Is it worth embarrassing yourself for $9?

Shop & Save have this way of attracting shoppers to buy at their store. For every $15 you spend, you will get a stamp. Get 12 stamps in a month and you will get $9 rebate. Their stuff are not really cheap but since it's the only supermarket near my place, I have no other choice. I don't shop there to get the stamps but if I'm close to complete the required 12 stamps, I'll just buy whatever is needed for the home to keep stock. I don't 'beg' from strangers for stamps.

You see, if you go there on the last 2 days of the month, you might be approached by strangers asking you if you have the stamps and if you could give it to them because they are short of a few. Just how many is a few? If it's one or two, go buy something useful to top up lah. If it's more than you are not just short of a few. You might as well give yours away or share with a friend. Two of the regulars doing this are someone I see almost everyday. They are SAHMs. We often see each other on the street.

Yesterday, I went to get a tin of milk powder since I was just short of 2 stamps and I need a spare tin of milk anyway. As I walk out, one of the 2 SAHM came to me and asked if I have stamps to spare her. I told her no, I just completed mine. Then she said, "Ai ya. Then no choice, I have to continue to do lose face things." 哎呀。那没办法，我还是得继续做丢脸的事。

If you think it's so embarrassing (丢脸), then why do it? What I don't understand is, they sit their children (one each) on those musical mobile. (You know, those you have to put a coin to get it rocking.) And while awaiting for their 'victims', they keep 'donating' money into the machines so that their kids will not ask to go home. It's 50 cents a ride, you know.

So at the end of the whole 'face-losing' event, they may eventually get the stamps and the $9 they wanted. Minus off the money they spend to pacify their children, it is worth it? Or maybe they have gotten used to it since they do it every month?