Tweet: Had to spend an extra $1 at #Ace because I couldn’t use my $5 “Reward” coupon for a $3.99 purchase and couldn’t find anything for $1.02.

So, I went to Ace Hardware to buy a switch for the basement stairwell. I wanted a black flat switch, which they didn’t have, so I got a white flat switch. The switch coast $3.99 and I had a $5.00 Ace Rewards coupon. I got to the register and the total was $4.27. The cashier informed me that I had to spend $5.00 before tax in order to use the reward. So, I went to find a candy bar which cost $.99. I went back over to the register and now I had only spent $4.98. I asked the girl just to charge me $.02 and she said she couldn’t do that. So, now pressed for time, I went and grabbed another candy bar. This brough my total fo $6.14 (I think) and so I had to pay them $1.14.

In the end, I got a $4 switch for about $1, but I still find it absurd that I have to spend the full $5 in order to use the coupon.