Our journey to financial freedom started with figuring out where our money was going and then telling it where to go.
We quickly figured out a lot of it was going to Walmart!
Those “I’m going to run in and get some toilet paper and toothpaste” trips that turned into $100 out of our pocket!
Every single time.
Even if I had a list… partly because I’m a little addicted obsessed with the school supplies and the temptation to stroll down that aisle was just too great!
We decided to avoid Walmart at all (literal) costs!
It was a game changer for our finances since less trips to Walmart meant more money in our bank account. It also meant less clutter from those impulse buys!
So, how can you avoid the Walmart trap and still get the basic things that you need?
These 5 ways to help you avoid Walmart (or any other budget buster) helped us and I hope they can help you too.
-
Stockpile
I wrote a long article on the beginner’s guide to creating a stockpile and this strategy definitely helps you to avoid Walmart for a long stretch.
Instead of running in to grab a few essential items, you keep a back up supply at home of the things you use most often. For our budget, it’s been a process where the pros definitely outweigh the cons!
The Pros of a Household Stockpile:
Saves Money (best cost per unit)
More Time (no more emergency or random trips to the store)
Less Stress (out of laundry detergent… just go get it from the stockpile)
The Cons of a Household Stockpile:
Initial time investment to determine products and do the research
Initial cost on the front end (don’t use emergency fund or go in debt!)
Too risky to buy a lot of perishable items in bulk
Space… if it’s limited in your home, it could add stress instead of relieve stress
-
Use a grocery store instead of Walmart’s supermarket.
Most Walmart stores have an entire supermarket section. That’s a really clever way to have a “one stop shop” experience.
However, the issue with that is those stores are designed to pull you in all kinds of directions. Everything is strategically placed with those retail tricks that blow the budget.
Stick to a separate grocery store for groceries and avoid the retail tricks and traps of a one stop shopping place!
-
Shop online.
There are so many options these days with shopping online.
Walmart does offer online shopping with an option (in many areas) to pick up the items in the store. This is one way to stick to your list!
Amazon is another place to look for the best prices on must have items. Amazon Prime members enjoy free 2 day shipping and several other perks that make it worth the membership investment if you do a lot of online shopping. This is what we use to create our home stockpile.
-
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Those 3 R’s are not only good for the environment, they are great for your budget and avoiding Walmart!
Create a list of those things that you always end up buying at Walmart. Greeting cards? Have the kids make them from supplies you already have at home! Dish cloths? Cut up an old t-shirt instead. Ziplock bags? Reuse them!
Looking for ways to reduce, reuse and recycle will give you instant returns on your investment!
-
Make it a “No Walmart week”
If you are a regular Walmart shopper and want to try and avoid it for awhile, challenge yourself to not shopping there for a week.
You will find creative ways to get the supplies that you need and pretty soon those weeks will turn into months.
I did not write this to be anti-Walmart. I’ve spent a lot of money and time there over the years.
I am writing this to be pro-financial freedom and, Walmart, for us, was a stumbling block that we had to address.
All of these strategies can be applied to that place for it’s just too easy to blow the budget!