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.
whether they do or don't has nothing to do with their lay away policy.
True.
But you can have that $30.00 taken out and set aside anyway, without layaway.
All the above mentioned ideas are great. Lay aways help poor families. It's those families who will feel the sting.
Actually, not in my locality. Here within a 5 mile radius I have a Wal-Mart, several K-Marts, a Target, a Meiers, a major shopping mall, and all kinds of other privately owned businesses.......You might say I live in Shoppers Heaven!!!!!
Don't blame Wal-Mart, instead focus on your cash on hand and purchase accordingly...........
Lawaways *don't* usually help poor families. They might feel the sting, but sometimes what's best can sting a bit at first. What's best is if they can find another method to save money, one that's more efficient and helps lower costs to them and the merchant.
I feel for the poorer families not having law aways. Nothing I can do about that. I think they'll change that policy after a couple of years-then again-maybe not.
What is the harm to poorer families, when there are other (more efficient) options to do the same thing?!
More efficient to you or I maybe, maybe not to them.
Why not?!?
We, my brothers and sisters and I would tear the house up when mom and pop left looking for presents. I don't think kids have changed, they still look for presents.
So... poor kids raid their parents' wallet to steal the shopping card (or bank account) where the parents are saving money to buy presents? hmmm... sounds more like an excuse.
Some people might find it convenient, and that's fine, but to say it helps poor people is false.
I wonder, would people support a layaway program that had fees to make up the costs of running it?
Put the money in the bank,Gabz.
Why give Walmart an interest-free loan?
"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."
That's a smart idea. I do that at Walgreens with their monthly rebate progam (they send you Gift Cards instead of checks or cash) and I have received a ton of stuff for FREE or at very deep discounts...all just by paying attention to sales, rebates and coupons in the Sunday paper. Imagine that! :)
I've got three Christmas Stockings filled to the brim with H&B items, candy and everyday useful stuff that gets used up or worn out in the course of the year for FREE thanks to Walgreens. (Really helps with the College Crowd I'm currently buying for; they need everything.) Pet treats, too! Can't forget our critters on Christmas. ;)
Darlin', there ain't no such animal as "Gabz" dollars, believe me!!!!!
But, but, if I invest.....
;-D
Lay away is lay away no matter how you do it. Where I live shopping options are extremely limited, and I mean EXTREMELY limited unless I want to drive 50-100 miles.
Stores that provided lay away were basically providing interest free credit for the term of the lay away. Yes you would lose what you put down on it if you failed to pick it up, but for folks like me who always picked it up, it was a no brainer. My husband deals with the plastic, I live a cash life.
Investing zero, regardless of rate of return, remains zero!!!!!
That's a good way to do it,.....use their points systems to accumulate credits.
I'm on that system at Costco, I get a cash rebate of 2% at the end of the year.
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