"Put DOWN the Ho-ho's and Step AWAY from the Checkout!"

from JoeUser Forums

It was just another hot Texas day. I was in line at the WalMart Supercenter (you know the one that stretches all the way back to layaway because they don't want to open another checkout? We've all been there). After the interminable Bataan death march to the front of the store, I was now second in line, unwittingly being updated on Britney Spears' prenatal bliss and eroding marriage and the updated exploits of Brad Pitt and Angeline Jolie as they attempt to adopt their 437th child from a small village in Madagascar, and the lady in front of me was quite weary, with three children in tow, one of them apparently traumatized because she had forcibly stripped him away from the Superman costume he so desperately wanted. She had the standard groceries on the counter, with the normal sugar laden foods to placate her screaming children (as well, I am sure, as to give herself a chocolate fix to save the day). What happened next was so predictable, as it replicated scenes I have seen over and over again, in my various excursions to the Mecca of materialism.

The cashier rung up her order, and announced the total. The woman had a brief "ah, crap" moment as she realized that she had miscalculated her purchases and had to cut a few items off the list. As she perused the counter, realizing that she would have to pare her purchases down to the more essential ones, her eyes cruised past the sodas and the candy without even pausing. She stopped as she looked at the baby formula. That would have to go, she decided, and removed it from play. Next up was the laundry soap.

If I hadn't seen it so often, I would assume she was overstocked at home and didn't need those items as bad as the others. But experience has taught me that all too many parents are willing to sacrifice the more essential items for survival in favor of "luxury" items such as cigarettes, candy, and sodas that they simply do not need and have no business buying if they can't afford the more essential items.

Some months ago, I had a friend ask me to pick him up a case of soda in town. This friend is a known mooch, and I knew my money would be gone as soon as it was spent. I'm as much a stickler on buying soda for someone when they're down and out as I am of buying beer or cigarettes: You don't need it, and if you really must have it, you'll wait until you have your own money. This same individual was flabbergasted when I answered his desperate plea to rescue him from starvation with a bag of pinto beans and rice. Hey, it's food for a couple of days, and, best of all, it doesn't cost me much so I can dole out a lot of it. If you want the steak and lobster, though, you'll have to earn it yourself.

The lady, of course, was a composite of so many I have encountered in life. Sure, she may have had more money at home and decided the formula and laundry soap could wait for the return trip. And, in fact, she just may have. But too many people don't, and maybe it's time we start dealing with the fact that a caviar lifestyle should only be bought by those who have the money to afford caviar.

3,097 views 21 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top

I know EXACTLY what you're talking about because I see it all the time. 

The most outragous thing I ever saw was at a Super Walmart a couple of years back.  A black couple with a baby were in line with a cart full of frozen, fresh and canned foods, diapers, formula, sodas, beer, milk and cheese.  These people hadn't MIS-calculated, Gid, they hadn't even bothered to calculate at all.  The woman kept asking for a total from the cashier, and when it got close to the limit of funds she had available, she started picking through what was left in the cart.  The sodas, beer, chips and bread were all the first things to get bagged up ready to be taken home.  The frozen and fresh fruit and veggies were left behind in the cart, as were the diapers and formula. 

As if that weren't bad enough, the couple left the cart with the rejected (and by now thawing) frozen and fresh foods in it in front of me at the register and just walked away. I had to move the cart so that I could get to the register to unload mine and then someone had to come and dispose of all it's contents.  They couldn't put it back in the freezer because it wasn't frozen any more.  What they did with the fresh stuff, I have no idea.

I see people wearing Nike shoes and Phat farm clothing smoking cigarettes, complaining about how they can't afford diapers or baby food whilst their dirty children dressed in tatty and stained clothes run amok in the store EVERY TIME I go to Wal-Mart.  It sickens me.

I do, however, have a question for you.  What do you think the solution to this problem is?  I know how anti-CPS you are, so what's the answer? 

Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top

This scenario is the primary reason I believe we need to do away with government welfare programs. The sad truth is, all too many of the food purchases are made with the food stamp funds the family hasn't traded away. And there is just no way the government can oversee every purchase to make sure the family is spending their money wisely.

In my "perfect" world, ANY assistance program would be pretty intensive, and privately based. Families would be matched with a volunteer who would assist them on shopping decisions, and pretty strictly limit what purchases are made with the funds that the charity was providing. The focus of the programs would be to teach families how to manage their money once they were earning it. Sure, a lot of the families would drop out of the programs, but the truly needy would not, and some might even be grateful for the job skills they are taught.

We are creating our own "lost generation" of children who age out of a system that knows nothing more than to throw money at problems. These children (and younger adults) have not been taught self reliance, but have rather been instructed that a safety net will always exist to prevent their personal failure, and that such safety nets are their birthright. Un-teaching that will not be an easy process, nor will it be a short one, but it is absolutely essential if we are to survive as a nation.

 

Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top

Your topic is very serious and true.  But your title is a riot!

Growing up, we were poor. And rarely if ever saw a soda (except when sick).  But about once a month, my mother would come home from he store with some candy treats.  My brother and sisters would ravenously scarf their down, while I just minded my own business.

The next day at school, I would sell my candy - so I could buy a soda!

Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
Growing up, we were poor. And rarely if ever saw a soda (except when sick). But about once a month, my mother would come home from he store with some candy treats. My brother and sisters would ravenously scarf their down, while I just minded my own business.


I learned my first scam based on candy. Back when food stamps were still "paper", we were taught to go into various stores and buy 3 cent candy with a dollar food stamp. This returned 97 cents on the dollar, as opposed to the "fenced" rate of about 50 cents, and we got to keep the candy as a bonus. When our food stamps came out every month, the four of us would traipse into area stores and do our duty to fence the money for mum and (step)dad.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
Poor as we were, my mother refused any type of assistance. We did not have caviar lifestyles (and only saw steaks on TV - a B&W), but we did ok.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
We lived with my mom for a short period of time as kids and she received food stamps. We'd eat steak and drink milk for the first four days of the month, move on to sugar bread and milk by the second week, the third week we'd hit the food pantry's but they were wise back then and called each other to keep track of who was using it, so no double dipping....and usually by the last week of the month we did not eat anything and were literally starving.

All that to say....so YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE! You look at what other people are buying and make judgments! hahahahahahahaha. This just struck my funny bone today Gid because my girlfriend and I were discussing this some time back.

We were at Wal-Mart and everyone from our town shops there. You can't walk two isles without seeing someone you know.

She's a bit goofy but I like her anyway....and she didn't want to buy KY Jelly. I was like "WHY NOT? If you need it buy it sheesh!"

She said, "I don't want someone seeing me buying this stuff."

I was like...what? No one cares what you buy. No one looks at your purchases. Are you so self absorbed you think people come to Wal-Mart and WANT to see what you're buying then talk bad about you for it?

Buwhahahahahaha.

She didn't buy it. Now I see why.
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
She's a bit goofy but I like her anyway....and she didn't want to buy KY Jelly. I was like "WHY NOT? If you need it buy it sheesh!"


LOL...if someone buys KY jelly, it's nothing to me. If they buy KY jelly, but put back the diapers because they don't have enough money, then it's a tad odd.

People who have to "put back" a lot of items ALWAYS draw my attention, Tova. Because they take up an inordinate amount of time, and I'm wanting to get out of that store.

Tell your friend to buy all the KY jelly she wants. But if she buys it in 55 gallon drums, or if they have to do a price check, it MIGHT draw my attention...but only for opvious reasons!
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
But if she buys it in 55 gallon drums, or if they have to do a price check, it MIGHT draw my attention...but only for opvious reasons!


ROFL.

You are a very funny man!
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Reminds me of a joke I heard David Lettermen tell:

When I was in Las Vegas a guy comes up to me on the street and says "Hey, Mr. Letterman, I need to have a serious operation and I need some money. Could you please give me some money?" And I'm a little cynical, so I say "Oh, yeah? How do I know you're not just gonna gamble with it? " Immediately the guy says, "Oh, no, I already got gambling money."
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
With a title like that?  You are featured!  Congrats!
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
Gideon:
In my "perfect" world, ANY assistance program would be pretty intensive, and privately based. Families would be matched with a volunteer who would assist them on shopping decisions, and pretty strictly limit what purchases are made with the funds that the charity was providing. The focus of the programs would be to teach families how to manage their money once they were earning it. Sure, a lot of the families would drop out of the programs, but the truly needy would not, and some might even be grateful for the job skills they are taught.


Oh my gosh, our church has precisely the program you described. It's been flourishing in wisdom since the 1920's, completely independent of the government.Link

In addition to what you described, the funds for this church welfare program come from each person's fast offering. That's a whole lot of people contributing just a little bit to make a big difference to those in need! While the needy are being helped, they receive education and employment assistance, all with one-on-one attention.
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top

In my "perfect" world,

Actually, I was really looking for an answer in the 'real' world that we're living in now.  In a perfect world, we wouldn't need to have ANY assistance programs.....but, as we know, this world aint perfect.  I'm wondering what your solution to this problem is, in a 'real' world scenario.

Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
That's one thing that I think WIC gets right. You can only use it to purchase healthy, nutritious foods.

I know a family that would water down their baby's formula to save money. They had plenty of money for clothes and cars etc. I mean you have to cut back somewhere! It just makes me sick. People like this shouldn't have kids. There are so many things to be cheap on, why be cheap on feeding your baby? It's very sad.

and usually by the last week of the month we did not eat anything and were literally starving.


Tova, this is why I would hate to see the welfare system abolished. I just hate to see kids starving because of bad choices the parents made. I know your mom didn't use hers wisely or she would have fed you for the whole month but at least you got a week or two of food instead of a whole month of going to sleep hungry.

Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
I knew a woman who used her food stamps to buy soda so that she could get the bottle deposit so she could put gas in her tank so she could go to work.

Yes, there are people who use their resources foolishly. Some people just do what they gotta do.

And sometimes, when you are so ground down, you buy the luxury items to convince yourself that you aren't down to pinto beans and rice just yet.

Well written article btw.
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
Nice title. Very apt.
Reminds me of a girl I work with; we were on break one Friday morning, and she was all depressed and down because she wanted to take her kids somewhere nice for the weekend, but had no money for such such things, or even for the gas to get them there.
So, she sighed and lit up another of the Marlboros from the two packs she had stacked next to her, and struck up a rollicking conversation with one of the partygirls at the table about how she couldn't wait to go out and get drunk and/or stoned that night. I just shook my head.
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top

Oh my gosh, our church has precisely the program you described. It's been flourishing in wisdom since the 1920's, completely independent of the government.Link

Actually, I wouldn't call it "precisely" the program I described, but I agree that, while I am quite definitely not LDS, there is something to be said for the way their welfare program is structured.

Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top

I'm wondering what your solution to this problem is, in a 'real' world scenario.

I think ditching government welfare IS a 'real world' solution. I just need to get a majority of Americans to agree with me! As long as we have government welfare, we will have these problems, dharma. Government welfare is the source of this mess in my not so humble opinion.

Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top

Tova, this is why I would hate to see the welfare system abolished. I just hate to see kids starving because of bad choices the parents made.

This is, ironically, why I WANT to see the welfare system abolished. The entire system is structured in such a way as to invite scam artists and abuse.

By contrast, a private system administered by local charities has the option of setting requirements for participation, and, most importantly, kicking scamsters out.

As for the health/welfare of the children, I must point out that child neglect is a CRIME. CPS acts in a civil court, not a criminal one. If a parent is truly and provably neglecting their children, have them CRIMINALLY charged (meaning, investigation by the DA, not a CPS caseworker), and have the parents tried and, once convicted, locked up. There are MANY private child welfare agencies who could help in the placement of the child once the parents have been criminally charged.

Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top

Gotta plead guilty here Gid. ;~D

Ok, as much as I love my Mt. Dew, I never remember forsaking baby formula or diapers... I do remember not being able to buy a can, because that 50 Cents had to go towards a loaf of bread... however...

There was a time when we were on food stamps.  At one particular grocery store out west, I was greeted by a friendly cashier... she rang up my groceries with a smile, we exchanged jokes and one liners and had a gay ol' time... until...

Until she read me the total and I pulled out my trusty book of food stamps.  Al Gore could never have predicted a more rapid change in the environment.  This friendly, professional cashier turned into Cruella Devil right before my eyes....

So, being the sarcastic joker that I am... as I walked passed the Idaho Lotto Machine on the wall... I couldn't help but stick a couple of dollars in... Her expression was as priceless as it was predictable ;~D

 

Figured you might enjoy that little tale of welfare woe ;~D

 

Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top
With all the exciting reading material before you - (Britney Spears' prenatal bliss and eroding marriage and the updated exploits of Brad Pitt and Angeline Jolie as they attempt to adopt their 437th child from a small village in Madagascar) - I don't understand why you even noticed what was going on with the lady before you.

Were I a "Progressive" liberal I would say put an extra heavy duty super tax on beer, chocolate, cigarettes, candy, sugar laden foods (you forgot potatoe chips or is that a vegetabel?) and sodas. - Then take the tax money and give it to the poor so they can buy beer, chocolate, cigarettes, candy, sugar laden foods potatoe chips and sodas. Of course they would need and deserve a tax exempt status...

Daily I thank God I'm not a liberal. This country would go broke if they let me carry their signs.

As far as a real solution in the real world I say we dispense with ALL government welfare programs and simply set up a huge pot of porridge in front of every city hall in America. Any one who is hungry can come up and get a bowl.

There will be only one rule. No coming back for seconds and saying, "More please" - We learned our lesson from Dickens' Oliver Twist about how that turns out.

If a person wants more they must check out a book from the library next door and prove to the "Ladler" that they read it and learned something from it. - The Sayings of Mao will be exempted...

Daily I thank God I'm a conservative!

~~~~

For those of you who do not recognise sarcasm I want you to know that I really belive that somewhere in the middle is the real answer. There are real people in real need. - Handicapped for example. - Conservatives would prefer to help them become useful in ways they can enjoy, handle and profit from while "Progressive" liberals just want to throw tax money at them.

Listen to their protests over this statement but watch their actions!!!

Watch who you vote for in the next election. Democrats lie more often than conservatives. (Don't believe that just watch Hillary's lips)

~~~~~
Sorry Gideon - I got a bit off topic there... -(:-O)
Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top
Sorry Gideon - I got a bit off topic there... -(:-O)


sok, I don't mind. I hope you recognized that my tongue was pretty firmly planted in cheek as well. But that doesn't change the fact that there's a problem here.