Nosey Shoppers

[Tundra Gypsy]

I called Emergency Essentials today and they said their sales volume has jumped last several days because of the coming bird flu.

The person answering the phone said they've had several requests by people to NOT ship in boxes that have 'beprepared.com' on the box. I also have told her that people are getting sensitive about it.

So, hopefully in the near future, they will NO longer ship items in those boxes. If you place an order with them; please request that they used unmarked boxes. Thanks

I buy a little here and there as to not draw attention to myself. I did have one clerk at a COSTCO in Montana question me about my large purchase of stuff and I told her I only shop once every 3-6 months. She seem to accept it. (it was still none of her business)

Next time someone asks, I will simply say, "Why do you ask?"

 

[Nuthatch]

Went to Internet-grocer.....put 16 total 12 ounce cans of butter and cheese and 1 2.5 can of dried veggie powder to the total of about $65.....shipping was calculated as $61.

Uh, no thanks.


I wrote to them, but really, that's extreme. No, I'm not overseas.

 

[TIK]

WOW...I'm shocked for a couple of reasons.

First, many of you are much nicer than I ever would be. If someone made any comment or questioned ANYTHING that I was buying other than to get advice as to what THEY should buy, I'd tell them to bug the #### off and mind their own business, and that includes idiot checkers. Checkers should NEVER EVER EVER comment on ANYTHING you buy. It's not their job. Their job is to ring me up. If I walked up with a bottle of baby oil, chocolate syrup, some pressurized whip cream, and a box of condoms--do you REALLY think the checker would think that it would be wise to say, "Soooooooo, are you going to be having sex tonight??" Same thing applies to me walking up with a full cart full of canned foods and fruits and vegetables...NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. Don't small talk me. I must be sort of an ass as I get older, but some of you people should seriously start telling people to bug off.

Secondly, I'm surprised that some of you "know" your grocers. What's up with that? It must be a cultural thing, because I shop between a Sam's, an Albertson's, a Costco, and a Stater Brothers. I'm polite to the workers...but no, I'm not in the way of wanting them to recognize me.

Interesting thread...

And by the way Trek, if I overheard you say what you said to someone, I would have high-fived you right there. GREAT comeback!

 

[Lurking LRRP]

I used to get questioned/noticed a lot. So I break it up between Kroger, Albertson's and Wally world now, and spend about 25 bucks a trip looking for their biggest sale items. I have everything on an Excel spreadsheet that I print out daily, sorted by catagory and amounts needed and on hand. What a treat it is to sit down in my bunker, pull a beer out of the mini fridge, watch some tv and look at walls of food I like, gallons of gatorade, buckets of grain, rice and beans, and 3 big blue barrels of fresh water with gallons and cases of smaller water bottles for the neighborhood kids. I bought all new hand tools like shovels, picks, sledge hammers, hand saws. Stored up nails and screws, plywood and 2x4's. All the camping equipment I can store with tents, S-bags, cooking and solar showers for each of us. Bought ammo in bulk cans from cabela's for all firearms. seeds and fertilizer, and a small library of books on survival, farming/livestock, my emergency battlefield surgery from the naval war college. I got myself certified in CPR and First Aid last year and even paramedic years ago. Trained in the military spec ops for weapons, explosives and medical specialties, put them to good use I might add in 91 and 93.....

But there is only one small problem with this whole plan.

With my wife and kids safely away from harm, what if I get whacked at kick off, my family will have then lost the initative.

It least I know they will be okay, but on the flip side, i'd be one hell of a neighbor to have if I make it through the fan and get home.

Lurking LRRP

Sorry if I wandered to far from home, just something I thought about today. And yes, before you ask, I do plan on feeding the kids in the neighborhood, it is not their fault they have DGI's for parents, they are the future of America. Don't care if I die hungry, if I can get those 10 kids up and running, it will all be worth it

 

[summerthyme]

TIK.. I suspect some of it is the difference between rural and city. Heck, yes, I know my grocer... I go to church with some of the managers, their kids were in soccer, etc, with mine, and half the young checkers were in school with my kids...

A LOT depends on HOW someone comments. Most of the comments are either completely harmless (I had an older woman behind me at Sam's Club say "if I ever spent that much money, I'd have a heart attack". I smiled sweetly, commiserated on how expensive everything was getting, and left it at that.) or else they are genuinely curious as to why you'd buy 24 bottles of ketchup.

I've taught several teenage girls (at check out, while they were ringing me up) about bulk shopping sales, saving a ton of money by building a basic pantry and then only buying sale items, etc. It got so some of them said "gee, I watch what you buy and then get my own groceries. You always find the best deals!"

Occasionally, a comment will rub me the wrong way... one young gal always had to comment "gee, do you know sugar is bad for you?" or some other asinine remark about something I was buying. I blew it off with the usual "I'm canning jam, or fruit" ,.. or whatever I usually use sugar for. But I eventually took it up with the manager.. and she doesn't work there any more. Stores don't like their help to piss off the customers, believe me!

Frankly, a polite, non committal answer to most of these folks is going to be remembered a LOT shorter time than some snarky "what's it to YOU?!" or "why don't you mind your own business, $(%!" reply.

The best reply is usually something like "isn't that a great deal? Prices keep going up, I try to get some extra while I can afford it"... everyone (well, almost everyone) understands that logic and the need to save money.

Summerthyme

 

[duchess47]

Secondly, I'm surprised that some of you "know" your grocers. What's up with that? It must be a cultural thing, because I shop between a Sam's, an Albertson's, a Costco, and a Stater Brothers. I'm polite to the workers...but no, I'm not in the way of wanting them to recognize me.

Tik,
I live just outside of and work in a small town. Everyone knows everyone it seems. Rudeness or shortness would be remembered a long while and gossiped about. As Summerthyme said, polite, non-committal works best in my part of the country. And because of the fact that I visit with them all, ask about the kids or work, I am frequently told about upcoming sales, specials or given additional discounts. Very few know where I live although everyone knows where I work. In an emergency situation though, if they could find me, they would be made welcome.

 

[Nuthatch]

I don't "know" my grocers by name necessarily, but I know the clerks by sight and they know me. We chitchat sometimes and other times are all business. I make it a point to help pack the bags (mostly there isn't a bagger). They like that. And yeah, I pay with cash.

Mostly comments are made like "eggplant? I don't eat that! or "what's that like?" in re: to the Parmalat milk---hey, it's like milk! yeah, their comments are stupid, but I find a nice deflective way to answer and move on. For instance, I said the Parmalat was just like milk, but since I drank it so infrequently, having it on the shelf was handy. Canning jars? "Well, I make a mean peach- pepper jam, try making it yourself sometimes, man, it can't be beat! Just add some hot peppers to the Sure-jell recipe for peach jam that is in the box. My friends like getting it for gifts."

I have some sort of nice gene in general so being rude takes work.

 

[Christian for Israel]

nope...when i load all those cases of ammo at the gun store nobody ever says a word.