Tell me more about Wal Mart....

[HOGFAN]

You must go to the Short Pump one. That one scares me.

you are sooo right!!!

 

[puffkin]

Just be aware that a lot of people on these boards detest Wal Mart and refuse to shop there. That is great and all, and they are entitled to their opinion, but when you are on a budget and trying to make ends meet, Wal Mart really can't be beat.

Good- Prices are really good and there is usually plenty of inventory. We buy all our groceries there as well as most toiletries, paper products, pet supplies, cleaning supplies and baby items. Yes, sometimes certain items are cheaper at other stores when they have sales, but you usually still come out ahead at WalMart. I just don't have time to go to 10 different stores every week, and WalMart consistently comes out ahead for my total shopping bill.

Bad- Our WalMart is usually crowded at all times and check out lines can get long, but they are usually not excessive. And, they usually have most of the lines working. The store can also get pretty unorganized but if you shop early in the morning it is usually well stocked and cleaned up.

Ugly- The bathrooms. Ugh is all I will say. Also the screaming kids and the lack of English being spoken can really get to me. And the beginning of the month can get rough when the checks come out. It can get pretty crazy.

All in all I suffer through Walmart because it is convenient to my house and by far the cheapest place overall. I also like that I can get most of my stuff in one place. They are planning on building a Super Target nearby, so I will probably switch to that if their prices are fairly close to WalMarts. However our other Target (not a super center) is great, but never seems to have things in stock, so I hope that won't be a problem if the Super Target is built.

 

[Chattyaholic]

Not good Health Insurance, Sub humans working there,

Not good health insurance? I beg to differ. DH is a farmer and we have always had to buy our own health insurance. When he worked for 3 years at Wal-Mart it was wonderful having our health insurance PAID FOR, and it included dental.

Sub humans working there? What a rude statement!!

 

[mum4jenn]

Bad- Too crowded on the weekends

Good- GREAT prices on school and office supplies. Ours has actually managed to stay clean and organized since the SuperCenter came several years ago and the meat dept looks great. I have never bought any bad meat from there. I shop at Target also and love the clearance aisle but I do end up doing most of my shopping at Walmart. Also they give a 3 cent discount on gas which really helps.

 

[lindakmonty]

since dh is retired he does our shopping about 7am and it's pretty dead then. He likes it... great prices and early hours it is no problem getting around and getting checked out! He also shops at Meijer or Kroger sometimes...depends on the sales ads I guess.

 

[cardaway]

I am a proud Wal-Mart shopper. I refuse to go to Target or the mall or a local chain grocery store and pay 10% higher prices for the same thing. The image is that only troglodytes shop there, but that's such a load of stinky stuff IMO

What are these items that Target has higher prices on?

I also haven't seen any savings on items that other grocery stores sell. Not items like meat or produce where Wal-Mart has lower standard, talking same brands, same size.

I agree aobut the mall. Even the Targets here beat the mall.

 

[saucymb]

What are these items that Target has higher prices on?

I also haven't seen any savings on items that other grocery stores sell. Not items like meat or produce where Wal-Mart has lower standard, talking same brands, same size.

I agree aobut the mall. Even the Targets here beat the mall.

I'm not Zippa, but I have shopped all over town and can say that WalMart definitely has the cheapest price on most grocery items. I save money every week on cereal, coffee, milk, bread, actually nearly every single grocery and household item. We have Target, BiLo, Food Lion and Harris Teeter around here (along with WalMart). Each of these stores, though they have weekly sales that make some things cheaper, end up costing significantly more than my WalMart bill. We are on a tight budget, so believe me, I do shop around and have found that WalMart is consitantly saving us money and time.

However, when it comes to baby items (diapers, wipes, clothes, toys, etc.), I have found that WalMart, Target, and Babies-r-Us (surprise there!?!) were all very similarly priced. WalMart has the smallest selection of goods though.

I do enjoy going to Target, and will enjoy it even more when the new Super Target opens about 15 minutes away. It's clean and most associates are pleasant. They have a great selection of home stuff. But our WalMart is also clean (it's only a year old) and most of the associates are friendly (except the last two times I've been there).

 

[cardaway]

I'm not Zippa, but I have shopped all over town and can say that WalMart definitely has the cheapest price on most grocery items. I save money every week on cereal, coffee, milk, bread, actually nearly every single grocery and household item. We have Target, BiLo, Food Lion and Harris Teeter around here (along with WalMart). Each of these stores, though they have weekly sales that make some things cheaper, end up costing significantly more than my WalMart bill. We are on a tight budget, so believe me, I do shop around and have found that WalMart is consitantly saving us money and time.

Same brands? Same sizes?

Must be just your area. In this area they rarely stock the same items, and when they do, it's only a couple cents cheaper. They beat prices yes, but it's like 2.97 vs. 2.99. No way I go into that mess for 2 cents an item.

 

[Planogirl]

I think that Wal-Marts seem to vary widely. Our local store is quite nice with kind people working there and I have no problem with shopping at that store. They are also quite a bit lower in price for cleaning supplies and canned goods and toiletries. Yes, even lower than Target which is my favorite store.

I am bothered by how they're affecting smaller stores but that's free enterprise.

 

[puffkin]

Same brands? Same sizes?

Must be just your area. In this area they rarely stock the same items, and when they do, it's only a couple cents cheaper. They beat prices yes, but it's like 2.97 vs. 2.99. No way I go into that mess for 2 cents an item.

I agree with Saucymb. In our area, WalMart carries the EXACT same products and package sizes and blows away the super markets. Prepackaged snacks, juices, cereal and items like that are where I notice it the most. The large boxes of Kelloggs are usually at least $1 cheaper at WalMart plus you can use coupons. Most of the local stores sale prices only come down to WalMarts everyday prices.

My mom was a loyal shopper to a local grocery store for 20 years. She switched to WalMart and saves $10-$20 a week on the EXACT SAME STUFF. Trust me, we wouldn't shop there if it wasn't a HUGE savings for us in this area. I would rather save the hassle and annoyance, but I can't justify paying the grocery store prices for the same items, at least not on my budget.

 

[willis37862]

Same brands? Same sizes?

Must be just your area. In this area they rarely stock the same items, and when they do, it's only a couple cents cheaper. They beat prices yes, but it's like 2.97 vs. 2.99. No way I go into that mess for 2 cents an item.

Our walmart easily beats Targets prices. Groceries especially but also the make-up. Yes same brand same size. Trust me I do enough shopping and I hunt for the best price and I compare the amount I am getting for the money. That being said. I like Target better than Walmart. But Target is an hour away and Walmart is 15 minutes. So I shop at Walmart most of the time and go to Target once every month or so to get specialty items Walmart doesn't carry.

Also all the statements about dirty and disorganized Walmarts. I have been to some of them that are that way. But ours is very clean and well stocked. So I guess we are fortunate if you like Walmart it is a nice one.

 

[jennyl772003]

I used to be a Walmart shopper. The local ones were open 24 hours and I worked 2nd shift, so it was convenient for me. Neither is a super center.

Now, neither of those stores is open 24 hours, and both have completly disintegrated. The workers are rude. It is hard to get around since there are just piles of junk all over in the aisles. Half the time we can't find what we are looking for. The place looks dirty. Floors are grungy. They are just jam packed with the dregs of humanity.

Granted, my budget is A LOT looser now then when I shopped at WalMart, so any price differences are not that noticable, but I am a Target shopper now. If it is more expensive, it is WELL worth it to me.

 

[saucymb]

Same brands? Same sizes?

Must be just your area. In this area they rarely stock the same items, and when they do, it's only a couple cents cheaper. They beat prices yes, but it's like 2.97 vs. 2.99. No way I go into that mess for 2 cents an item.

Same brands, same sizes. I'm with you, saving two or three cents per item is not worth the hassle that some people encounter at WalMart. But at every WalMart I've shopped at (which is several cities in NC as well as Florida), it's usually a savings of much more than that...$.50 on Kraft salad dressings, $1 or so on cereal, $.50 on country time lemonade, literally hundreds more.

 

[cardaway]

Interesting. Maybe it's because the one I go to isn't a "Super" Wal-Mart.

I do go there, but only when I read that they have a special sale going on for something I know I want.

As for the messy stores, I find the later you go, the more messy they get. They probably do what little cleaning they do in the early morning.

 

[vegasnative]

The good~typically groceries are cheaper than at the other supermarkets. I have noticed that the Wal-mart markets are not as cheap as the Wal-mart Supercenters...but the market is closer so I shop there, and since it is just a grocery store I don't impulse buy.
The bad~these type of stores costs tax payers billions of dollars each year. For example (I just read this in an article), a small town got a Supercenter which generated $75,000 in tax revenue for this town! Whoo hoo, that sounds great right, $75,000...that is terrific for small towns. HOWEVER, the small town had to employ 3 extra police officers to cover the crime that these stores generate around them....costing tax payers over $80,000 a year....you do the math! Not good.
People like me are in a tough situation, I despise the stores for everything they stand for, but with a family of 5 it is almost as if I can't shop anywhere else. What to do?? If I need 1 or 2 items, I go to Albertsons (closest to me), if I am doing my weekly shop it is the Wal-mart market for the prices because it is cheaper. I do not buy any meat there though, have done in the past and it tasted fake?!?! However, if it is an item that I can only get from the Supercenter (like a car seat), and I only need the one item, I go to Target pay the extra buck and have a cleaner/faster shopping experience.

 

[willis37862]

Interesting. Maybe it's because the one I go to isn't a "Super" Wal-Mart.

That might be. Ours is a Super Walmart. I haven't compared there prices to the regular Walmart.

 

[Crankyshank]

dirtiest freakshow on the planet

 

[Poohbear123]

dirtiest freakshow on the planet

GOOD One!

 

[PlutosFriend]

We recently got a Super Walmart near us. Stay away from the meat, huh? Thanks for the tip. Is it really that bad?

 

[vegasnative]

We recently got a Super Walmart near us. Stay away from the meat, huh? Thanks for the tip. Is it really that bad?

I have had a bad experience with the sandwich from the deli, and with packaged steaks. They both really had funny tastes to them, imo. I do buy packaged sandwich meat from there and stuff like hot dogs (name brands). But, I prefer to buy my meat from the other grocery stores. I have however on the other hand bought a roast from there and it was great, but I just don't chance it anymore.