Aw Crap We Gotta Go Back to Wal-Mart!

How many of you take a trip to Wal-Mart more than once a week? How many go more than once a day? Ridiculous right! Better question, how many of you have errands to run everyday? Well I was once of those people. One weekend we had went to Wal-Mart five times! FIVE TIMES! Plus I would have somewhere I "needed" to go everyday. Think about how much gas that it. Let's do the math, it's approximately 5 miles from our apartment to Wal-mart that's 10 miles there then back. Traveling there 5 times in one weekend is 50 miles not only is over an hour in driving time its about $6 in gas just for going to good'ole Wallie World. And you know there is no such thing as buying only one item at Wal-Mart so that's more money being zapped out of our bank account. Let's say an average trip to Wal-Mart cost about $30.... oh good Lord we spent at least $150 where as one trip probably world have cost us between $50 and $100. Well played Wal-Mart, well played.

So after losing "The Wal-Mart Game" I decided Wallie World would NOT win again. Not only were we going to Wal-Mart a few times a week we were going somewhere everyday. Which caused us to eat out because there wasn't enough time to cook, eat, and run errands especially since Eva's bedtime is between 8 or 9, sometimes we didn't get to eat until 9 or 10 after we put her to bed. I found myself saying "I just want to stay home and relax for one night!" So we changed our routine and did just that, actually we get to relax 3 nights or more a week, plus, more stuff gets done around the house.

I devised a plan, with the exception of a couple days (because of store deals) we would only be shopping on one day. Monday's and Tuesday's we don't go anywhere, no exceptions. We stay home, I cook a fabulous meal, catch up on our TV shows on the internet, spend some play time with baby Eva, and get a few small items done around the house. On Wednesdays at Michaels (the local craft store) they give a 10% discount on your total purchase to military so if i need anything we go. I order pizza before Chris gets home so we can eat real quick then leave and after sometimes we stop and get some ice cream. On Thursday we go to Babies R US if we need something (and we usually need something). We go on Thursday's because they usually have special member's only deals on that day and its when we get the coupons in the mail. On Friday, we go out to eat and do our grocery shopping. Friday's are best because the store is always practically empty if we wait until Saturday its busy non-stop. Then Saturday is our big shopping day, we get up early and go get breakfast and run the rest of our errands. We usually go to the mall and walk the whole mall, for exercise more than shopping actually we only buy from a couple stores. Then we go to Wal-Mart and the veggie/fruit stand and anywhere else we need. We are usually worn out and tired from the day so we order some take-out and relax and watch a movie. On Sunday's its pure relaxation, we sleep late then go to the beach, then I cook yet again another fabulous meal.

I know what your thinking how can she remember EVERYTHING she needs to only go to Wal-Mart or anywhere else on one day only once. Well I got this great app on my phone that lets me make several different list, for example I name the store and then list what I need. It is a fabulous thing, I never forget my paper list because its all on my phone. I use it like a million times a day, when I tell myself "oh we need..." I just get my phone and type it in. And if I happen to forget something it's tough luck Charlie, I wait until next week.

By doing this we aren't so tired anymore, eating healthier and saving money. We went from spending about $400-$500 a week to spending less than that every 2 weeks just buy staying home 3 days a week. Also it's so much nicer to relax with my husband and baby girl at night and watch our TV shows or even sometimes a movie. And best of all we only have to go to Wal-Mart once a week and we no longer get those "weren't you just in here" looks from the door greeters!!