Monday, February 8, 2010

A year without Wal-mart - 2009 recap

Well, we made it through the year. I have a confession to make...I missed Wal-mart...a little.

There were a few exceptions made throughout the year that CKB and I agreed on and he then went to Wal-mart to pick up some things like a twin bed frame for Mr. A to match the one we'd gotten there for Mr. E. Also, on a trip to a smallish town, CKB went to Wal-mart for some tools and car things he needed. Then, as Christmas approached and I was sooooo tired of looking at Target, CKB and I decided to make a few little trips to Wal-mart to see what other options we might have - hey, we were shopping for FIVE children ya know!

So...to sum it up...

1. we lived w/o Wal-mart pretty well and could've done w/o it completely w/o much consternation at all
2. the children still got sick - so it's not just the carts at Wal-mart after all ;)
3. when I went to Wal-mart for the first time in '09 around Christmas I was disgusted w/the one I used to shop at - it was dirty, the people were rude (not the workers, the people in there), the parking lot was filthy, it was not a place I wanted to be and do NOT plan to ever return to that location again
4. it's just as easy to buy extra stuff at other stores as it is at Wal-mart - 'nuf said.
5. some of the "other" stores would do well to get larger carts (and wider aisles) - some of them do NOT work with baby seats at all (hint hint Hobby Lobby, Michael's, Dollar Tree....and others, you know who you are!) and people at Kohl's WITHOUT any children...why are you taking the carts w/child seats leaving none at the front for those of us who really need them? hmmmm????

So...try it, you might like it...or don't.

I wonder what we should do w/o this year? Target? Too late.

I'd like a year w/o fast food or eating out, but I don't dare think we could manage that with our crazy traveling lifestyle...but then, who knows...maybe we could...if I could find a nanny to watch the children 1 day a week so I could do extensive grocery trips and have brain time to plan menus for weeks at a time and go to the store alllll by myself and actually remember everything on the list (yes, even w/a list in hand, I still forget things)....maybe we'd try it then...but then I'd have to give up hot mocha coffees from Mickey D's and, well, I just don't know if I could do it!

2 comments:

Anne said...

Congrats on making it a year without Wal-mart! I don't think I could do that. I know I couldn't live a year without Target - I LOVE that store! And I absolutely agree with you about the carts at Kohl's. It's so annoying! I have to take the stroller in every time and then I'm trying to pack everything I want to buy into and around and on top of the stroller. Just wait...some day these people will have children and they'll understand!

Courtney said...

come to sherman our kohls has tons of carts. I still do without walmart most of the time...I only go if I really can't find something I think I need. :) Target I love... I would love to get back on the no eating out train but this time with pre-determined exceptions...such as date nights! or social obligations like birthdays. or say only a hot drink if there is snow. or an iced drink only if the temp is above such and such. I was really more organized when we did without eathing out. I took chicken salad and pita bread everywhere...trips to the mall, road trips, parks. and apples are great too. Now you've got me thinking...I would love to do this for the remainder of the year for my health and ahem shinking issues that will arise come August. :) I will talk to Shiloh and see.