It's been 30 days since I last set foot in Wally World. It was a decision not made lightly in a rural, blue collar, midwestern, mid-sized town. Options for affordable groceries, paper goods (t.p. and cleaning supplies) and basics like school supplies for my kids are limited, and I'm already finding that to shop for all the different items I need each week is turning into a multi-store shopping extravaganza. The hunt is on!
My reason for making this decision is that I was personally appalled at just how much my family was spending each month in the local super center. Nearly one-fifth of our after-tax income was being spent there. Granted it was for groceries, clothing, cleaning supplies, birthday cards, etc. but the fact that I was dumping that much money into just one corporation began to really bother me. Then I saw a program on PBS (Frontline, I think?) about the corporate policies and strong-arm tactics for dealing with their vendors, and the way they basically bully all competitors, and it made me realize that as long as I purchased products from them I was supporting those policies.
And finally, as I've heard from so many friends of mine, just walking into the super center to purchase one loaf of bread almost always results in a purchase of at least $30 worth of other crap that you saw on sale and realized you couldn't live without. Just doing a quick calculation...not exact...my average total bill for each trip to W.M. since January, 2000 has been $81 per shopping trip.
So I'm giving it up. Cold turkey.
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8 comments:
Good for you! I limit my WallyWhirled visits to about 3x a year. I take a list, stick to the list, and get the hell out. This, however, does take usually 1 1/2 hours. Is the cost savings actually worth the time spent? What would Howard do?
Howard went to WM frequently, but he usually just bought things like potting soil, detergent, or whatever. He almost always made all his purchases at the locally owned, and oddly named Summer Fresh (always made me think of feminine hygiene products).
Cost benefit versus time spent...it is a hard call for me sometimes because I will be running errands within a block of WM, and end up having to drive a couple of miles out of my way to buy bread or milk or something easy.
Yes, but you only buy bread or milk, right? Not bread, milk, Valentine's day mittens, half-price windshield fluid and and extra-large bottle of shampoo?
Since our conversation about HH's philosophy about time saved versus money saved, I find many of my decision-making moments come down to that basic equation. Do you think that that means I'm becoming a Republican?
Dad was always a big believer in the philosophy that if you can hire someone to do a job cheaper than the amount of time it would be worth your while to do it, then you should let them do it, and enjoy the time for yourself. I have often had that concept in my head when balancing trying to do something myself or hire someone (a pro) to do it. But yes, your point is correct....I ultimately didn't spend as much money on that shopping trip because I wasn't distracted by the loss-leaders at the ends of aisles. BUT, how much money am I actually saving if you count the time I'm spending going to multiple stores rather than one?
My reasons for quitting WM are still that I think their monopoly on "low, low prices" is at the expense (literally) of killing off all mom-n-pop companies and any corporation who won't play their way, and so my choice is something of a moral one.
In reading Dad's letters I am wondering just what party he actually followed. I'm still not sure that he didn't vote for the man, not the party.
I asked him once who his favorite president was (was it on Presidents' Day?)
He said "Truman ...he brought me home."
Grandma, walking into the room after this poiniant moment had passed, answered "Truman. He was so handsome! And he really took good care of his Bess."
I know they both voted for Reagan, though. Perhaps my parents marriage was doomed from the moment my mother, as we all stood in the kitchen in Marshfield, said "I can't believe you voted for Reagan."
Well God Bless your mother for saying it, though.
I think many people their age were charmed by Reagan. I think H&M also voted for Carter in his first election but I wouldn't swear to it. Seems like Dad told me they voted for Clinton in 92.
The night my husband's grandmother found out we voted for Clinton she actually got up off the couch (she was sitting next to me) as if I had just announced we both had the plague. She was so agitated she couldn't sit next to me any more.
Ha!
How many trips a month did you average?
I, too, saw the PBS show about the vendors being hassled until they gave in. We try not to go to Walmart, but not another store in town sells thread (for example) and other small low-cost items that I can't justify driving 45 minutes to Dayton to get unless I have lots of other things on the list... So, much as I'd like, I can't give it up cold turkey.
My beloved husband STILL speaks of Reagan with a certain wistful reverence, saying "fiscal conservatism" in the same tone that Scarlett O'Hara said "Tara." Then he says, "I didn't leave the Republican Party- the Republican Party left ME!"
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