Economic blackout
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@ShiroKuro said in Economic blackout:
go to Costco
Ha! Glad you said something. Saw this literally 5 minutes ago:
Costco membership deal: Costco is now offering a bonus $20 digital Costco Shop card on top of a Gold Star Membership price of $65 for your first year. On top of that, this offer will give you a free additional household card.
Some of Costco’s most loved services are Costco Optical prescription glasses center, Costco’s gas program (where you can gas up your vehicle for discounted member prices) and the hot food options, including the beloved $1.50 hot dog and soda combo.
Note that when you purchase this deal, you will be sent redemption instructions via email; you must redeem your membership online before you shop at Costco. The $20 Costco card will be emailed to you within two weeks after you redeem it.
If you don't find a Costco membership works for you, they will refund your membership fee, no questions asked.
When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier
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Thanks @wtg !!
@wtg said in Economic blackout:
If you don't find a Costco membership works for you, they will refund your membership fee, no questions asked.
This is good, because we live far away enough from it that we would have to find we can use the online shopping option enough. Like, the gas card isn't going to do anything for us, nor the hot food options.
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I love Costco and their prices are usually very good, though it always pays to compare.
costco.com is not as sophisticated as Amazon, so don't expect the same speedy delivery times you get with Amazon. Costco doesn't warehouse the stuff, so your goods are coming from the vendor and delivery times are not super fast.
And when I do a return, I take it to the warehouse. You can return online purchases without going to the warehouse, but I've never done it so don't know how it works.
Anyway, you have a year to give it a try and see how it works out. Others who are farther away from Costco will perhaps chime in and talk about how they use their Costco memberships. Don't forget Costco optical if you need a pair of glasses! At least take a look around while you're there.
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I'm sorry Target made this stupid choice, and now I have to boycott them. I love their bedding. We don't have many stores in our community that offer the household goods Target has. This means we'll have to do even more shopping online.
These boycotts are hard for people who live in remote areas.
I don't get the sense in boycotting for a day or a week or a month. Why not just never buy anything from any of these companies ever again?
fear is the thief of dreams
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@pique said in Economic blackout:
These boycotts are hard for people who live in remote areas.
Yep. We’re not even remote, but it’s a hassle because we don’t have a lot of in-person shopping options if we don’t want to do a two-hour round trip drive. We don’t have a JCPenny or Macys in town, no Costco as I’ve mentioned… So although we have grocery options beyond Walmart, we don’t have a lot of options for household goods…
I don't get the sense in boycotting for a day or a week or a month. Why not just never buy anything from any of these companies ever again?
Yea, this is what I’ve been thinking. One thing I am wondering is how much I’ll spend on shipping if I completely stop buying anything from Amazon and end up buying things from other online sites….
Guess I’m about to find out….
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A short term boycott sends a signal to a company that some part of the population wants it to change. If they get the message, doesn't it make sense to send dollars their way? And if they don't adjust their policies, well then the boycott does become permanent. I've had several companies on my "do not buy" list for years, even decades, because we're on different sides of the fence when it comes to issues that are important to me.
And...I'm sure I take for granted how easy it is to get things because of where I live and I don't want to minimize the challenge for people who live in remote areas who don't have ready access, but as an aging boomer I've been going through a lifetime of stuff that I thought I really had to have and now I'm having to get rid of. I'm a shopper and deal finder at heart, but I wished I had asked myself the question of whether my life would really be much different if I didn't buy X. I would have saved myself money then and effort now to get rid of stuff I no longer use. For every purchase I consider making now, I ask myself where I think it will be in a year. In use? Or on its way to the charity shop? I think I end up nixing purchases more than 90 percent of the time. My 15 year old sheets are faded, but hey, I don't see them when I'm asleep anyway.
When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier
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@wtg said in Economic blackout:
A short term boycott sends a signal to a company that some part of the population wants it to change. If they get the message, doesn't it make sense to send dollars their way? And if they don't adjust their policies, well then the boycott does become permanent. I've had several companies on my "do not buy" list for years, even decades, because we're on different sides of the fence when it comes to issues that are important to me.
And...I'm sure I take for granted how easy it is to get things because of where I live and I don't want to minimize the challenge for people who live in remote areas who don't have ready access, but as an aging boomer I've been going through a lifetime of stuff that I thought I really had to have and now I'm having to get rid of. I'm a shopper and deal finder at heart, but I wished I had asked myself the question of whether my life would really be much different if I didn't buy X. I would have saved myself money then and effort now to get rid of stuff I no longer use. For every purchase I consider making now, I ask myself where I think it will be in a year. In use? Or on its way to the charity shop? I think I end up nixing purchases more than 90 percent of the time. My 15 year old sheets are faded, but hey, I don't see them when I'm asleep anyway.
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There is nothing they can do now to win back my business. Nothing. They took a suicide pill when they backed Trump, after Jan 6, after his felony convictions. They dont get another dime from me, ever.
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I am not a shopper unless it is for things I actually need. I would rather spend my money on experiences, gifts, better health and safety for me and my loved ones, or a luxurious item that will bring me joy every single day. I don't need kitchen counter appliances, a bigger tv, more books (I use the library), etc. As someone who lived through her own personal Great Depression in my 20s, then lived in a Forest Service cabin without running water or electricity and accessible only on foot, I consider most of what people buy to be a waste of money. My clutter is old letters, sentimental souvenirs and ticket stubs, financial records, 40 years worth of reporting notes for stories.... Tons of stuff going into the fireplace.
We are purging and decluttering on an ongoing basis, in hopes of creating more agility in moving, and it is Mr. Pique who has bought two and three and four of everything (flashlights, headlamps, socket wrenches, tow straps, and don't get me started on how many tape measures we have). It drives me crazy. Usually his excuse is that he couldn't find the item in our very extensive tool collection. (Because he is disorganized.) Anyone interested in tools, come to our moving sale!
If I buy sheets it's because the old ones are only good for cleaning rags. If I buy a new comforter it's because the old one was so battered it didn't keep anyone warm any more. My clothes barely fill half a small closet. Thats not to say I don't buy luxurious things--I think it's a false economy to buy things that are cheaply made, or that you don't deeply enjoy, or that won't last. So I try to buy only the best, and save my money for purchases that provide maximum pleasure--like a grand piano.
But I may sell that, too, depending on how nimble we need to be.
Most of my money now goes to hay, stall bedding, horse supplements, hoof trimming tools, riding lessons, veterinarians, gas and repairs for the truck... My own version of budget dementia, as we would be so much better off financially without animals. But they are what fill my life with joy. Priorities!
fear is the thief of dreams
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Here's another idea... Use Amazon as a search portal to check reviews and find products. Then do a Google or other search for the item - often they will have their own website and allow you to order direct which probably helps the company more than ordering from Amazon too!
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I'm 20 minutes away from a Walmart superstore. Biggest love/hate relationship ever. 90 percent of what they carrry is absolute rubbish, cheap goods that should never have been made to begin with, a waste of valuable resources and a source of pollution to this good earth. But their wild bird seed prices are the best around (and I've stopped shopping at Tractor Supply since they showed their true colors and turned on a dime away from support for equality). Walmart's groceries lately are not at all cheaper than my supermarket of choice, and they are consistently unpredictable vis-a-vis what's in stock.
My grocery store of choice is Market Basket. I'm not keen on their marketing shenanigans but they are the best deal around. Our other big supermarket is Hannafords but their prices are outrageous.
For sundry items I check in at Marshalls.
But what do I buy on a regular basis other than groceries? Not much. Most of what I buy comes from thrift stores and antique shops. Craft supplies like certain threads and yarns I order from Canada and England. But we are lucky and have some really good thrift shops in Plymouth. Boomerang (a consignment place with some nice stuff), Ladders (super selection of really nice china), Step Ladders (they have a huge craft section), Habitat for Humanity (good for LPs), Flip 'n Furniture (great for furniture bargains). It's great! We have a local hardware store, not great but they carry most of what one needs to keep a place running. I like to check the Habitat for Humanity shop before going to the hardware.
I do wish we had a Macy's nearby but that's not going to happen. My favorite toiletries are from L'Occitane so I have to order them through the mail.
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@Bernard said in Economic blackout:
90 percent of what they carrry is absolute rubbish, cheap goods that should never have been made to begin with, a waste of valuable resources and a source of pollution to this good earth.
I had the same reaction when I walked into a local At Home store. Overwhelming sense that I was surrounded by junk that would be in a landfill in no time.
I had to leave.
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