It used to be fairly easy to find a $1 item at gas stations, but these days, a package of crackers is easily 1.40 or more everywhere. So what are we buying these days when it's a $1 reimbursement?

I buy stuff I would buy anyway. So, spending $1.39 is no big deal. I'd have to spend more than 39 cents for the item elsewhere. I will go for those 69-cent peanuts though, at times.

I did finally find another thread on this - I know it has been discussed many times, but if anyone wants to throw in ideas, I would appreciate it.

I often purchase the .79cent fountain drink or the smallest fountain drink.

I can sometimes find a soft pretzel for $1.19 and occasionally a single Cella Cherry for $0.75, but those sre getting rare.

Wrigley's gum 33 or 50 cents a pack
Snack size items that the station owners buy at Costco and then sell for $0.39 each (not labeled for indiv sale)
Bananas
Tiny packages of Mexican candy

Everything else is over $1 now.

Keebler Crackers - I have seen them as high as $2.59 in CA
Munchies Cheese Crackers - I have seen them as high as $1.99 in CA
Arizona Iced Tea - I have seen them as high as $2.59 in CA
Ice Cubes Gum - I have seen them as high as $7.00 in CA

BTW, I paid $7 a gallon for gas on Wednesday in Northern CA at one station.

I tend to buy a lot of the spicy peanuts. I don't eat them. I give them to a lady (50 at a time) who sends care packages to the military overseas. A lot of those guys like spicy food, so I am told.

@gigishopper I wish my places sold soda for under $1. The smallest size is close to $2. Some of these stations do not honor the stated printed price on the peanuts and I saw them marked at $1.99 . A bunch of these stores have also replaced the 5 sticks of gum for the "value pack" that runs north of $3. I've never seen the Arizona Teas for under $1, but someone here, maybe Zep, said they were that price at least recently. I'm sure the station owners figure it isn't worth it to sell a cheap item under $1 and we have to find something that is less than that since most here are paying sales tax.

Most of these places still have lollipops with the gum in the center. Those are still under a buck, but I've been to places that have raised the price by 65% on them since the prior quarter. I throw it in the garbage when I return to my car. They need to raise the reimbursement. It's only been a buck for what 15 years! I think it screams mystery shopper when they see someone putting forth effort looking for a Tootsie Roll or some cheap item to buy.

While I understand @KA047's rationale about buying something you would already buy and paying a little extra, I hate having to go into the fee to cover something that legitimately should be covered by the MSC.

I hope my area does not realize that the rest of the country is charging more for soda. We always get sticker shock when we travel. Most fountain drinks range from $.79-$1.29 here for the smallest and many places have a set price for any size somewhere around $1.29. That being said, my state is one of the unhealthiest in the nation.

Most of the convenience stores/gas station stores around here are small and limited in inventory. I don't see anything for a $1
sometimes a small bottle of water for .99

Others who shop around here may correct me on this.

that's it.

Big chains, like Circle K are definitely getting rid of the smaller items. The small packs of gum, peanuts, candy, snack cakes, chips are mostly gone and replaced by bigger, more expensive packet sizes.

The independently owned convenience stores are just gouging as much as they can.

I have made comments in my reports and to my schedulers that the $1 “reimbursement” won’t buy anything, and that if they want me to do these assignments they will need to increase it to at least $2 so we can complete the assignment as directed.

SBP - Good idea. But they know that someone else will do it and the MSC isn't parting with any additional money. They do not give a single *care* whether you, I or anyone else refuses the assignments. There are plenty of new recruits on board.

The easiest and quickest solution is to buy what you need or can use. Pay for it (the overage) out-of-pocket and deduct it as business expenses on your tax return.

@SBP Have you ever heard back from them on these comments? I am genuinely curious.

Can you just ask for a refund? I wonder especially on those shops where you reveal, if you can just have the clerk issue a refund. I don't see anything in the guidelines that state you can't return the item. I wouldn't mind walking out of the store without an item since many times I am just tossing it in the garbage anyway.

If you pull up to an island and there are no amenities, but the next island over has it, do you just drive over to that one so you don't have to bother with images? If they are paying the bare minimum, it seems like they deserve the minimal effort while still being honest.

I have included extra pics in the past, but then I question why I did it since it doesn't increase your pay nor does it impact whether you get assigned these the next reporting period.

My Go-To peanut packages at 2/$1.09 have now gone to 1 for $1.69 +...I don't usually stay under reimbursement. It stinks.

Return it! Momo, you're a genius!

@Momomomo wrote:

@SBP Have you ever heard back from them on these comments? I am genuinely curious.

Can you just ask for a refund? I wonder especially on those shops where you reveal, if you can just have the clerk issue a refund. I don't see anything in the guidelines that state you can't return the item. I wouldn't mind walking out of the store without an item since many times I am just tossing it in the garbage anyway.

If you pull up to an island and there are no amenities, but the next island over has it, do you just drive over to that one so you don't have to bother with images? If they are paying the bare minimum, it seems like they deserve the minimal effort while still being honest.

I have included extra pics in the past, but then I question why I did it since it doesn't increase your pay nor does it impact whether you get assigned these the next reporting period.

Very insightful, and great question Momo:
The ONLY reply I've received has been from a single report processor/editor who said they would pass it on to the project coordinator.
I’m not sure food items can be returned, but I’ve also put the brakes on doing more than is asked if I agree to do lowball assignments.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/04/2025 09:11PM by SBP.

I haven't looked at the price of the Planters peanuts recently, but the last I saw they were still only $0.79 or less. I've been doing some truck stop shops lately, some with $2 and some with $5 reimbursement, which is fine, I guess, but instead of getting a coffee refill and a donut, I'm only getting the refill coffee. Some of the truck stops are charging as much as $2.50 for a coffee refill, in a regular reusable 20 oz. cup. They don't even charge that much for a coffee in their wasteful single use cups.

Peanuts in CA are costing upwards of $2 a handful, and bananas are $2 each in the same “convenience” stores. A 16oz cup of awful coffee was $3.25.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/04/2025 09:14PM by SBP.

@Morledzep Yeah, some places charge the face value that is printed on the bag $.69 or 2/$1.19. I have been to some places, shops and non-shops, that are marking them with the sticky label price gun and saying those things are $1.99

@MrEd wrote:

The easiest and quickest solution is to buy what you need or can use. Pay for it (the overage) out-of-pocket and deduct it as business expenses on your tax return.

This is great if the store has things you want. I haven't really seen anything I would buy on my own dime at most convenience stores, though, sadly. There are a few stores that have items I would buy, but they seem to be rare.

I am challenged because I will eat peanuts, bananas or apples, etc. but they often don't have any.
Just overpriced candy, salty snacks, baked goods and I don't eat those.
when I can, I might buy an old fashioned paper newspaper or a bottle of water....but if you do the unit pricing on those vs. what you would pay at a regular store, it's so ridiculous.
but we have to keep in mind we're shopping at a convenience store that prices by convenience, not expecting you to stock up your inventory at home...
so yeah $1 is laughable.
I will only do them if the other parts of the job work out financially, like gasoline reimbursement and there are locations close together. I have a city I often need to visit that's a couple hours away and as another poster here mentioned, the shops are already on my way....

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2025 10:05AM by BarefootBliss.

Many chains have Kleenex pocket packs for 50 cents.

@mjt9598 wrote:

Many chains have Kleenex pocket packs for 50 cents.

wasted money if you don't use Kleenex. At least peanuts will eventually get eaten, even if the chickens are the ones actually eating them.

Who doesn't use Kleenex? Do you ever blow your nose?

@Morledzep wrote:

@mjt9598 wrote:

Many chains have Kleenex pocket packs for 50 cents.

wasted money if you don't use Kleenex. At least peanuts will eventually get eaten, even if the chickens are the ones actually eating them.

It's always been hard to find something under $1 here in Podunk. I was happy getting a pack of $1.29 Munchies crackers until I discovered I could buy a package of 8 at Walmart for $3.50.

Tomorrow will be my first time doing a gas station in quite some time. Wheeeeee.

@gigishopper wrote:

Who doesn't use Kleenex? Do you ever blow your nose?

@Morledzep wrote:

@mjt9598 wrote:

Many chains have Kleenex pocket packs for 50 cents.

wasted money if you don't use Kleenex. At least peanuts will eventually get eaten, even if the chickens are the ones actually eating them.

Me. I use toilet paper. At home and on the road. It works fine.

gigi,

I don't waste paper.. If I could avoid using toilet paper I would. Actually, I know how, but my kids all wore cloth diapers, and I hated washing them. So I put up with toilet paper. There are no paper towels, or facial tissue in my house. I also am waging my own private war against single use plastic, and most other plastic too.

To blow my nose, which I do often because of a botched surgery on my nose, I have 100% cotton, super soft, handkerchiefs and bandanas. There are three of them right here on my desk all of the time, and even more floating around in the car, with clean ones in my bag. We use old towels, and flour sack towels to do most of the things that folks do with paper towels. And I drain bacon on wire, and save the bacon grease.

I know that ses has already seen my rant about wasting paper, so it took me a minute to finger out who was asking..

I understand and try my best not to waste paper either. We do not purchase paper towels at all. I don't eat pork, so bacon grease is not an issue. I do purchase toilet paper and kleenex from time to time. The original quesiton was what to purchase under $1 and if Kleenex keeps a shopper within reimbursement and they are already using TP for their nose, I really don't see that its a waste.

I do see your point, but as much as I try to conserve, reuse and recycle, I do sometimes rely upon disposble.

@Morledzep wrote:

gigi,

I don't waste paper.. If I could avoid using toilet paper I would. Actually, I know how, but my kids all wore cloth diapers, and I hated washing them. So I put up with toilet paper. There are no paper towels, or facial tissue in my house. I also am waging my own private war against single use plastic, and most other plastic too.

To blow my nose, which I do often because of a botched surgery on my nose, I have 100% cotton, super soft, handkerchiefs and bandanas. There are three of them right here on my desk all of the time, and even more floating around in the car, with clean ones in my bag. We use old towels, and flour sack towels to do most of the things that folks do with paper towels. And I drain bacon on wire, and save the bacon grease.

I know that ses has already seen my rant about wasting paper, so it took me a minute to finger out who was asking..

I think the point is that if you purchase TP, what is the difference in purchasing Kleenex if it falls within reimbursement. TP for the nose (not bunghole---some will get that reference) can be quite costly if one lives in the Ohio Valley.

@sestrahelena wrote:

@gigishopper wrote:

Who doesn't use Kleenex? Do you ever blow your nose?

@Morledzep wrote:

@mjt9598 wrote:

Many chains have Kleenex pocket packs for 50 cents.

wasted money if you don't use Kleenex. At least peanuts will eventually get eaten, even if the chickens are the ones actually eating them.

Me. I use toilet paper. At home and on the road. It works fine.