This cost of living crisis is no joke, and no amount of 'helpful' money saving tips from people who don't get affected by it is going to change that. Sometimes, it seems like only a stroke of blind luck is going to stop somebody wincing when they get rung up.
Things aren't always this way, though! All it takes is one sympathetic employee (and a willingness to turn a blind eye) to make someone's day. You don't always have to resort to the five finger discount when a kind employee will help you get things on the cheap.
When @ebenbenson expressed gratefulness at a Lowe's employee giving out an unearned veteran discount, many others chimed in to share the times they had received (or given out) unexpected benefits when trying to pay. These little gestures can count for more than we might expect, even if the boss might not appreciate them.