There are many good posts lately recommending products that can be found at Wal-Mart. I have been unsuccessful in finding Butternut coffee or the Cantico paint buckets that are FDA approved for food. The clerks told me they do not carry either product. I would suggest checking the clearance aisles at Wal-Mart and other stores at this time of year. I bought very thick thermal socks today for $3. Also extra insulated thermal shirts for $4.50. Now is the time to buy warm clothes for next winter. Would anyone know if products to remove the human scent would be necessary? All those types of hunting articles were on clearance. There were qt. bottles of camping laundry detergent which I am going to keep my eye on until the price goes down even more than the $3 it is now.

I would also suggest Goodwill or other thrift stores to pick up wool sweaters and other warm clothing. You can usually get the sweaters for $3 and find some great merchandise from Ireland, Scotland, Australia, etc. You can afford to be picky and wait for good values because at this time of year people begin disposing of winter things.

I went to a close-out store today and bought gourmet coffee for $1.59 (13oz. can) some wonderful green tea with mint for .69 box. There were some great soup-type foods in paper containers you just add boiling water to. I chose the healthy varieties including couscous w/parmesan. I only enumerate these items to give you an example of what you can find. I was ecstatic to see the deodorant I use and pay $6 for at the drug store. It is a silica stick with alum. The close-out price was $1.99. I believe this will be a good product as the buildup will not be as much as with most deodorants, hence, maybe less water for bathing.

When I say dollar stores I mean the ones that sell everything for a dollar. Not the others that sell merchandise at all different prices. I found many useful items today including waterless hand soap, fly paper, citronella candles, bars of soap (3 per pkg.) etc.

As you can see your money can go a lot farther if you shop wisely. Mary

-- Mary (sweep@gateway.net), January 28, 1999

Answers

walmart is a cheap source, usually. however, they treat their employees poorly. I have been in the retail arena all my life, and have been fortunate enough to have never had to work for them. believe me, most stores of union background give their employees FREE health insurance, as well as a good hourly wage. I have interviewed with them, as well as talked with their employees, and have come to the conclusion that walmart mistreats their emploees, and doesnt care to much about them.sorry, but thats the way it REALLY IS.

-- ed (edrider007@aol.com), January 28, 1999.

I suppose if I were a WalMart employee and was treated poorly, I would find some place else to work. There are plenty of jobs out there with good benefits and working conditions. Maybe if they all got together and decided to call in sick a few days, management might take a second look at things. There are businesses in my town that are upset with WalMart because they push other businesses out. K-Mart closed, Wards is soon to close, Mom and Pop pharmacies, paint stores, dress shops, etc. That's competition for you.

-- ~~ (~~@~~.com), January 29, 1999.

http://www.walmartsucks.com/

-- S.Rathers (srathers@hotmail.com), January 29, 1999.

As I wrote about in the thread USN&WR, Wal-Mart was recently ordered to pay four wrongly fired employees $5 million each. The manager put up secret security cameras and caught them eating nuts and candy from packages that had been ruined in shipment and that otherwise would have been thrown out. It had been a policy to allow them to eat "claims" food, so they had no reason to think they were doing wrong. Their reputations and ability to get new jobs were ruined in that small town on the KY/TN border. The jury was not allowed to hear speculation about the REAL reason for the firings. The company had been pressuring the manager to cut costs, and those were four long-term employees who were due for raises. Of course Wal-Mart is appealing the verdict.

We've done a lot of our Y2K shopping at Big Lots. Some of the food is really cheap, but you must watch for dented cans.

-- Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), January 29, 1999.

Does anyone know of a WalMart that carries "Corona Traditional Corn Mill" #94046 00 100? It's cast iron and costs $26.97. My friend Judith in FL is trying to locate one.

-- Sylvia (in Miss'ippi) (bluebirdms@aol.com), January 29, 1999.

Sure they deserve something, but not FIVE MILLION bucks each. That's too much. They deserve some compensation for their jobs, and some for their reputation loss, but $5,000,000 is far too much.

--Leo

-- Leo (lchampion@ozemail.com.au), January 29, 1999.

I was just as my local Walmart today to get lamp oil. There were plenty of oil lamps and lots of lamp oil. Go figure.

-- Franklin Journier (ready4y2k@yahoo.com), January 29, 1999.

Previous post here said basically, each Wal-Mart -- through the MAGIC OF ITS COMPUTER SYSTEMS (my phrasing) stocks merchandise according to the geographical location, demographics, and the individual store's sales statistics. So, the one in Palmdale, California, is going to have different stuff than the one in Pendelton, Oregon.

A lot more greaser merchandise in Palmdale than in Pendleton, for example.

-- X (X@x.com), January 29, 1999.