Yesterday was grocery-gettin'-day. I've kept my last receipt from Publix and have been planning to enter all the items from the receipt into a spreadsheet matrix. Down the left side of the matrix will be all the items that I buy over and over again. The next column will be the prices of Publix and the next column will be Targets prices (they won't all the items that Publix has) and the next column will be WinnDixie. I, of course have not gotten around to creating this spreadsheet yet, but the master plan is A) to compare the prices and B) to use the list to create a specific shopping list to take to the store with little effort.
Notice that Walmart is not a store that I frequent. I gave up on it many many years ago when every time I went into one I wanted to fight someone. The associates are always standing around chatting or taking up too much space in the isles with their put-backs and re-stocking at the most inconvenient times. The patrons are inconsiderate and their are always too many people at in the checkout lines.I honestly have only gone to Walmart on average, 1 to 2 times a year for at least 10 years for miscellaneous things like a bike tire tube on Sunday because the bike shop was closed. That sort of thing.
So I had a wild hair yesterday ,or is it hare, either way, to stop in and see how much we spend and the shopping experience vs. the other stores mentioned.
It was a mad house as usual. So many cars, so many people in the parking lot. People almost blocking the front door because they were waiting for the Red Box next to it. People trying to finish their cigarette before entering the store while the smoke wafts inside. Lets take you inside. I didn't know which way to turn. There weren't any clear paths to take. All I could think was save yourself. I took only 2 kids with me G and B and we only picked out a few necessities to limit the amount of time spent in the store. In this respect, we did save a lot of money! G mentioned at one point, "This is a great place to either survive a Zombie Apocalypse or to start one."
We dodged, we bobbed, we weaved through the crowds and at some point I decided that I had enough items to get by so started the check out venture. OMG! The lines were so long. Many lanes were closed and the lines jutted out into the isles that prevented me from getting to the other side of the store to get a few toiletries but I just had to cut my loses. We waited in line for 25 min. and we walked out of the store to empty out into the parking lots sea of cars and walked for days to unload the cart.
I didn't get into a fight this time but I thought it was very rude that the cashier decided to close her register and told a very elderly man BEHIND me that she could not take him. He had two items!!! He waited for soooo long! I would have made a scene if it were me. I almost piped up to allow him to go in front of me because he was so old and gentle and that's what us Targeters would have done but I just spent 25 min., in counting in line, and I was not about to let some old man skip me and possibly make me have to go to another line. My ice cream was already soup!
When it was all said and done, I do not even have to add up the dollars. It does not matter. The experience was a flop and I spent too much precious time trying get the shopping deed done. I can usually leave my drive way, shop, check out and be back home within 50 min. at any of the stores I usually patronize. I spent over an hour in the Walmart for half the items needed. Then it took me at least 15 minutes to drive home because of the construction and the congestion that always seems to surround those stores.
I miss you Target! I didn't get to see you this past weekend but I will stop by sometime this week. Publix, I will not take you for granted ever again. Do not ever lower your prices to a prostitutional level. Thank you for being clean and small and most importantly, thank you for being close to home.
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