Saturday, January 17, 2009

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures!

Okay, it's confession time. Are you ready? You better sit down for this....

Last week I walked into the Centerville Wal-Mart.......

And I actually purchased something.

Sigh.

I feel better now that it's off my chest!

Some of you may not know that Wal-Mart and I.....well, we're not best friends. I refrain from shopping there as much as physically possible. I don't want to get into the nitty gritty of it all, but just know that I do my best to stay clear of it. Last week, however, I was in a state of emergency and it became necessary for me to swallow my pride. I only have myself to blame.

So about 2 years ago I went with my roommate to the movie "Stardust." Have you seen it? I loved it! She loved it! I vowed to buy it when it came out, I enjoyed it that much. So I guess I should insert here that in addition to my Wal-Mart issues I also have a firm policy to not purchase a DVD unless it costs less than $10. It's just ludicrous to otherwise because you can always find them on sale. Okay, back to the story. So "Stardust" was released on DVD and my search began. I really wanted to buy it and knew it wouldn't take very long until it would go on sale. I spent the next year and a half looking for this movie. I looked in every Target. I looked at Costco (which I happen to frequent quite regularly so I know I didn't miss it there). I looked online. I couldn't find it anywhere for under $10.

So last Tuesday was my roommate's birthday. Happy Birthday Erika! Anyway, I knew the perfect gift for her would be this movie. So I stopped in at Target to see if they had any copies in. There was one copy for $13. I decided that Erika was worth breaking my rules as long as I could get a copy of that dang movie! So there was a girl standing right in front of the shelf where Stardust was calling to me like a beam of light from heaven. If I could just get her to inch a little to the left, I could just excuse myself and bend down to grab it. Right as I was about to say those magic words homegirl bent over and picked up the final copy! All right, I'm down but I'm not out, right? So I lurked around, waiting to see if she would put it back. Nope. She walked to the register and bought it!!!! I know, the nerve of some people!!!! So I was back to square one. There is a Target near my work so I thought I'd go the next workday to see if there were any copies available there. No luck. Sold out. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. It was the day before Erika's birthday and I had nothing. There was a Wal-Mart right across the street from the Target that I was at so I thought I'd just walk in to see if they had the movie. No harm in walking in the store, right? I slowly made my way to the entertainment section (slowly because the store is so HUGE no one can find where anything is so you end up walking past something and thinking, "Oh, that could be useful," and purchasing way more things than you would have if you knew where you were going in the first place). I peruse the movies and there it is. For only $9. All my hopes and dreams are dashed because I know I don't have a choice but to buy it.

Long story short, she loved the movie.

9 comments:

Our Family said...

HOORAY! I'm so proud of you! These are baby steps. Keep going and you'll be bringin' all of your grocery store ads in and haggling with the cashiers about the apples REALLY being .62 cents a pound in no time!! ...or maybe that's just me, sigh.

Cade said...

Kandis I heard a story once that describes this story. The final line in the story said, "Now we have established what you are now we are just haggling over price." No amount of savings can justify shopping there. That's what Cade from 5 years ago would have said. Fast forward to today. I have to admit I'm guily of shopping there, and asking Jill to shop there too. Maybe one day I'll be back to standing on principle rather than selling out to the big box store. Can you spell F-O-X!

AD said...

Like you, I'm a Target gal, too, but hey, score one for all the Walmart lovers in the family (there are some devotees).

And btw, I hated the previews of Stardust and refused to see the movie, even though my kids raved about it. When I was visiting my Memphis family in November, Nikki finally talked me into seeing it. AND I LOVED IT! So maybe a Walmart trip is in the cards for me, too!

Diane said...

May I just remind your readers here that last family vacation the WHOLE family was grocery shopping in Walmart for the groceries for the week and you made Dad take you to Smith's Grocery Store later to purchase those things you needed. Is all I have to say is Erica is one super good friend for you to buckle.

GreenPhoenix said...

Wow, after laughing so hard for a couple minutes that I couldn't post, here it is. Jennifer says that you should take up writing--you are hilarious (or "so dang funny" in Jennifer's words)! Seriously, you could make some big bucks like that.
Anyway, I think Walmart stinks too. It's driven all of the small Mom & Pop stores out of downtown Lewisburg so that now you HAVE to go to Wally World to get things like toilet paper, shoes, and office supplies. Infuriating, says I--boycott them if at all possible!
For Stardust however, I too would make an exception--I love that movie!

Camille said...

YOu're sooo funny!

and I hope you said hi to my momma. That's what took you to the centerville store, isn't it?!!

VIVA Wally world!!

. said...

Is this the same girl who teased me about being a toilet snob? Who knew there were such Wal-Mart snobs in the family? Okay, I knew, and I join you. I just keep quiet because my momma would cry and be so disappointed in me.
You're a funny girl, Kandis. Really, really funny!

Shar said...

HELLO PEOLPLE!!!! What's wrong with finding everything you need under one roof and saving money at the same time? I'll admit that I didn't like the Taylorsville or old Sandy stores, they seemed slummy, but the Riverton store is really clean and classy. Isn't it Mel? Tell 'em.

Good Carma said...

I believe in helping family and since I have two very important family members working at none other than WalleyMart, I will endeavor to help them. Besides who would I take out my fustrations out on, ie, "what do you mean you will not honor this price it is very clear 10 for $1.00. Get me your manager please. Well don't advertise you will honor the price if you don't." Yes, I use Walmart as my therapy, couldn't get along without them.