As a retiree I’ve had to learn to adjust many spending habits I never gave a second thought to when I was working, such as how much food cost and where I shopped for my food. Before retirement I was shopping at Publix. Before Publix and before they closed all their stores in Florida, I was a loyal Albertsons shopper. Now that I’ve retired I pay a lot more attention to how much I pay, and how much quantity I purchased to avoid waste.

Consider these two examples; Silk Soy Milk, Vanilla flavor and Canada Dry Ginger Ale Zero Sugar. Tonight I had to stop by a Publix supermarket that was next to a CVS, because I needed both Silk and a prescription. First the Silk from Publix, followed by how much Walmart charges via its app.

The price at Publix was $5.55.

The price via Walmart, at all Walmarts in my area, is $2.98 for the same item. It costs almost twice as much to purchase the item from Publix.

Now the soda example.

This is a six pack of 16.9 oz/500 ml bottles. A bit pricey for soda if you ask me.

Once again, Publix sells the item for nearly twice what you would pay at Walmart.

These are just two examples of the wide diversity between a Walmart grocery and Publix. What makes the comparison even starker is that within a three mile radius of my house there are three Publix supermarkets, while there is but one Walmart Marketplace. The Walmart Marketplace is just a grocery store, every bit as large as the Publix across the street (one of the three within a three mile radius).

All the basics such as butter, cheeses, eggs, coffee and teas all show this incredible price difference. If I didn’t have a Walmart in the area I don’t know what I would do budget wise. I’ve already cut back on a number of items in my diet that I can do without, items I used to purchase without a second thought before I retired. I’m always looking for ways to cut back, either dropping a product all together, or finding cheeper substitutes. The insane cost of animal protean everywhere (beef, poultry and fish) is the primary reason I’ve gone vegetarian, and I’m now looking for ways (finally!) to grow some vegetables in my back garden.

The rising cost of basic food stuffs is what’s making people mad, yours truly included. I’m sick and tired of hearing about how good the economy is, then going to the grocers to buy the next week’s selection of foodstuffs and looking at how high prices are. As appreciative of how inexpensive Walmart is compared to Publix, I still think that food at Walmart is also too expensive as well.

One other unintended benefit comes from the cost of chocolate-based sweets; those costs have gone through the roof, pricing them right out of my budget. Since I can’t afford any of them anymore I’m finally learning to get rid of my sweet tooth. My dentist in particular is appreciative as my last visit continues a years long trend where my teeth only require a light cleaning every six months. With research showing that gingivitis might be a cause of Alzheimers it becomes vital to maintain good dental health by all means possible, especially by cutting back on refined sugars.

One other observation; I can always check the price of any item, especially food items, via the Walmart app. The Publix app does not have pricing and requires you to visit the store. Things that make you go “hmmm…”