What if Wal Mart is what you can afford?
I dislike Wal Mart for a variety of reasons... (geez... Now I'm gong to get mail from someone whose grandma's life was saved by Wal Mart and then I'm going to feel badly...)
So when I saw the Wal-Mart vs Costco posts on Planet Emergent today, I checked out the article and posted it on our church forum.
Here's a reply Nellie posted:
As you can see... Nellie and I are both addicted to ellipsis quotes... and she has a great point. Many of the people in our church communities are working low paying jobs, and Wal Mart represents a chance to stretch every dollar.
So- the solution? Something I've dreamed about for awhile... Church-based food co-ops.
Here's the idea- Basically, buying a lot of staples (basic food/household items... not actual staples for your stapler, though that would be cool too) in bulk at Costco, setting aside 10-15% of the items for the poor, breaking up the rest of the stuff and selling it at just over cost to members of your church and whoever else. This gives people cheap stuff (and some people free stuff), usable-sized amounts and we're doing something good...
Thoughts?
So when I saw the Wal-Mart vs Costco posts on Planet Emergent today, I checked out the article and posted it on our church forum.
Here's a reply Nellie posted:
"I understand the issue...and I'm not saying I enjoy supporting the monster...but lets face it Wal-mart is affordable to those of us who only make a little over minimum...Costco is great but there is the yearly fee...not cheap...and then you have to buy in bulk...when trying to manage a small budget there are only a few items that costco has at a do-able rate...ina a do-able size...gas is cheap though...through Costco I mean...and I am a firm supporter of Costco...I'm just sayin', it's not always easy to stand up for the right buisness...esp when Walmart has awesome old people door greeters that usually say something nice or whistle a tune, compaired to Costco who has repeatedly been rude at the door with their members only policy and attutide...don't be more than a foot behind the costco card holder or youre not getting in and their gonna make you feel like you were trying to steal something...ahhh, maybe Evergreen could start a buisness similar to both but have the best standard?! That would be cool."
As you can see... Nellie and I are both addicted to ellipsis quotes... and she has a great point. Many of the people in our church communities are working low paying jobs, and Wal Mart represents a chance to stretch every dollar.
So- the solution? Something I've dreamed about for awhile... Church-based food co-ops.
Here's the idea- Basically, buying a lot of staples (basic food/household items... not actual staples for your stapler, though that would be cool too) in bulk at Costco, setting aside 10-15% of the items for the poor, breaking up the rest of the stuff and selling it at just over cost to members of your church and whoever else. This gives people cheap stuff (and some people free stuff), usable-sized amounts and we're doing something good...
Thoughts?
4 Comments:
DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My first proposal to our new parish is to start a church garden. It only grows outward from there. You have no idea the years of brainstorming I've beentrying to do on this stuff.
Wow.
That was me, Jake, by the way. In case you couldn't tell.
Also, the Wal-Mart argument has other serious flaws. "dollar stretching" is part and parcel of a certain lifestyle demand that perhaps we're not very entitled to. more on that later.
by that I don't mean that saving money by buyng inexpensive stuff is bad, necessarily. just that in our situation, it has a lot of baggage.
I'm kind of a fundamentalist on this issue. Sigh.
off subject...what is an ellipsis quote?!
Post a Comment
<< Home