Buying retail -- cautiously

re: Buying retail -- cautiously

Cheryl — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:06:40 GMT

Here Here to you for saying you bought something at Kmart. Most people will not admit to it. The items at Kmart are some of the same things at the big stores, they just have their lables but on insted of the big names. Sometimes I find the things at Walmart do not hold up, but their still alot of good items there. I have shoped at Kmart for over 30 years, and have NO problems.

re: Buying retail -- cautiously

kp — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 20:40:53 GMT

Good luck!!!

The table i bought lasted a few months and started falling apart. The best advice I can give is.....go on craigslist and find a nice table that someone else spent a fortune on that still looks new and there selling it for a quarter of what they paid for it.

K-Mart furniture is horrible to say the least. To say it is poorly made would be a compliment to there furniture. It is much worse than that!

re: Buying retail -- cautiously

mika — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:46:40 GMT

Good for you, don't worry about what other people think. This is a big problem with the world today, everyone in everybody elses business. I personally think Target is fabulous.

re: Buying retail -- cautiously

HappyMom — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:26:02 GMT

I LOVE wal-mart. I can take my kids, get them food, clothing and diapers all while waiting for new tires to be put on my car. I even let them play in the toy isle, which naturally makes me a pretty awesome mom. Running errands with two kids is difficult enough withouht the added stops. If they ever get dry cleaning service, I am moving in!

re: Buying retail -- cautiously

Deb — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:40:16 GMT

Congratulations on a good purchase! I have learned that discount stores offer a lot of high-quality items, but also a lot of junk. So do the high-end stores. The buyer has to beware and check for real quality. Great quality can be found in any price range, but the buyer has to really look carefully for it.

For years, I've dreamed of having a local Super Wal-Mart. It is finally here, and I am greatly disappointed. They do have some great values, but, as a cost-conscious buyer, you have to be constantly on your toes. While many items are great bargains, Wal-Mart offsets that by charging much more for other items that I would pay at any local grocery store, even when the grocery store item is full price.

The consumer always has to be on guard these days!

re: Buying retail -- cautiously

courtney — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:32:14 GMT

about 10 yrs ago, we bought a table and chairs from kmart also. it seated 6 but only came with 4 chairs. theres only 2 of us so that was fine. it looked like a solid oak formal dining table and we paid 120 for it. i resold it for 300 in 06 har har!

re: Buying retail -- cautiously

Deanna — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:29:53 GMT

You should not worry about people judging you for buying at KMart! Everyone I know, of all incomes, shop wherever they find what they are looking for at the price they can pay. I LOVE Target, Kmart, Walmart & Ikea. I take pictures at department stores of a look that I like and then I go out on the internet to duplicate it for cheap. Works for everything!

Enjoy. And your daughter is correct: NOTHING WRONG WITH BUYING YOURSELF SOMETHING NEW - even in THIS economy.

re: Buying retail -- cautiously

Savior Faire — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:04:04 GMT

I can well afford to buy higher end furniture, however, my one bedroom apartment is small, and I have it set up like a studio. The room that is the bedroom, is my storage room and is packed solid. I have two bureaus, one I purchased for $10 at a yard sale in 1996, the other was under $100 from KMart and recently purchased. Both items fully functional.

I also have a small home at the New Jerey shore, a two bedroom house, bought 5 1/2 years ago. Completely furnished from yard/garage sales, thrift shops, etc. Amazing how little I paid for some items.

re: Buying retail -- cautiously

Sara — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:40:18 GMT

To Tony: Buying a dining room table/chairs is more of a necessity than buying an $81 hamburger. There is a difference. No matter how much money I make, I am sure I can find better uses for my money than the expensive purses, shoes, clothes, BURGERS, and chilled raisenets.

Congrats on the set, Donna! I know how good that feels. I used a card table with a couple of mismatched folding chairs for over a year before I bought a table with five chairs (cherry wood) at an estate sale for $25. They look great. The chairs aren't that sturdy, but I have seen some at a furniture outlet that will go great with my table, and aren't too much.

re: Buying retail -- cautiously

Heidi — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:05:27 GMT

I work in a bank and get many compliments on my outfits and I am proud to say that almost all of them are from Walmart. Some I have had for a number of years and have stayed in great condition! I am planning on buying furniture from there too. I am a single parent and have had a lot of tough years just getting by so I am greatful for stores that I can afford. It is better for me to have bills paid and not worry about keeping up with the Jones'. I love nice things but I can't take them with me when my time is up.