Okay, not doing THAT again. I hardly ever shop at Wal-mart anymore (just sort of drifted away, no specific moral objection or anything). Both of my parents are employed by them, so that’s kind of ironic. However, I occasionally find myself tempted by some specific item that I think will be cheaper there, and I find myself struggling into their incredibly tight parking lot. I had a moment of insanity today and decided to make a grocery run there (mostly because I was going to the ATM to replenish our cash envelopes, and it’s just right there).
Here’s what I learned. Learn from me, kiddies:
- If you absolutely must go, do not go on Friday (payday). This is important.
- I learned that I can’t do my whole coupon/strategy/calculator thing there. I couldn’t even hear myself THINK. Madness. I did manage to get some good deals and get what was on my list, but it was impossible to manage my list, coupons, and everything else when people were ramming into my cart every 4.3 seconds.
- I’m not convinced the deals are better. I know they have great prices on lots of individual things, but I have had better luck matching coupons with sales at Kroger and Publix. I could also concentrate on what I was doing/buying leave those stores without feeling like I had just run a freakin’ marathon. Yes, I know that there are people out there who actually run marathons, and this doesn’t even begin to compare. I’m a wimp. Just let me use the metaphor, huh?
- It took me 95 minutes to get a not-even-full cart of groceries. I could do that in half the time at Kroger/Publix.
- This only happens to me at Wal-mart now, I swear: getting hit on. I had taken my wedding rings off and accidentally left them at home. Not one, not two, but three lovely young gentlemen asked me out (two quite politely, one not so much). I actually felt really bad for one guy, who when I said I was married (with a nice, apologetic smile), informed me it was kinder to just say no (and not just lie and say I was married). What do you say to that, exactly? Whip out a marriage certificate?
- If you can imagine a product, there was a version produced this holiday season with Hannah Montana’s face on it. Trust me–I saw them all this afternoon. They are currently priced 75% off, if you’re interested.
- People will actually wait in their cars for tens of minutes, blocking the entire lane all the while, for a family of 6 to load in all their groceries and children, rather than walk 20 extra feet from a readily available parking space. Amazing.
That’s all for now. I’m trying out some new crockpot recipes, so I’ll let you know how that turns out.
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Oh MY. I can’t believe I was about to log off without posting this little gem. I asked Andrew to haul the Christmas tree back up to the attic (which was very traumatic for Baby Girl, by the way. She wants Christmas to stay forever now that she knows presents are involved). He let his deep resentment at being nagged asked to complete such a menial task be known, in his own special way.
Happy New Year, Vanessa:
What? That’s not what you wanted?
And that, my friends, is why you should put your dirty clothes neatly into a hamper instead of in a pile on your closet floor. You just might end up with fiberglass insulation on your favorite jeans and underwear. Just maybe.
