I am curious: Who here doesn't use Wal-mart? Why??

[MorelCabin]

Last week I was surprised to find our local Walmart playing our local Christian radio station on the speakers:>) Now that impressed me. I don't buy alot form Walmart anymore...I find the quality of alot of thier things not worth wasting money on. You save much more buying something that will last. But I have always bought my coffee there, and a few other household nessesities like shampoos, deoderants and personal stuff like that

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Didn't Walmart get into some trouble because they wouldn't let the Salvation Army bell ringers at Christmas stand in front of their stores to collect money???Or was that another place??

 

[Wildsky]

I find the quality of alot of thier things not worth wasting money on. You save much more buying something that will last.

Walmart saved us when we moved to the freezing north, we couldn't buy expensive gear for snowy weather, and made do with the cheapo stuff.
And even now I buy the kids stuff there, its cheap and junk and lasts a season, but by then they would have outgrown the expensive stuff anyway.
Kids grow like weeds! and my son is rough on his stuff, I know the fancier more expensive stuff might last longer, but honestly I can't spend $100 on a jacket for a boy who's climbing around on the hay bales and wrestling with the dog... I feel much happier paying less than half that and getting a jacket that might rip or tear but oh well...

 

[Beekissed]

Yes....Walmart and yard sales put my kids in clothes all these many years. Their products may be cheap, but to poor folk, new is new and new doesn't happen very often in one's life. When you are stretching a dime into a dollar, WM is pretty much the way to go.

 

[me&thegals]

Sometimes they have good bargains on the bargain racks, but I don't find their clothing to be that inexpensive. I feel like my kids get better quality clothes at secondhand stores for only a fraction of the price.

Gotta love WM for those things that can't be found at secondhand stores, though--like tennis shoes for 9-yo boys and gloves in December!

 

[Beekissed]

.....and the absence of second hand stores..... Folks around here actually WEAR their clothing...wear it OUT. Probably because it was cheap stuff from WM in the first place...but there is no wearable clothing left with which to open a second hand shop.

The best second hand shops are in bigger cities where the rich folks get rid of the clothing they bought and didn't wear out last season. Heaven forbid that they or their children should wear the same clothing two years in a row....these places are gold mines. When I went down to SC, we visited one of these places and I couldn't believe the big name clothing folks threw out.

 

[me&thegals]

That would stink!! I have 2 in my tiny town of about 2000, another nice one in the next town over, a bunch in the big city. I get really quality clothes for my kids, me and DH for really cheap prices. I cannot imagine not having secondhand stores. <me weeping for you>

I hear you on the kids. Some things make it through again to the next child in the family, especially when my kids were little, but these days most everything is trashed with paint from school, tears, farm stains, and just plain being worn out from starting out used in the first place.

I'm proud of my kids. I never had secondhand clothes as a kid---hand-me-downs from relatives but not from a secondhand store. My kids think it's awesome. I don't think they realize that most people get stuff new. (shhhh... i don't want them to know yet).

Sorry, major hijack of WM thread...

 

[Beekissed]

I hear ya. I was raised on hand me downs....only mine were handed down 9 times! I was wearing green courduroy hip hugger bell bottoms when everyone else was wearing pegleg LEE jeans.

I would be haunting a second hand store like crazy...you can get the best linens there, the best winter coats, even great shoes! I wish we had one.....

The best we get around here is yard sales...and believe it or not, not very many of those!

 

[hikerchick]

I certainly didn't mean to criticize those who have to shop there because the situation has left them with no alternatives. I have alternatives and will use them That's just for me....

But, I can answer the why you stay where it costs $120,000 just to survive.
1.) It's home. It certainly wasn't always this expensive to live here, huge upscale developments moved in and viola! huge taxes came with them. I honestly do not mind paying my share of taxes, but I hate property taxes in situations like this, they force the old tim farmers out....

2.) It is near family. As a matter of fact we live next door to my in-laws! It has it good points.....

3.) DH and I HAD good jobs here. Now things are not so rosy and moving is an option. But, we don't want to leave, even for a cheaper lifestyle elsewhere - see reasons one and two.

Also - kids in school who dont' want to leave their friends. That is a huge reason to stay where you are.

Certain types of jobs can only be found in certain types of areas. If you are a corporate tax accountant, it is hard to find work in a remote rural area. YOu have to stay where the jobs are unless you want to switch careers, which some of us don't.

 

[hikerchick]

Upwardly mobile folks are those who make enough money to have choices in where they shop, who make $35 an hour and think it's chick feed, who live where their yearly taxes are half what I make a year.....at least from a lower income viewpoint, that is who we refer to as upwardly mobile.

I say the same to you; if you are not happy with your choices why do you stay in the area you live in? You can be "upwardly mobile" too if you think that makes life so easy. I came from the inner city and worked almost full time while going to school full time and raising a 4 year old as a single mom to get my degree. I wanted a better life for my child.

I am sorry if my salary is such a problem for you. If you want, I can give you some tips on how to get there.