Save money, or save a headache?
By katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
United States
February 4, 2009 3:45pm CST
I've been shopping at Super Walmart for years now, as it's an incredible money saver. With my large family, saving money is one of the most important issues we face.
However, shopping at Walmart is a huge headache! The ones in my area are so awful. The people are rude, the items are rarely in stock, there's rarely a good enough selection. Just this past week I bought a loaf of bread only to find out it had holes in the plastic wrapping (obviously from them cutting the box open with a sharp knife), so my bread was stale! Not to mention I just dread going there. The cashiers are the rudest people I've ever met in my life! When I leave there I end up feeling so angry and stressed out, and I still have to go home, unload my groceries, and have patience left over for my kids all night.
Hubby and I have been talking about shopping at a different grocery store. We've tried it in the past, and found that we spent a bit more money doing so, and would end up going back to Walmart.
Well, we're discussing making the switch again, or at least attempting to. Some weeks after I've finished shopping at Walmart I feel like spending a bit more would be well worth recieving better, friendlier service. But I'm still just not sure.
I think I've been in "save money" mode for so long, that it's hard for me to imagine spending more just to save myself a hassle.
Economy aside (because my family is not facing any economical issues at the moment) which would you decide? Save money and continue shopping at Walmart, or save stress and shop elsewhere?
8 people like this
38 responses
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
4 Feb 09
[i]Hi kats,
I'm sorry to hear that...
I love shopping also at walmart since we can really save compared to the other stores and so far, I didn't encounter any problems like that...
Maybe you can give your feedback to their managers, Having a good and courteous staff will always reflect to their business![/i]
2 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
5 Feb 09
I have complained to management and they don't seem to care. I did get a $20 gift card out of it once though. But the problems have not changed at all.
@busyB4 (874)
• United States
4 Feb 09
Hi kats,
So sorry about your experience there. I think for me I would just have to go somewhere else to not be in that much stress. It would be worth a trip NOT for shopping necessarily but to price shop in some of the other stores. Too watch the sales papers and plan around those and you will still save some money that way.
We have found we just hate going to Walmart on the weekends as it is so crowded and the folks in there shopping practically run you over with their buggies! So we went to the next town on a Sat morning and if things there just seemed too high, I substituted for something else that week. It was so nice not to feel like you were going to be plowed down and it wasnt nearly as crowded. I found some smaller packaged items there that were cheaper than cooking in the bakery, so it also gave us new varieety too! Good luck!
@rocketj1 (6955)
• United States
4 Feb 09
Does anyone double coupons in your area? I find that with double coupons, I can save a lot more money at my local Kroger than at Walmart (even though they "price match"). It takes a lot of work to go through coupons and also fliers but it is really worth it to me. But.... I know that you have 5 kids and I'm not sure when you would find the time. When my two kids were small, I would do couponing at night when they were in bed. Sometimes it would take me all week (a little each night) but it was really a money-saver for us!
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
5 Feb 09
I don't know about double coupons, I believe they double them if they're less than a dollar. But I find that couponing actually wastes money, for me anyways. Coupons make you purchase more than you'll actually need, and more than you'll use in a specific time frame, also, I buy a lot of generic, which usually works out cheaper than buying the name brand even with a coupon.
@rocketj1 (6955)
• United States
5 Feb 09
I double up. In other words, if something is already on sale, then I use a coupon on top of that. For example, soup was $1.25 a can (Chunky on sale) and with my coupons, I got them for 75 cents a can. That adds up. And it was still much cheaper than the cheapie brand. Sometimes it's not worth it, but I've gotten really good at calculating whether that's true or not. I consistently get TP for free every week. Toothpaste is often free as is deodorant. But, like you said, it IS a lot of work! I'm not sure I could do it with 5 kids!
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
4 Feb 09
We have a regular Walmart with just the 'Pantry Shelf' grocery section. Canned goods and things like that are definitely cheaper but I've found that sale prices at Safeway are usually every bit as good if not a little better. I usually just wait for the sales and stock up rather than regularly shop for groceries at Walmart. I do find that you can't beat Walmart's price for paper products, cleaning supplies and laundry stuff. I agree that Walmart can be more trouble than it's worth so my only suggestion would be to use it for your detergents, paper towels etc and leave the food to a grocery store. Just watch the sales and stock up whenever you can.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
10 Feb 09
Yes, unfortunatly my cheapness always wins out as well.
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
5 Feb 09
My Walmart is a full grocery store, frozen foods, soda, canned goods, produce, whole 9 yards. And all of it is by far cheaper than a regular grocery store. Anytime I step into a regular store I'm appauled at the prices. I'll look at something that's normally $2.50 at Walmart, and this store wants $5 for it, and I refuse to pay that much! But at the same time, I hate to keep shopping at Walmart. I'm so conflicted, lol.
@ethansmommy06 (401)
• United States
4 Feb 09
i know how you feel. i hate walmart. ours dont ever have anything and when i do actually find something i like when i go back they dont have it! ugh and alot of the people are rude and the cashiers are okay except a select few that have a problem with actually working or something. anyhow. i have tried to shop at our local grocery store and i think i hate it worse than walmart!! the prices are riducus the people are way more rude and the service sucks period! i wonder if it could be i just hate the town i live in?? i would keep at walmart because it is cheaper and just try to ignore the rudeness. listen at me i dont even follow my own advise....... did i say that outloud??ha.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
5 Feb 09
There is one non-Walmart grocery store around here where the service is phenomenal! Any time we've been in there we've been amazed at the service. One we wanted some eggs but could't find just the right ones. There was a kid who worked in that area, covered in tatoos with pink spikey hair, he overheard us talking about the eggs, went in back and brought them out for us, without us even asking! Then another time we came across a display of Monster energy drink, which hubby and I love. I picked one up, but they didn't have hubby's flavor. We got to the check out and I asked her if there were any other displays of that, or at least a cooler so I could have a cold one. She didn't know, but she offered to call and ask someone about it. Well it wasn't that important to me, but I'm still impressed she was willing to ask someone.
@sahmof2 (274)
• United States
4 Feb 09
If I went to one walmart and didn't like the customer service or the store I would just go to a different one, walmarts are usually in clusters if there's one in a certain area another one isn't too far away I know where I used to live there were about six or seven walmarts not far away from me. The one that was closest to me I used to just go to a night after 12am when I had the chance because it was less people there so it took out the stress of extra large crowds and extra long lines. And you always got the same cashier which after awhile you become friends with because you start to see each other all the time while shopping so that takes care of the rudeness. I used to liked shopping at walmart (where I live at now they don't have Super Centers) because I was familiar with the store and knew where everything was and their prices to me were good, but I hated going there when it was too crowded.
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
5 Feb 09
There are at least 3 Walmarts here that I can do my shopping at, and all 3 are just the same. Actually there is one that is by far worse due to the type of people that shop there, because it's the closest to the city. But all 3 stress me out and make me never want to shop there again.
I do tend to look for familiar cashiers, unfortunaly none of them seem to last too long there, at least not the pleasant ones.
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
5 Feb 09
I would definitely save stress and shop elsewhere.... in fact I do. Our Walmart sounds much the same as yours. It is just not worth the hassle for me.
But I will tell you that some moms in the moms group I am part of help each other out with this. They have figured out the best days to go (for shelves being stocked, etc) and will go during an off time while one mom stays home entertaining all the kids. They still hate it, but some of the stress gets eliminated.
Go elsewhere, dear katsmeow and save yourself a headache.
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
5 Feb 09
Well tomorrow is the shopping day and I still haven't decided for certain where I'm going. I drive half way across town to the wholesale club just to save some money, and it's rather convenient to go to a local store called Wegman's from there because they're right next door. Wegman's has the absolute best customer service of all the local grocery stores, but their prices are the highest.
Normally what I do is after the wholesale club I stop home, drop off the groceries, then drive another 15 minutes to Walmart, which is the closest store to me.
If I went to Wegman's I'd have it all done in one outing and no more running around. So that saves a headache as well.
I'm just so unsure of whether or not I want to spend the extra money. I hate to spend more money than I know I have to. Whenever I go to the convenience store down the road and see something that costs $5, even if I desperatly need it I'll pass and drive to Walmart because there it's only $2.50.
@shymurl (2765)
• United States
4 Feb 09
That does suck. I don't like to deal with rude cashiers. And here lately it seems like a big thing. I don't know why, if you don't like your job find another one, but in the mean time suck it up and pretend, but thats my opinion on that. As far as buying at walmart I like to go there to buy material stuff. as for my grocery shopping I like to go to Kroger. I find that I save more money there then walmart. I hope you find something better or at least things change for you. I would also report some of the matters to a manager. good luck
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
5 Feb 09
Any other grocery store I've been to around here is not even close to being as cheap as Walmart. Some of them claim to be as cheap, or cheaper, but they're not.
I have spoken to the manager on many occasions, at least once I got a $20 gift card out of it, but nothing had changed at all. And it's such a hassle to try to speak with the manager. One of the stores I used to shop in frequently, I got to know the manager so well that he knew me by name when I went in, so if I had a complaint, it wouldn't be difficult to find him and tell him. Because he was usually wandering through the store at all times. I don't think I've ever seen a Walmart manager without specifically asking for them.
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
16 Feb 09
Me personally I would continue to save money and just cope with it! I am a money saving hound at the minute though. It sounds really bad service though which is not a good reputation to have for a place given the way businesses are closing all over the place, they want to be careful or else people will find somewhere else to go. If it is that bad I would also think about complaining to the head office because they should look into it.
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
16 Feb 09
You just reminded me that I wanted to start a conversation about my last visit there. It wasn't as awful as usual, and it seemed something had motivated them to change. I'm going to start that discussion now while I think about it.
@4ofmyown (1119)
• United States
4 Feb 09
I swear you make me laugh!!! I have literally been a Walmart maybe 6 times ever. There are 2 stores within a mile of my house, one to the North and one to the West. I can't stand it either...I actually get stressed out in there because it seems like there is no flow. But the main reason is because my husband works for Target so we are pretty loyal to them.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
5 Feb 09
Well that would do it! But Target is a bit more expensive than Walmart, and I don't know anyone who works there, so I have no reason to shop there. Plus their grocery section isn't quite as big as Walmarts yet. To add to that, there's only one Target nearby, and the area it's in attracts a lot of city people, which tends to stress me out a bit more!
@fasttalker (2796)
• United States
4 Feb 09
I don't shop at Wal Mart for my groceries anymore. We have a local supermarket that is a little closer and although the variety is not as large the service is excellent. I find it well worth the extra to eliminate the stress of shopping at Wal Mart. I do shop Wal-Mart for household things but that is usually just once a month so I can handle being stressed for that! LOL
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
5 Feb 09
Walmart is certainly closer for me, but the other stores would have far more variety. Unfortunatly other stores are so much more expensive, and I hate spending more money than I have to, especially when I look at the prices at other stores and think to myself "That's a whole dollar cheaper at Walmart!"
@laurenb (10)
• United States
5 Feb 09
When you shop is really important. The difference between a Walmart at 6p.m. on a weekday and at 6a.m. (or very late at night) is, pardon the pun, like night and day.
Ask when they restock, shop an hour or two after that, and you won't see many people or have any selection issues. And then you'll be really happy you don't need to do it at the end of the day!
Good luck :)
1 person likes this
@suzeq64 (10)
• Canada
5 Feb 09
My hubby hates "Walter's" (we don't even call it Wal-Mart anymore to avoid the tension that arises). I very rarely go there unless a) I am going for something specific where I know there is a signifcant savings) b) I am going by myself. You are right about the service, even at the pharmacy the staff is less than courteous. And forget trying to get someone to help you (unless you are in the closely guarded electronics department). In a lot of cases we have opted to spend a bit more to at the very least get some service!
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
5 Feb 09
Yep, you've just reminded me of a time I went to Walmart to buy my son a bike. I stood there at the bike rack for an hour waiting for help. Went to layaway to ask for someone to be paged, no one ever came. All sorts of employees kept walking right past me, but no one stopped to ask if I needed help or if anyone was coming. I ended up going to Toys R Us, spending about $20 more, but was in and out of the store in 20 minutes. I was helped right away, no problems at all.
@Bevsue (251)
• United States
6 Feb 09
I have found that many stores have a regular cycle of sales for basic items and once you figure out what it is and use coupons they really are not that much more than Walmart. You are absolutely right that it is not worth the hassle of dealing with bad service and, at least in my area, nasty, dirty stores. Check out some of the 'coupon shopping' videos on youtube and some of the coupon shopping blogs. You might be surprised at what people can do with coupons these days.
@sweetgirl_k1 (3972)
• United States
11 Feb 09
I used to shop at Walmart all the time for my groceries but I just hate going there now. And I refuse to go there on the weekends because it's too crowded and the people are very rude. I went there the other night to get some ink for my printer and I needed a few other things so I thought I'd get them while I was there. They didn't have my ink and didn't have three others things I was going to buy. My husband asked an associate if they had anymore ink in the back and the guy told my husband no and that they had just stocked the ink. They didn't have hardly any ink over there so how in the world did they just stock it? So I just left and went to Staples to get my ink for my printer. I said I would just get the other things later. I told my husband that I think I'm just going to start shopping at Target all the time. I like Target better anyway. And I buy some groceries there and the rest of the time I go to Aldi or Food Lion and I just cut coupons to try to save us money.
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
5 Feb 09
Welll, if at the moment you can afford to go somewhere else then I probably would choose to go somewhere else. Our walmart isn't bad at all but it is only a few years old. We live in a small area so you kind of get the small town friendly attitude from most people. Our one grocery store is a little more expensive but they have a gas station so every $50 you spend there you get 10 cents off per gallon of gas. That really helped when gas was so high. I would probably go on Walmart's website and put in a complaint about the store, maybe you could get someone to come out and investigate it. Save your stress. I know what you mean about being hard to get out of "save" mode though. Maybe just split it up more between other stores.
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
5 Feb 09
I have complained and that did no good at all. All the Walmarts in my area are that bad. I have started to split it up though, for at least a year now I've done half my shopping at a Wholesale club. Too bad that wholesale club is also owned by Walmart, lol, but you can't beat their prices.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
5 Feb 09
That is a tough one. If I was saving a bunch of money by shopping at Walmart then I would probably keep going for that reason alone. If I was only saving a little bit of money I would be tempted to go somewhere else as well. If you can handle the stress then I would stick it out at Walmart I think though. That little bit of money can really add up.
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
5 Feb 09
Yeah, that's pretty much how I'm feeling. On certain things I'm saving a ton of money, on other things it's just a bit. Plus I'm just used to Walmart, and I don't like change. I'm used to the items they have, where their stuff is located, how their meat is packaged. If I changed and went to another store, I'd have to get used to things all over again, and I hate to do that.
@maezee (41997)
• United States
5 Feb 09
I have to agree - Wal-Mart IS amazingly cheap, although you DO get what you pay for! My biggest frustration about the Wal-Mart nearest me is that there never seems to be enough people working, so lines are incredibly long. It seems like a place that you cannot get out of in a resonable amount of time. Also, the demographic of people who I usually see there are mostly big families with screaming babies - which is a HUGE headache, as I'm sure you can understand. I usually choose to go to Target, instead, because the prices aren't TOO different, they have a closer location to my house, and you can generally get what you need and get out in about ten minutes.
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
5 Feb 09
I don't have a Target grocery store nearby. I also have to deal with not enough people working at Walmart, and the employees are ridiculously rude. I don't mind the large families though, because I myself shop with screaming babies, lol.
