I really hate the way Wal-Mart really does destroy small-town business, and how they pay their employees dirt, and how they get everything from China, and all of those un-American type things. But what choice do I have but to shop there when we're not even making it paycheck-to-paycheck? Good grief, I end up spending $20 more for groceries at other stores, and that's WITH member savings cards and spending twice the amount of time in the store comparing unit prices, and buying almost all generic brand everything! It's so frustrating because I don't really want to support them, but I feel like I have no choice, especially now that prices are going up on everything. Grr!

I know alot of people who work at WalMart and really like it.

I do buy my groceries at HyVee, I found it to be the same, if not cheaper then WalMart.

__________________
~Happiness is a large family~

I feel the same way - I avoid them as much as possible. I'm lucky to have 3 major grocery chains that have better prices for food. BestBuy has been beating them in electronics in price and customer service. Whenever possible I shop local family owned business and Thrift Stores.

I know how you feel! I, too, HATE shopping at walmart. Yes, we do save a bit of money by going there, but I don't go there unless we absolutely cannot get to sams club in the next week or two. I love to shop locally for most of my grocieries. Family friends of ours own this neat food and specialty market that we go to on a weekly basis. The biggest thing I hate about walmart right now is how HUGE it has gotten. I do not like the fact that you go there with a list of lets say 4 items. All 4 of those items are spread out about 2 miles from each other (a little shorter, but it feels like 2 miles, right?)
Also, EVERYTIME we have ever needed help with something at Walmart- the employees never have a clue! Last week we were there to buy an air filter for our house- they didn't have one out on the floor, so we asked when they were coming in, or if there were any in the back. The first person we asked said "Oh, I don't work in this department" and left us without finding someone else to help us. the next person said "If it's not out here we don't have any left and shippments come in every Thursday" then left us...We spoke to a mamager and he said there were about 10 stocked in the back, left and came back 15 minutes later with the wrong size- even though he wrote it down before he left to go look for it!
and when you have kids kicking and screaming that they don't want to be there, or they want everything fun that they see, it is not more convieniant to have such a huge store.
I never have liked Walmart- I probably never will. i totally agree with you and understand you completely!

__________________
One happy wife and mommy!!!

Hmmm. . .I look for the best deal for my family, and Walmart has it. We shop there for groceries, health/beauty, pet, and almost everything we need for our home. Missouri has a new minimum wage, so I don't see how they are paying their employees dirt. They get paid as much as dh and I get paid at our part-time job at McDonald's.

I don't think we're contributing to any evil empire. To each his own, I suppose.

__________________
If you need to get in touch with me, my email is teach1107910@yahoo.com.

I worked at Wal Mart through college and HATE them (though I did meet my husband there!). I still shop there for some things, as they ran everyone else out of business here, but I usually find better deals at different stores.

I do not shop at walmart because I like it, I shop there because I can get my dollar to stretch further. Walmart it evil, my husband calls it Wal-mart-agden (you know like armagden). He jokes that probably one day that you will be able to get plastic surgery at walmart while you wait for your car to get an oil change.

__________________


Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, be passionate.
Jon Bon Jovi

I don't care for Walmart, more because of the clientele than the employees or anything else. It's always to crowded and I get tired of dodging people not paying attention with their carts. So many rude shoppers and I don't encounter it anywhere else! I still shop there though, because it's my job to save as much money as possible.

Example - My husband likes to get Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches as a splurge once in a while. Walmart - $5.49 Every other Store - $6.99 - $7.99! I just wish Sam's Club would get the variety he likes, then we could save even more!1

__________________
:love:

I avoid Walmart as much as possible on principle alone. Yes, their prices are lower, but the lower prices definately have a cost and it effects each and every one of us. I think we all really know that they are killing off the smaller stores. Soon, it will be our only option. Do you think the prices will still be so low when their competition is gone? Are the struggling family businesses that line our main streets worth the extra 50 cents? Who pays for the unemployment checks for these people when their little stores go under, we do. What about the American factory jobs that are being lost because everyone wants to save that 50 cents so the companies outsourse our jobs to China, again who is paying for the unemployment checks? I'm definately pro American products, but what about he Chinese workers who work for almost nothing, is that right? What kind of quality are we getting from these Chinese products. Have you read the Chinese saftey recalls lately? Walmart is huge and it is powerful and it is holding all the cards right now. They lure people in for a few cents off all the while these people are missing the big picture. It's a very expensive 50 cents off if you really take the time to think about it.

correct me if I'm wrong....but I thought Sam's Club was Walmart's sister company????

I personally don't think that Walmart pays their employees dirt. They pay them minimum wage just like Target, Kmart and many other stores do. I have a few friends who work for Walmart and do pretty well for themselves.....and they like their jobs. The one think they always complain about......is the customers. I don't know why everytime I go into Walmart I encounter somebody that's rude, disrespectul and just plain ghetto. I don't have that problem at Target. But walmart seems to attract some of the worst people. now I'm not saying all of their customer's are like that......just some.