Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences - This topic has 12 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 19 years, 5 months ago by
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- Why is it that whenever I buy foods in large quantities to stock up, people feel the need to make sometimes rude or obnoxious comments about 'how hungry' I must be, or 'gonna have a big crowd tonight,' etc? I have a family of five (three of whom are growing boys who eat a lot in one sitting) and limited funds, and my wife and I both work full time and attend college, so whenever there's a sale or if a staple in our household needs replenishing, we usually buy a sizable quantity to store in our deep freeze or pantries so that we aren't constantly having to run to the store or are caught without an ingredient that we need to make some meal we are preparing after the store is closed. Don't people believe in stocking up any more? Or is it the popular trend among those I seem to encounter to have to continually run to the store for items that they could have stored for convenience in their own home? Are these people trying to be rude, or are they just trying to find a way to make conversation?
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Name : J.P., Gender : Male, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 36, City : Fairchild AFB, State : WA Country : United States, Occupation : Military, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,Some people just don't ever mind their own business and always have an opinion for everything so those people I say screw them. If someone made a comment like that I would say either 'MIND YOUR BUSINESS' or 'THAT'S MY BUSINESS' or 'AND YOUR POINT IS?' or 'DON'T WORRY HOW MUCH FOOD I'M BUYING' OR 'WHY DO YOU CARE?' you get my point. Some people are so lame they have to make a conversation out of something that doesn't need to be. Some people probably assume you're just being piggish or greedy. Like I said some people are always opening up their hole when they don't need to, always got to throw in their two cents and you look at them and think or want to say ' WHO THE HELL ASKED YOU ANYWAY? NOBODY ASKED YOU.'User Detail :
Name : Nathan20143, Gender : M, Race : Black/African American, Age : 40, City : Seattle, State : WA Country : United States, Occupation : Tech, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,My wife used to be a personal chef, and we'd get the same comments all the time. I think a big part of it is that 75 percent of the population can't cook a meal that doesn't come in a box. A lot of people only cook for special occasions and holidays, so it's unusual to see someone buying five chickens when it isn't the Fourth of July. Let them talk. You'll get the last laugh. You're saving tons of money while they're blowing it on prepackaged microwave dinners.User Detail :
Name : Brad23147, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 32, City : Provo, State : UT Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I have never heard anyone make a comment like that before, but that is incredibly rude. When I lived at home, my family would not go to the grocery store often, and we would buy a lot of food to last for usually the whole month, so I see nothing wrong with stocking up on non-perishable food. In my opinion, it is just fewer trips to the store. Before I went off to college this fall, I lived only with my dad since my mother died. I was the oldest female in the family and took on her responsibilities. I did most of the major grocery shopping ever since I could drive. Even with my sister along to help, grocery shopping was tedious, and I did not enjoy it, so my sister and I used to buy a lot of food just so we didn't have to go back for a while. Also, as a college student now, it is even more important to stock up on food for my dorm room (since food service is not very good and usually leaves me hungry for real food), especially since I left my car at home and am not able to make many trips to the store.As for your hypotheses: It may very well be a popular trend to go to the store often and not buy in bulk (and to not buy sale-priced or generic items) because trends among upper-middle class people tend to be getting more wasteful from what I have seen: eight-bedroom houses and three SUVs for a family of four, etc. It may be that they are just rude, because people are rude about a lot of other things besides that, like driving and waiting in line for fast food (working in fast food was horrible for me because of how rude and impatient people are). If they are trying to start a conversation, it is certainly not a good way to do so.
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Name : Ali, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Lutheran, Age : 18, City : Iowa City, State : IA Country : United States, Occupation : College Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,i work for Costco, and a majority of the people who shop there have large families (3+ kids) and they are just stocking up on things for lunches for the kids, and easy to make dinners (frozen chicken, fish, etc.). i doubt most people are intentionally being rude. My guess is they are just teasing you.User Detail :
Name : Matt, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 19, City : Sacramento, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I too buy in bulk to save time, and it makes sense to shop this way. To me an explanation of this is pointless, especially in my case since I'm a single woman living alone. I guess all single people eat out everyday, or don't know how to cook. Most people are amazed at what I have to offer them when they visit. The look of amazement on their faces when I open my refrigerator or cabinets still baffles me. And of course they always ask why I cook so much. Well, have you ever heard or leftovers? These people don't realize how invasive it is to ask a total stranger why they buy anything for that matter. It's none of their business and if they had any sense they'd be buying bulk, too.User Detail :
Name : Auriel, Gender : Female, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : American Indian, Religion : Christian, Age : 34, City : Wilmington, State : NC Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,I was in the Air Force, and I think that if this happens on base, the comments are just from short sighted, stupid people. I often wonder what people are expecting as a response to the things they say. I wonder do people expect me to say something back, or do they think that they're just SO witty that EVERYONE must listen to them talk? On to bulk buying. When you buy on sale, and in bulk, you're setting your own price. Next week when the sale is off and the loudmouths are paying 40 percent more for everything, you can see it as you're still getting it at a lower price.User Detail :
Name : Nathan20126, Gender : Male, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 30's, City : Seattle, State : WA Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower class,My mom is the queen of budget shopping and coupon clipping. Our garage looks like a warehouse. This is what I'm used to. My friends make fun of me when they come over, but we are never in want. I remember going to the store with my mom as a child. She would have so many coupons (and of course it was double/triple coupon day) that the store would end up giving her money back and our purchases would be free. We have all grown up now, and our family is much smaller. It's now just my mom and I in the house, but I find that old habits are hard to break. Even while in college, I would clip coupons and stock up on items. I mean seriously, when are you not going to need toilet tissue, or soap, toothpaste, or deodorant? So, when it's on sale, why not stock up? It doesn't go bad. Ii find that things are always most expensive when you need them the most. Don't worry about what others say. Just know that my mother was able to put three kids through college on all the money she saved by buying bulk. There are just two of us in the house now but we still have a garage full of supplies and two refrigerators in the house. When I have a family of my own, I will definitely shop in bulk and clip my coupons.User Detail :
Name : ane, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Pentecostal, Age : 23, City : houston, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : teacher, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,People of all classes buy in large quantities. Only the middle-upper class buy things at warehouse stores like Costco and Sam's Club. Some grocery stores in Ontario even have bulk sections where you can buy cases of food, giant bottles of detergent, etc. I think the reason people comment is that they don't expect people to buy in quantity where you're doing it (even if it is a really good sale). Also, people like to make small talk in grocery aisles thinking they're being 'friendly'. I once saw a cashier who was trying to be friendly: the very large man in front of me had a cart full of lean cuisine boxes... probably over 100 dinners. The cashier looked at the boxes and the man and actually said 'I guess these aren't working'. Rude rude rude!User Detail :
Name : nikfish, Gender : Female, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 31, City : Georgetown, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : between jobs, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I know how it feels to have people look at me when I shop in bulk. I am 21, a mother of a four-year-old, just got married, am working on my high school diploma and also working, so when I shop I make sure I go to Sam's Club or someplace I can buy in bulk because I don't have the money to be running to the store to buy food every day or order out to eat like these wealthy people do. When they look at you like you're a pig or something next time you go shopping, just think to yourself, 'Hey, I am the smart one when I go shopping, I don't have to waste my gas running back and forth because I forgot something.' That's what I do. And I try my best not to let people's dirty looks get to me.User Detail :
Name : Melissa20783, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 21, City : Grafton, State : ND Country : United States, Occupation : fast food worker, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class,It's strange that people say things like that. I always thought that buying in bulk was a rich-people thing because they a) can afford memberships to warehouse stores b) have the space to store it and c) can afford to spend $300 in a day at the grocery store. Me, when I was poor, I'd go to the store and get whatever I could afford, whenever I could afford it. Now I travel for my job, so I only go to the store and get stuff to last for a weekend.User Detail :
Name : Karen26764, Gender : Female, Sexual Orientation : Lesbian, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Atheist, Age : 22, City : Bethesda, State : MD Country : United States, Occupation : Consultant, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I get odd looks at the store as well. I cook every single night for myself and my husband. I usually grocery shop every 2 to 3 weeks. Needless to say I have a somewhat large amount of food that I purchase all at once. Not just for dinner, but for lunches (we pack lunches to be healthier), breakfast items, and snack foods. Despite the fact I buy mainly organic items, lots of fruit and veggies, and entirely healthy foods people will look at me and says 'Geez! You really eat THAT much?' as if to imply I am gorging myself. I am 5'4' and 115 lbs, yet some people stare at the amount of food I purchase with an incredulous look. Sometimes comments are made about the sheer amount. Items I use frequently I buy in bulk. Sale? I'm there. I have wondered why people feel the need to make comments about my food purchasing habits when I am merely attempting to maintain a healthy lifestyle by avoiding prepackaged products. Cooking from scratch requires ingredients. I don't make comments when I see people purchasing nothing but soda, chips, frozen meals, and high fat foods. Yet they make comments about me.User Detail :
Name : L-L26161, Gender : Female, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Catholic, Age : 23, City : Miami, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : Nurse, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,They most likely were not being rude but just trying to start a conversation. It was a silly joke based on what was in your cart. They obviously weren't starting a deep personal conversation, just a mild one based on what they saw in your cart. People are usually to sensitive. Why would something so lacking in substance make you think it was such a deep, philosophical comment? I guess most people just think we humans shouldn't ever converse with each other unless there's some substance to it. That would make life pretty boring.User Detail :
Name : Cory M., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Episcopalian, Age : 30, City : Lawton, State : OK Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,
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