Here’s the thing. I believe myself to be socially conscious. I don’t want to support businesses or retailers that may have questionable practices. I try to frequent boutique stores or small businesses. I buy local as often as I can. But there were times, when that just wasn’t a financial option.
I have spent a good deal of time looking into why people hate Wal-Mart. So far, at least on the internet, I have only found one article that lists legitimate concerns and even most of those are “alleged”.
Now, I’m not going to defend the big box giant. I recognize they might bully manufacturers to get their lower prices. They have definitely shown at times that the concern for their bottom line is greater than their concern for their employees.
But when it comes to my wallet, I’m torn.
Here is my challenge to Wal-Mart haters:Would it be so easy to hate if you actually had to shop there?
Two years ago when I was feeding this clan for pennies, Wal-Mart was literally the only way we survived. Even Target groceries were too expensive at the time. I got away from regularly shopping there when we paid off a few bills and had some extra cash. I will admit, I had a little PTSD and just going into the store made me feel sick remembering how we were living for a while.
When I ventured to other stores, it was easy to mount my high horse. I could again worry whether Wal-Mart was treating their employees fair or providing health insurance equally.
It was a luxury to question Wal-Mart’s practices.
Now that the Wal-Mart near me has expanded to include fresh produce and a wider variety of groceries, I have gone back a few times. Trying to feed your family well is expensive and even though we aren’t as broke as we were, we still aren’t rolling in extra cash so saving (way more than) a few bucks on organic fruit or flour means something to me. And they offer it-all of it. It may be hard to believe, but the grocery choices are vast and the prices are significantly cheaper. I can buy everything I need to stock my natural/organic kitchen at Wal-Mart and I spend a fraction of what it would cost at even the cheapest grocery store. In fact, I couldn’t afford to buy most of this stuff at the grocery store.
So what do I do? Do I take the (maybe) moral high ground and sacrifice my family’s health because I can’t afford the better choices at the grocery store? Or, do I shop at Wal-Mart and provide all the healthy food I need even on my limited budget? What if it’s on the backs of others?
It’s not so easy to hate something when it helps you live your life.
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I have spent a good deal of time looking into why people hate Wal-Mart. So far, at least on the internet, I have only found one article that lists legitimate concerns and even most of those are “alleged”.
Now, I’m not going to defend the big box giant. I recognize they might bully manufacturers to get their lower prices. They have definitely shown at times that the concern for their bottom line is greater than their concern for their employees.
But when it comes to my wallet, I’m torn.
Here is my challenge to Wal-Mart haters:Would it be so easy to hate if you actually had to shop there?
Two years ago when I was feeding this clan for pennies, Wal-Mart was literally the only way we survived. Even Target groceries were too expensive at the time. I got away from regularly shopping there when we paid off a few bills and had some extra cash. I will admit, I had a little PTSD and just going into the store made me feel sick remembering how we were living for a while.
When I ventured to other stores, it was easy to mount my high horse. I could again worry whether Wal-Mart was treating their employees fair or providing health insurance equally.
It was a luxury to question Wal-Mart’s practices.
Now that the Wal-Mart near me has expanded to include fresh produce and a wider variety of groceries, I have gone back a few times. Trying to feed your family well is expensive and even though we aren’t as broke as we were, we still aren’t rolling in extra cash so saving (way more than) a few bucks on organic fruit or flour means something to me. And they offer it-all of it. It may be hard to believe, but the grocery choices are vast and the prices are significantly cheaper. I can buy everything I need to stock my natural/organic kitchen at Wal-Mart and I spend a fraction of what it would cost at even the cheapest grocery store. In fact, I couldn’t afford to buy most of this stuff at the grocery store.
So what do I do? Do I take the (maybe) moral high ground and sacrifice my family’s health because I can’t afford the better choices at the grocery store? Or, do I shop at Wal-Mart and provide all the healthy food I need even on my limited budget? What if it’s on the backs of others?
It’s not so easy to hate something when it helps you live your life.
Big or small, businesses are in business to make money. They're going to do whatever it takes to make that money. Some might treat their employees better thn others, but because it's Walmart, it makes the news. I'm sure there are other employers who don't take care of their employees very well either, but they aren't newsworthy.
I think you should shop your conscience. It isn't my place to steer you one way or the other. As for me, the issues with Walmart and it's employees aren't an issue that would keep me from shopping there. But, I do have an issue with Ben & Jerry's because they support the defense fund for a convicted cop killer. So as you can see, what matters to one shopper might not matter to another. I don't mind shopping Walmart just as someone else who knows about Ben and Jerry's might not mind continuing to buy their products. We each should follow our conscience.