How many of you shop at small businesses for everyday needs?

[ChicagoBlue2]

No it's pissing me off that I was talking about the vicious cycle of how the walmarts and the ilk are huge employers of Americans and end up the only places affordable for them shop.

Then you somehow lumped me I with them, I eat crap and you are sooooo much healthier than me, forget about the fact that you don't even know what I eat. You work harder than me. Dude I'd break your freaking arm, I don't work hard my ass. I'm not "poor" I don't eat a crap load of processed food. I have a college education and good job that can support a single mom and two kids with minimal child support. I hit a rough spot but I don't have a "shaky drama" life. I'm moved across the country and am staying with folks, but I should have an apartment for us within a couple months. I may wait til the end of the school year if it looks like the kids would have to change schools, I'm not sure yet. I have what's called priorities for supporting a family. Something you are completely unfamiliar with.......how long have you been living with parents? No kids? Nice cushy spot to make judgements from. I hope you fall off that high horse and it buggers your ass.

Let's play nice, okay? I don't want my thread to be spoiled by one small mistake. Just forget about it and move on. Stuff happens, and we all make mistakes. If you really want to talk about it, how about you PM him? And let's not go judging people we've never met.

 

[Mewtilation]

You have tons of other threads out there to replace it with....

 

[Jiro]

No it's pissing me off that I was talking about the vicious cycle of how the walmarts and the ilk are huge employers of Americans and end up the only places affordable for them shop.

Then you somehow lumped me I with them, I eat crap and you are sooooo much healthier than me, forget about the fact that you don't even know what I eat. You work harder than me. Dude I'd break your freaking arm, I don't work hard my ass. I'm not "poor" I don't eat a crap load of processed food. I have a college education and good job that can support a single mom and two kids with minimal child support. I hit a rough spot but I don't have a "shaky drama" life. I'm moved across the country and am staying with folks, but I should have an apartment for us within a couple months. I may wait til the end of the school year if it looks like the kids would have to change schools, I'm not sure yet. I have what's called priorities for supporting a family. Something you are completely unfamiliar with.......how long have you been living with parents? No kids? Nice cushy spot to make judgements from.

oh my. pulling that classic "living with mommy n' daddy" card? LOLOLOL. soooo oooollllldddddddddddddddd! so defensive that you completely missed the entire point

you weren't here in AD at that time when I've told about what had happened to me. I supported my family in paying for mortgages and bills when the economy tanked and sweeping corporate federal investigations hit my dad pretty bad and my brother was unemployed for a few years (no my dad did not do anything illegal but just happened to work for a company with a few bad eggs who did something illegal). so I pretty much sacrificed myself quite heavily just for my family to keep us running so yea I guess I know a thing or two about "priorities" and "supporting a family". recently I just started enjoying my life now... all me me me! well almost!

oh and my parents aren't living with me and haven't for quite a long while because they're 8,000 miles away from me so I'm pretty much a mom n' dad in here for my dog and brother. I hope my brother is thankful of being healthy and strong because of my cooking and knowing where and when to buy good food at good price. I hope my dog is thankful too for keeping water always fresh and full

btw - notice that I've never said you eat a lot of processed food. I don't know what you eat but I'm judging based on your reasoning in here. I'm saying that buying food from big stores are just as bad as eating at McD. and I'm sharing with ya'all on how I do it. you're welcome to ignore it.

I hope you fall off that high horse and it buggers your ass.

I think Dalai Lama would be very disappointed in hearing you say that but he'd forgive you and bop you in the head and chuckle. I don't wish that on anybody. I'm a Buddhist btw. ooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmm.....................

"umad, bro?"

 

[ChicagoBlue2]

You have tons of other threads out there to replace it with....

That is true-- I do have quite a few I can focus on, and not be cranky. Oh, by the way, I believe I owe you a thank you for what you said last month. I took some of those words to heart, and I've been working on changing my approach, but I still got a little bit of work to do, though, but I hope that one day I'll be all right here without anything happening. Just gotta keep working at it.

 

[ambrosia]

Well obviously he should be very thankful since you are the only person on the planet capable of finding good food and cooking :roll:

 

[green427]

So, the moral of this thread is: Don't get married, don't have children, eat good food, take care of yourself, avoid Walmart at all costs, work as hard as Jiro does, and we all live healthy & happy lives!!!!

Now why the hell didn't someone tell me this years ago? Would have saved me a lot of trouble!!!

 

[SBirn]

So, the moral of this thread is: Don't get married, don't have children, eat good food, take care of yourself, avoid Walmart at all costs, work as hard as Jiro does, and we all live healthy & happy lives!!!!

Now why the hell didn't someone tell me this years ago? Would have saved me a lot of trouble!!!

Yo, Green, you probably need to move to an isolated spot, too. It's just that with the nuclear fallout from Indian Point and Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, compounded with Fukishima I uh think you're still in trouble (as am I). I know I'm missing the ongoing oil spills and unknown and unreported events.

 

[SBirn]

-I buy some stuffs and gears from "Made in America" businesses but mostly from amazon.com
-I buy foods at Whole Food and Trader Joe. some food I buy from there came from locals
-I buy pizza from locals. it's delicious and it's fantastic!
-in NYC, I eat mostly at local places... none of these disgusting chain restaurants.

I used to buy some tools and supplies from my local hardware store but I'm very sad to see it gone. he's retired but good for him... he had been here for a very very long time and he's finally retired. he's probably fishing somewhere warm. a couple years ago - I was surprised to see him back and working in a short time after he got a stroke that crippled his entire left side.

and plus... by continuing to go local... they know me and I know them... and they do give me freebies or discounts sometimes. I saved some money in a way... and I actually learn MORE about what I'm buying and what goes into it.

good luck and have fun with your "Made in China" stuff laced with banned chemicals (not you but general you)

Jiro,

1. Whole Foods is a joke. When they buy out a real health food store PROFIT is on their mind, so the organics get replaced and a few are left.

2. You do not know what you are getting when you buy from NYC places. I lived, ate, and worked there. Also took care of my dad in later years. So, they may look better but find me a restaurant in NYC that doesn't have roaches then we'll do a test to find out how often they're chemically treated.
2a. I worked for a NYC government organizations sort of near Penn Station. Man, the roaches I saw in the hallways were huge. So it was being chemically treated (at a building across from Penn, too). The roaches were winning, so the chemicals had to be increased.

The U.S. does a better job of making things look safer. But seriously, I don't know how much better off we are (I would not want to go to China or India yet). Now, where's my Nathan's dog with sauerkraut, mustard, onions, and ketchup!

 

[green427]

Yo, Green, you probably need to move to an isolated spot, too. It's just that with the nuclear fallout from Indian Point and Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, compounded with Fukishima I uh think you're still in trouble (as am I). I know I'm missing the ongoing oil spills and unknown and unreported events.

Oh, the humanity!!.....we better get the kool-aid ready....

 

[Jiro]

So, the moral of this thread is: Don't get married, don't have children, eat good food, take care of yourself, avoid Walmart at all costs, work as hard as Jiro does, and we all live healthy & happy lives!!!!

Now why the hell didn't someone tell me this years ago? Would have saved me a lot of trouble!!!

nope. not what I said except 2 things.

 

[Reba]

BMW autos are made in good ol' South Carolina.

We buy and eat only local shrimp.

I grow as many tomatoes as possible in my garden but that's seasonal.

Very rarely do we eat at fast-food restaurants (usually if we're on the road). The best burgers are the ones cooked on our grill. For "eating out" I prefer real restaurants. They don't have to be fancy (I prefer casual). I like places with some ambiance or interesting settings, like at the beach.

I wish we could have chickens on our property, for fresh eggs.

I'm still wearing a bunch of old clothes. I'm gradually getting some new stuff since I don't need a terp wardrobe anymore. Goodwill can be a source of some nice clothes. Otherwise, I prefer Lands End and LL Bean. I like t-shirts and sweatshirts from places or events that I support. I have found some clothing items at Walmart. They have a good selection of camo clothing during hunting season.

I do lots of shopping online because I don't like to drive around, and I abhor walking thru malls.

We do a lot of shopping at Lowes and Home Depot because we do lots of work on our house and yard, and for other people.

 

[Jiro]

Jiro,

1. Whole Foods is a joke. When they buy out a real health food store PROFIT is on their mind, so the organics get replaced and a few are left.

their eggs and meats are still a lot better than Walmart

2. You do not know what you are getting when you buy from NYC places. I lived, ate, and worked there. Also took care of my dad in later years. So, they may look better but find me a restaurant in NYC that doesn't have roaches then we'll do a test to find out how often they're chemically treated.

eh - I ask same for any restaurant in this country. obviously.... I wouldn't eat at a restaurant that looks very shoddy and filthy. and yes I am aware that even a fancy clean restaurant would be very filthy in the backroom.

2a. I worked for a NYC government organizations sort of near Penn Station. Man, the roaches I saw in the hallways were huge. So it was being chemically treated (at a building across from Penn, too). The roaches were winning, so the chemicals had to be increased.

oic

The U.S. does a better job of making things look safer. But seriously, I don't know how much better off we are (I would not want to go to China or India yet). Now, where's my Nathan's dog with sauerkraut, mustard, onions, and ketchup!

Coney Island

 

[Jiro]

BMW autos are made in good ol' South Carolina.

We buy and eat only local shrimp.

I grow as many tomatoes as possible in my garden but that's seasonal.

Very rarely do we eat at fast-food restaurants (usually if we're on the road). The best burgers are the ones cooked on our grill. For "eating out" I prefer real restaurants. They don't have to be fancy (I prefer casual). I like places with some ambiance or interesting settings, like at the beach.

I wish we could have chickens on our property, for fresh eggs.

that's how my Canadian friend's family get by. they are working class family and they do not make much but they get by very well. they grow their own vegetables and herbs in their backyard.... enough to feed them for couple seasons.

I'm still wearing a bunch of old clothes. I'm gradually getting some new stuff since I don't need a terp wardrobe anymore. Goodwill can be a source of some nice clothes. Otherwise, I prefer Lands End and LL Bean. I like t-shirts and sweatshirts from places or events that I support. I have found some clothing items at Walmart. They have a good selection of camo clothing during hunting season.

I do lots of shopping online because I don't like to drive around, and I abhor walking thru malls.

We do a lot of shopping at Lowes and Home Depot because we do lots of work on our house and yard, and for other people.

exactly what I do too. I live a modest frugal life. I don't have several pairs of shoes. I don't buy clothes often. I only buy new clothes if my old clothes have holes. I'm not a very fashionable person but I'm decently presentable with my out-of-style clothes. I wear same jeans everyday until it's ripped apart. My good ole' faithful jeans was finally laid to rest couple weeks ago... served me well for a couple years.

 

[Reba]

...exactly what I do too. I live a modest frugal life. I don't have several pairs of shoes. I don't buy clothes often. I only buy new clothes if my old clothes have holes. I'm not a very fashionable person but I'm decently presentable with my out-of-style clothes. I wear same jeans everyday until it's ripped apart. My good ole' faithful jeans was finally laid to rest couple weeks ago... served me well for a couple years.

I do have several pairs of shoes because I don't wear the same kind for different activities. I don't wear my mc boots to church, or dress shoes for garden work. I also don't wear clothing with rips or holes except for yard work. However, even though I have variety, it doesn't get replaced often. If my wardrobe needs sprucing up my daughter usually gets me a new accessory for my birthday or Christmas.

 

[Dixie]

It is the same here in DC.

Yes, the idea of supporting small business is better for the economy but lower prices triumph all. Walmart is cheaper.

Walmart is a big box store. They can purchase items from suppliers in bulk which is cheaper. So they can have a larger inventory than a small operation. Small shops can only afford to keep so much inventory at a time so they cannot purchase items in bulk for dirt cheap. This means they are forced to charge more to cover the cost of the item, and the cost of shipping that item to their store.

One thing I will say for small operations is that they tend to have higher quality stuff and more unique items that can't be found just anywhere.

 

[Dixie]

that's how my Canadian friend's family get by. they are working class family and they do not make much but they get by very well. they grow their own vegetables and herbs in their backyard.... enough to feed them for couple seasons.


exactly what I do too. I live a modest frugal life. I don't have several pairs of shoes. I don't buy clothes often. I only buy new clothes if my old clothes have holes. I'm not a very fashionable person but I'm decently presentable with my out-of-style clothes. I wear same jeans everyday until it's ripped apart. My good ole' faithful jeans was finally laid to rest couple weeks ago... served me well for a couple years.

I have two kinds of clothes. Clothes I can wear to the university that are more casual such as jeans, t-shirts, and hoodies. I also have clothes that I wear to my subbing job and for internships at the public schools.

I will wear the same pair of jeans until they have holes in them and need to be laid to rest. I have had to slowly but surely acquire nicer clothes since I left the farm and returned to the university as all of my nice clothes got demolished on the farm. I have been using Goodwill, Salvation Army, yard sales and consignment shops as a source of obtaining clothes that are presentable for work and internships. The clothes that I plan to wear for confirmation this weekend are name brand, but I paid less than $40 for the whole thing. Here is the breakdown of it:
Abercrombie and Fitch sweater - $5 at a yard sale
Ralph Lauren button shirt - $0 - it was given to be by a relative that could no longer wear it.
Old Navy Jeans - $10 on clearance
Sanuks - $20 on sale at a local shop about 3 years ago.

My point is you can dress nice for less than half the price! I guesstimate that if I had paid full price for everything, the whole ensemble would have cost me over $200 easily.

I may be dirt poor, but I don't have to look trashy.

Many of the professors at my University wear clothes that are outdated, and drive minivans and small cars and small SUVs. However they have nice houses and they have the financial freedom to travel across the country during school breaks and even abroad some. That is how I would prefer to live. They know what they want and don't get distracted by things like nice clothes and fancy cars and such.

Plainly put, there is more to life than just having "nice stuff".

 

[shel90]

Tried to grow vegetables in my backyard. Very minimal success..I think it is because I don't have the time to maintain a garden. I really do not have a green thumb but I still keep trying every year.

 

[whatdidyousay!]

Tried to grow vegetables in my backyard. Very minimal success..I think it is because I don't have the time to maintain a garden. I really do not have a green thumb but I still keep trying every year.

You can grown some veggies in a big pot and that is easier to maintain . Tomatoes will grow fine in a big pot , I have grown lettuce too in a pot. If you like fresh herbs you could grow some right in your house.

 

[Dixie]

We aren't even allowed to plant little hanging gardens here because "it poses a safety hazard".

 

[Jiro]

Tried to grow vegetables in my backyard. Very minimal success..I think it is because I don't have the time to maintain a garden. I really do not have a green thumb but I still keep trying every year.

or maybe your soil is not nutritious enough for your vegetables