I Stopped Shopping at Walmart: Here’s Why I Don’t Regret It
Written by
Allison Hache
Edited by
Gary Dudak
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More than 200 million customers shop in Walmart stores weekly, making it the largest retailer in the United States. This is no surprise. The retail giant built an empire on the promise to provide low prices every day and the convenience of one-stop shopping — along with other services.
Yet, some customers have found Walmart to be too much of a good thing, and they did the unthinkable. They stopped shopping at their local supercenters, and the results were surprising. GOBankingRates spoke with four former Walmart customers — Tracey, Jenny, Macy and Bobby — about how their decision to stop shopping at Walmart affected their budgets.
I Save Time
One-stop shopping isn’t always a convenient time saver, especially when the store is bigger than a football field.
“Years after I stopped shopping at Walmart, I went with a friend who needed a few things,” Tracey, 49, of White, Georgia, shared. “I was amazed by the vastness of the store, and [how] easy it was to get lost inside.”
Walmart Supercenters typically cover more than four acres (not including the parking lot) — that’s close to 182,000 square feet. This is great for cramming as much merchandise as possible into a store but inconvenient for someone who needs to drop in to pick up something quickly.
Macy, 32, of Girard, Ohio, added, “There’s no such thing as a quick Walmart run in my world. Not only do I have to find what I’m looking for (which can be on the other side of the store), but I have to navigate the crowds and wait in super long checkout lines. It’s not worth my time to run in for a gallon of milk or shampoo.”
My Spending Is More Deliberate
“Don’t get me wrong. I loved being able to buy frozen pizzas, sweaters and accessories in the same store instead of making multiple stops, but I also found myself picking up items that weren’t on my list,” Macey shared. She isn’t alone in this.
“I’ve always worked with a budget,” Tracey shared, “and I was extra careful when I first stopped shopping at Walmart because I was afraid I’d be [buying] more.”
Since Tracey was determined to stay within her budget, she noticed how much each item cost and how much she spent.
“Now, I usually buy less than I did at Walmart, but I make sure I’m buying the items I want and need. There’s less waste.”
I Have Less Clutter
“The merchandisers who arrange the store layouts definitely know what they’re doing. I don’t think I ever left a store without picking up one or two items that weren’t on my list,” quipped Jenny, 31, of Lexington, South Carolina. “I would go in to buy ingredients to make lasagna and come out with a couple of hydrangeas and an outfit to wear while planting them.”
The cost was greater than the dollars she spent, as her closets and drawers filled with stuff.
Bobby, 58, of Indianapolis, Indiana, noticed the same phenomenon when he started downsizing his home.
“We had three can openers hidden in the back of a drawer! I’m sure I got a great deal on them, but they’re taking up valuable space,” he added.
Having too much stuff at home can quickly lead to clutter, which makes it more time-consuming to organize and clean your space. That’s one way Jenny saves money by not shopping at Walmart.
“I no longer have to pay a cleaning service and can keep up with housework on my own since I’m less likely to find and buy some new items I think I need,” she said.
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