retail-industry sales

Americans finally started spending again in February -- largely at discounters such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. -- leading to the first monthly gain in retail-industry sales since September.

Wal-Mart stood above other retailers, posting its best sales performance in nine months. Sales at stores open a year rose 5.1%, the company said, twice the rate that analysts had expected, and helped by strong demand for electronics.

The world's largest retailer delivered a note of confidence by raising its annual dividend 15%.

Shoppers are spending more on groceries, countertop appliances and cookware as they cut back on trips to restaurants.

This article is a bit deceiving. People didn't start spending all of a sudden. Tax refunds came in and people chose to shop where their money stretched the most.

No matter what you think about Walmart, you can spend less for more including groceries.

$200 at the Brookshire store down the road from me will not yield what I can get get at Walmart in groceries plus. I can't buy everything I need at that local store. Why pay sales tax twice when I can shop and pay once all in one place ??

As for restaurant eating, after watching Kitchen Nightmares I'll be damn if I ever eat out again unless I'm traveling and can't cook. I don't see that happening anytime soon.
On top of that, charging an arm and a leg for food you BOUGHT at a store, OUT OF DATE, passing it off as fresh ??? Serving that to your customers ??? How shameful !!! HOW WRONG !!! Boy that show opened my eyes big time.

If I get sick from food at least I'll know I did something wrong cooking not because my kitchen was disgustingly filthy and contaminated.

I hear ya, but lordy, I hate Walmart with a passion unrequited. I just make up by going to the Asian and Messican Marts here. Krogers only for meat and dairy.

We end up at WalMart and Sams for just about everything , we do have Food lion for when I don't really want to go all the way to WalMart...we have Kroger too but it's over where the people from snob hill go shopping. I don't really like going there because it's way too big...

If I had a store nearer I could maybe do price comparison but I don't and can't.

If I have to drive further it's Walmart. Only because it's a one stop deal.

Now meat and produce Glenn prefers to buy at Brookshires only because it looks better. A little higher but better cuts. We buy whole chicken at Walmart, I cut it up myself.

Brookshires always has fresh stocked produce. I eat salads and fruit daily now so to just run up there and get what I need for a few days is okay.

I went to Walgreen's the other day. I used to love going there, I could find all kinds of things on sale. Lately, no.

I was disappointed. I actually left empty handed.

Tim and I buy rice, because we eat ALOT of rice at the Indo-Pak store. We split it up between us, but get a 10 lb bag of Jasmine Rice on the cheap. I cook alot at his house, and we freeze alot of what I cook to eat for dinners during the week. He is starting a garden this year, and I hope to be in a place to start canning. Fortunately we have more markets to choose from.

Sheila, you should start your research now. I am sure there is going to be several Farmers Markets and Produce stands opening up soon. You might get lucky and find one in your area.

I was downtown the other day very close to the casino area and I saw a sign on a building announcing a farmer's market coming soon in a big old warehouse building. Jonathan claims that sign has been there for a while.

I'm hoping it comes to fruition because I see little stands up during the growing season near my house. By the time we moved in though the natives got to it before we had a chance.

I'm keeping my eye out for it's grand opening.

Another thing ??? Glenn is working in some very rural places here and in Arkansas. I already told him to look for stands to pop up. He's one that loves to shop produce stands.

I'm craving fresh corn and okra.

Lord help me. I am in mater deficiency. I go on strike all winter long, as I cannot tolerate plastic tasting maters.

Me either.

My salads are hurting. I miss our garden. I doubt we have on this year or next.

Quote :

I'm hoping it comes to fruition

Shelia's hoping the farmer's market comes to fruition? Is fruition a town? Ha ha ha! I'm feeling like a smart ass today.

Dork!

The last place I lived was serenity. I swear it said that on the welcome card we got.

I almost wrote fruation.

In Gulfport on the news one night some contractor dude said his dream building was coming to fruation.

I about DIED laughing. I was not making fun of him, it just struck me so damn funny.

Or like the time the sheriff of Stone County announced on tv there was no AMTRAX in his county. He meant anthrax.

Shoppers are spending more on groceries, countertop appliances and cookware as they cut back on trips to restaurants.>>>>


it really amazes me that with things as they are these days, the restaurants around here are always packed! I dont get it.


I shop at Walmart for non food items cus I can do better at a local place called Marc's. It is a NE Ohio chain. It makes up for my guilt at shopping at Walmart.
Then the meat at a little grocery store with a meat counter.

I also do a lot of shopping at ALDI'S --do any of you have those where you are?


((I have spent millions on body lotion for dry skin, only to find the Walmart brand called Advanced Healing to be the best and it is only like 1.50 for a good sized bottle))

ALDI'S

I see this name a lot but have never heard of it or seen one.

And restaurants here are jam packed all times of the week. Sometimes they have lines waiting to get in on any given day so not everyone is staying home cooking.

We had Aldi's in Elkhart and it was nothing but generics and I was a single mom at the time and I still wouldn't shop there. It just didn't save that much and some of the food tasted off.

With my sensitive skin I have to be very careful about the lotions and soaps. Dudes. I was at the drugstore, and saw that Aveeno has baby stuff. How would I know? I don't do babys. Well, I picked up their baby Oatmeal Lavender lotion, and then went to the grown up section and got that version. All ingredients are the same and the baby was almost two dollars less! I also bought some Johnson and Johnson body soap, it is cocoa butter and oatmeal and I love it. And it was cheap too!

years ago, Aldi's opened around here and I went.
It was shitty and dirty and nasty. I never went back.
They disappeared for a while then opened up years later in a brand new building less than a mile from me. So I thought, Ok I will check it out again.

It is much much better now. It does have off brands and some are not bad at all.
Some of it sucks but hit or miss with the stuff to find what you like.

I dont get meat there. But I get lots of other stuff.
I get milk eggs cottage cheese ...that kind of thing there.
Their yogurt is the best I have found.
Their produce is good and cheap although they dont offer a whole lot.
I have a thing about soup-- I have to have Campbell's.

Dont get their French Fried Onions (for green bean casserole) they suck.