Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Don't Shop on Pay Day!!

Wowsers! The kids and I went to Wal-Mart today to pick up some groceries and comforters for the boys' room. It was crazy busy! I couldn't get over the crowd. Trying to maneuver through the store with two buggies and seven kids was practically impossible.

Finally, exasperated, I was in the produce department and exclaimed out loud, "This is insane! I've never seen this place so busy!" One of the employees stocking the shelves overheard me and remarked, "It's always like this at the beginning of the month."

What a wake up call! I had never even thought of that! People get their paychecks and then run to spend it. There's a better way. I promise. It's called living within a budget and purchasing with a plan in mind. I'm so excited about the show that we are producing because one thing I will be helping moms with is achieving financial peace. Getting some money and then running out to spend it is no way to live!

Now I know better--avoid Wal-Mart on the first of the month!

5 comments:

Stacey said...

Will we be able to see your new show nationwide on PBS? I live in the Denver area and boy I need and know several others who need just this type of help! Thank You for always being an inspiration Hannah!
Stacey

Hannah Keeley said...

I certainly hope so! We will know in September what stations will be carrying the show so I will make sure to pass on the news.
Thanks so much for your support!

KJ said...

It's even worse at the paycheck on the last day of the month/first day of the month because that's also when monthly government checks are released -- social security, welfare benefits, etc. I once spent a few months working in a WalMart and quickly learned to dread the crowds on those weekends!!

BETHANY said...

"People get their paychecks and then run to spend it. There's a better way. I promise. It's called living within a budget and purchasing with a plan in mind."


In reference to the above quote, I live within a budget (smaller than almost anyone I know and all cash) and purchase with a plan in mind (two week menus with a corresponding grocery list that's written up according to the floor plan of the bargain store I shop at). That means one of my shopping trips happens on payday (which is once a month) or the day after. The other happens halfway through the month.

To imply that people shopping on payday are financially irresponsible is naive and judgemental. Foolish spenders shop all month long, not just on payday. Same with wise spenders.

Couple questions for you.

1. Do you refrain from spending any of your own money on payday? If so, why?

2. Do you believe that financial peace and payday shopping are mutually exclusive?

3. Do you find it financially irresponsible to pay bills (rent/mortgage, utilites, etc) on payday or is that judgement reserved only for grocery shopping? In other words, how do you determine which needs and responsibilities are acceptable to take care of on payday and which aren't?

I agree that the crowds at a grocery store can be overwhelming on payday. It's even worse at low-prices stores, such as the Wal-Mart you were at, because a large percentage of the people who shop there are living on very tight budgets and can't afford to shop anywhere else. Others could afford to shop elsewhere, but choose to shop the low-price stores because they intentionally stretch their dollar.

If this post was soley about finding the least crowded days to shop, then I'd think it was great. However, the judgements made about people who were shopping on payday and the assumption that they don't have financial peace is absolutely ridiculous. Please reconsider the way you view those shoppers.

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