-$600.00 a week as a paralegal, the other is the paycheck I earn working at the grocery store where I earn approximately $86.00 a week. Now many of you may say that this is an unfair comparison because one is a full time job and the other is working a few nights a week making minimum wage. And I agree with you--it's like comparing apples to oranges, but it's still discouraging. Imagine trying to pay bills and earn a decent living on minimum wage. . .it's tough. Think about some of your monthly expenses--Rent or a mortgage, bills, student loans, groceries, utilities, maybe a car payment is in there. It's more then tough it's pretty close to impossible to live on minimum wage.
2. It's BORING, BORING, BORING! This job requires absolutely no skill, no talent, no creativity, no imagination. It's mundane, mindless oh, and did I mention boring? You do the same thing for hours on end, you ask every customer the same question for hours on end. Like, "Do you have any coupons?" "Would you like paper or plastic?" Blah, blah, blah. It's like standing around watching grass grow...it's worse then watching grass grow and if you're not in great mood to start with having to stand around and cashier can be torture!
3. The uniform and that awful name tag! The uncomfortable, itchy button-up polyester shirt is gross. Definitely not cute!
4. That 2%. . . I said 98% of the customers are really nice and I definitely mean that. But then there is that 2%. . .the other customers. The other 2% can be bitter and nasty. Some of them yell. Some of them call you names. I had a customer call me a bitch once, all because I had the nerve to tell her that her coupon was expired. Overreact much lady and do you kiss your mother with mouth? Also when I was working at the bank, I once had a customer tell me I was really bad at my job. Ouch! Although, to be fair (and totally honest) I was a really, really bad bank teller. But I do realize that the customers (even the mean ones) are the reason cashiers have a job and the reason we get a paycheck every week. So yeah, customers are the best and worst part of working in customer service.
5. The money. Oh wait, I already said that. Number 5 is the awful uniform. No, I said that already too. Ok here is the number 5 thing I hate about being a cashier. . .about once a month our store raises money for charity (local children's hospital, the United Way, there was a campaign to end hunger). All of these are great causes and I really like that the store contributes to the community and does fundraisers for charity but I absolutely hate the way they do it! Cashiers are forced (practically with a gun to their head) to ask every customer that comes through their line if they would like to donate money. There are a few reasons I am so opposed to this. First of all--times are tough and money is tight (I know this--especially working two jobs just to pay the bills). So I hate asking people who have just spent $150.00 on groceries with 2 kids sitting in the shopping cart to cough up money they may not have (even when it is for a good cause). It sort of feels like entrapment at the checkout stand. Now I know that the person is always welcome to say no and not make a donation but I know how I feel when I go to a store and cashier asks me to donate to a good cause and I have to say no. I feel guilty and bad when I say I can't make a donation. Secondly, I really have no idea where this money is going or what portion of the money that is donated actually makes it way to the designated charity or how it is being used. . .so how can I in good conscience ask people to donate when I don't even know where the money is going or what is actually going to be done with the money that is donated? Also, there are some causes they seek donations for that I don't support so I don't like to ask for money.
Oh the accuracy.
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