Posted on 11/21/2006 12:55:57 PM PST by Nothometoday
I am hoping for some help here. As most of us know, Wal-Mart is "the" local store for purchasing items. Things like school clothes, furniture and electronics can become very expensive, and take time to pay off.
Most stores have a lay away policy. I am a single parent and have purchased many items in this manner.
However, I found out today that Wal-mart is ending lay-away after Christmas.
This bugs me, I was hoping for some support from FReepers who have been there, Done that, and know Lay away can help many families.
I am asking you to either call Wal Mart and voice your opinion, or write to walmart.com with any suggestions.
I feel this is a poor policy, that will hurt many families.
Thank you for reading my post.
I am so sorry...Glad that you clarifyed the rules for me :)
Remember companies are doing this as a service to you and somewhat a disservice to themselves. Alot of times people put stuff on layaway only to comeback a month or two later to say they dont want it anymore, meanwhile the company wasted space, may end up with a product it no longer carries and have to discount it to move it and other such things.
I say save up your money at home or an account and buy everything at once. Its really the best way to assure you are getting the best product at the best price at the best time.
Layaway or not, they don't get the clothes until they pay for them.
All Wal-Mart shoppers—including cash-poor families—stand to benefit when Wal-Mart eliminates the costs associated with the layaway program and it translates into lower prices.
True, but, when you live paycheck to paycheck it makes it easier on a strapped family.
Wal-Mart eliminates the costs associated with the layaway program and it translates into lower prices.
I'll believe that when it happens.
Haven't you noticed? It (lower prices) happens all the time at Wal-Mart.
How else do you think the greedy, evil, capitalist pigs have been able to drive all their competition out of business? /sarc
Just how does layaway make anything easier on a strapped family? Again, layaway or not, they don't get what they need until they pay in full.
If the problem is an inability to keep their hands out of the cookie jar, I'm sure Wal-Mart will be more than happy to let them accumulate their savings on a Wal-Mart Shopping Card until they have enough to buy what they need.
We, the US, still have the MAD program, don't we?
It's easier on the paycheck to take out maybe $30.00 a week than it is to take out the entire $120.00 at one time. Those are just arbitrary numbers I used.
Hey, Gabz! Come weigh in on this one. ;)
Walmart has massive amounts of items go through their stores on a daily basis. Lack of storage room is probably why they're not going to layaway anymore. I went to pick up a layaway item once and they took me to this big room where everything was haphazardly thrown. The item was nowhere to be found.
The sign I read said this was permanent because many people did not use layaway as much as before.
I am unhappy with WalMart doing away with layaway and have expressed my displeasure. I am now picking up gift cards from there that I will stockpile and when I need to do shopping, or they are having a sale, will have it when I need it.
Just use "gift cards" in the same mannner. Say a $10 one each week, plenty of money then put aside for back-t-school or Christmas, or any other reason.
Oh, yeah, they chose to support gay rights and marriages but screwed the Mom and Dad with kids trying to get by.
strawman.
The sign I read said this was permanent because many people did not use layaway as much as before.
Everyone uses their credit cards.........the layaway that keeps on taking.
Thats funny Gabz.
Now they get to hold and use your money without having to actually store goods for you.
It seems to me that you'd be better to buy "gabz cards" (you know, your bank account), and then use those at Wal-mart when you need something.
Just my .02
That is a game I would quit.
I don't think it's a good practice to use layaway. My suggestion: Start doing without and finding every practical way you can NOT to spend money unless you need to, and then spend as little as possible.
Don't know what your circumstances are, and I'm not judging you. If you have needs that you cannot meet, your church is obligated to help you. They should also work with you to build better financial skills, however, and keep you accountable -- not just give you money.
Could you handle that?
So, I was wrong-they don't support gay rights?
Lay away is an accounting nightmare. One of the reasons stores started providing credit cards was to turn lay away around from something that costs the store money (storing the product, losing the time value of the money, keeping track of all the accounts) to something that makes the store money (interest). It's amazing it took the stores this long after issuing credit cards to finally get around to killing lay away.
You have a good point.
I originally got the idea more than a year ago from a Sears Appliance Center. Sears doesn't (and I don't think ever did) do layaway and we had no desire for a Sears cars. The gal there told us many people had started picking up $10 or $20 gift cards and building up until they had want they dieeded for what they wanted. We were buying a washer that day, and paying cash for it and being pushed to open an account.
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