If you've read this blog for a long time, you may have noticed that I hate Walmart. However, I regard it as a necessary evil, on occasion.
What I hate is the fact that Walmart has deliberately gone into smal towns and driven so many small retailers out of business. I used to be able to shop at home and find most of what I needed. After Walmart came to town, home-owned businesses couldn't compete and many closed. Now, if an item can't be found at "Wally-World," it is necessary to go out of town to shop.
For years, I have resisted shopping for groceries at Walmart, even though I realized that it would be a bit cheaper. I like my hometown grocery store and remained faithful even after it was sold to an out-of-town owner because they didn't change anything or replace any employees. I was still comfortable going there. Parking is easier and the sackers still carry groceries to the car. Everyone who works there knows me and is very friendly.
I think I could go to Walmart two or three times a week for ten years and never be recognized as a "regular'. Furthermore, my local grocery offers even more services. They will cash my check without asking me to show my driver's license, they sell stamps, and have a "mailbox" into which I can drop my utility bill payments and they will mail them for me. Of course, I haven't needed the last few services since I discovered the internet, but still...........)
Now, unfortunately, in light of the economic downturn, and at the urging of my son, I have bowed to the inevitable. I have started buying all of my groceries, except meat, at the local Super Center. I am astonished at the amount of my savings. And, most of the store brand, Great Value, items are quite good, which adds to the savings.
So, who says old people can't embrace change? I still don't like Walmart, but I'll hold my nose and shop there, and keep intoning, "Change is good. Change is good." Sigh.
Stay tuned.
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16 comments:
I understand. I am still holding out as much as I can. I call it the Evil Empire. I can honestly say I haven't been Wal-Mart in almost 3 months. Unfortunately, that will end soon but if I can keep my visits bi-monthly, I'll die a happy woman.
The only reason I've been going to Walmart lately is that I've been planning for my Yellowstone trip. Otherwise, I avoid the place. It's amazing how well you can live without any of the things you buy there. Every Walmart trip costs me at least $60 even if I went in for a knife. Their marketing is amazing. In this neck of the woods, Kroger is a better choice for groceries. I will not buy groceries at Walmart.
Let's face it, they are all huge companies that don't pay their workers what they should. I'm like you. I like to shop where people are friendly and where they might know me. Personal service is great.
We have had the same experience. There is very little shopping to be done in our town of 11,000. Wal Mart has driven everyone out of business.
I have learned that I can save as much as $10 a week on groceries by shopping there though. What a shame. They dictate to suppliers what they will pay for an item and sometimes that drives the manufacturer overseas to get it produced cheaply enough for Wal Mart, thus encouraging slave labor.
I live in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Walmart has a real fight on their hands to put one of their stores in this area. I live at least an hour's drive from the nearest Walmart. Soon, however, one is coming within a 30 to 45 minute drive of me. Their inching their way into the Portland area, but not without a fight. I shop there maybe once or twice a year as it is now. I dread watching them move into our area.
I cannot abide Walmart. I don't trust anything about the Walmart corporate policies. I don't trust their merchandise. I have been in the store before, but, honestly, I feel like any savings might as well be a donation to any of the groups I don't believe in.
I go there about once every three months, but I am seeing lately than I need to buy most everything there. Our grocery bills are atrocious (for two) and I have to do something to lessen them.
Seems to happen Worl Wide Betty. We do not have Walmart, but we have major shopping chains that come in and undercut the local small businesses. To feel like a valued customer for so long is always so nice. It is sad when tradition fades away. But at the end of the day I guess we all have to save pennies wherever we can, even if it means biting the bullet.
I hardly ever go to WalMart...no special reason why; it's just not part of my usual route when I run errands. I'm still a grocery store kind of girl; but I don't think it would bother me to buy some groceries at WalMart. If it saves $$$...all the better. ~Joy
I hate WalMart too. With a passion. If you have an Aldi's even close to you, that is where you will find true savings. My daughter has a daycare and used to buy all of her groceries at WalMart. I finally convinced her to go to Aldi's one time and she swears she has doubled her buying power. Their brand has never disappointed me.
The only time I will go to WalMart is if I need something that cannot be found anywhere else. That is rare, which means I rarely go to WalMart! Yea!
I am like you I do not like Walmart but I do most of my Grocery shopping there. I always make them price match which makes me feel a little better
We avoided Walmart also until the King Soopers by us closed and we could not find some of the items we use at Safeway. I go to Wal Mart once a month to get the things I can not get at Safeway.
I'm with you, I too have had to embrace the change.
Big Corporations are taking over America; maybe even the World. Gone are the Mom and Pop stores of my youth.
I have boycotted WalMart for years for two reasons; the way they treat their employees and the way they try to build their monstrous buildings in heritage areas. (Remember the battle when they were trying to force one of their stores near Gettysburg National Monument? I wonder how that came out.)
The owners are richer than Croesus and still they pinch pennies on giving their workers a fair shake.
To me WalMart symbolizes all that is wrong with our country now.
I have to admit I'm a customer of Wal-Mart. Don't like that they've driven the smaller retailers out of business but "the times they are a' changin' " and it's hard to fight the 1200 pound gorilla and spend more of my money doing it. I'd rather shop at the 'hometown' grocer like I used to but they're gone. Come to think of it, here in NW Arkansas, Wal-Mart is my hometown store.
Everyone: Looks as though we've reached what the pundits like to refer to as "a consensus." Nobody really likes Walmart, but sometimes it's Walmart or nothing. Sigh.
would you believe I have never been in a Walmart!!?
it's true, it's true
although I do understand the need to shop where we have to
I am so sorry that your son talked you into shopping there. I have kept my kids out of Walmart and hope to keep my grandkids out of Walmart someday.
Giving in ans shopping there is supporting the worst of capitalism and corporate greed. They are the richest company in the ountry and don't take care of their employees, use their influence to destroy local economies and force other countries to impoverish their people.
You may save a little money, but we are all paying dearly for what that company is doing to this country and to the world economy.
Please stop shopping there and ask your friends and relatives to boycott them, too.
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