The Boston Diaries

The ongoing saga of a programmer who doesn't live in Boston, nor does he even like Boston, but yet named his weblog/journal “The Boston Diaries.”

Go figure.

Monday, November 08, 2004

Price shock

Every Monday for the past year or so it's been routine for me to do the weekly trip to Publix for our grocery needs. But this week, Spring has plans that require the use of the car on Monday (and Tuesday but that has nothing to do with this) so instead late last night (well, rather technically, very early this morning) we headed off to the local Wal★Mart Super Center to fulfill our weekly grocery needs.

Spring suggested it for two reasons—one, it's the only place open that late, and two, she wanted to see how the prices really compared.

I'm still in shock.

While I haven't figured out the total savings yet, I can state that we probably spent a third less, easily. I don't recall seeing anything at Wal★Mart that was more expensive than at Publix. Heck, I don't recall anything at Wal★Mart being the same price as at Publix.

Tuna? Publix was running about 80¢ per can (oil packed—water packed was more); Wal★Mart had them at 50¢ per (oil or water). Chicken? Publix: $1.18/pound (whole chickens); Wal★Mart: $0.67/pound (whole chicken, but granted, the one from Publix came with the giblets while the Wal★Mart did not have them). Huge jars of mustard for the price we paid for a rather large (but significanly smaller) squeeze bottle at Publix. Milk was a dollar less per gallon. The list goes on.

It was almost like shopping at Costco, but without having to join first.

Yes, I know … we're evil for shopping at Wal★Mart. I know that Wal★Mart strongarms its suppliers for such low prices. I know it drives out local Mom & Pop stores and ruins communities. I know that Publix is employeed own (and personally, I prefer to shop at Publix). I know that Publix is a Florida based company. But the prices! My God the prices!

On the other hand, Publix is nearby, about two miles away (remember, we do live at the Facility in the Middle of Nowhere) while the Wal★Mart Super Center is about seven miles away.

But the prices!

Sigh.

Obligatory Picture

[The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades]

Obligatory Contact Info

Obligatory Feeds

Obligatory Links

Obligatory Miscellaneous

You have my permission to link freely to any entry here. Go ahead, I won't bite. I promise.

The dates are the permanent links to that day's entries (or entry, if there is only one entry). The titles are the permanent links to that entry only. The format for the links are simple: Start with the base link for this site: https://boston.conman.org/, then add the date you are interested in, say 2000/08/01, so that would make the final URL:

https://boston.conman.org/2000/08/01

You can also specify the entire month by leaving off the day portion. You can even select an arbitrary portion of time.

You may also note subtle shading of the links and that's intentional: the “closer” the link is (relative to the page) the “brighter” it appears. It's an experiment in using color shading to denote the distance a link is from here. If you don't notice it, don't worry; it's not all that important.

It is assumed that every brand name, slogan, corporate name, symbol, design element, et cetera mentioned in these pages is a protected and/or trademarked entity, the sole property of its owner(s), and acknowledgement of this status is implied.

Copyright © 1999-2024 by Sean Conner. All Rights Reserved.