Cereal is Cereal is Cereal

Quaker Oatmeal Squares may sound like a senior citizen cereal, but it's the most filling, crunchy, and perfectly sweet morning breakfast. The cinnamon dusting of Life and the crunch of Golden Grahams. I picked some up at my local A & P the other day, here in Newport, Jersey City-a 16 ounce box for $4.99. I knew it was expensive as far as cereal goes, but it's healthy and I don't buy it every day. Then, this weekend I head over to Wal-Mart in Secaucus, only two towns over, for some much needed cleaning supplies and pantry staples. The same box of Oatmeal Squares-$3.12, AND it was a 24 ounce box! Are you kidding me? Why was I being upcharged at the A & P? Oh, I know why...because idiot yuppies (oftentimes like myself) shop there!

I am so annoyed! I can't even put into words how tricked I feel. And there is nothing I can do about it, except to boycott the store. Which I will. The only thing is the other stores nearby aren't that great either. The Shop Rite is close, but gross. Sticky floors, broken shopping carts, crowds, and long lines. On my block is Morton Williams, but they upcharge for everything. However, they have tile floors throughout the store, a great cheese selection, a wide variety of Indian food, and it's 100 yards away! The Wal-Mart doesn't have produce or meat. BJ's, the club store only carries insanely large amounts of veg that always go bad in a house of two. Nearby NYC has Trader Joe's, and that comes with lines so long they end at the front door. Plus, they don't carry the pantry staples I need.

What's a shopper to do? I suppose for now I'll stick to BJs for toilet paper, pre-made pizzas and paper towels. Head over to Shop Rite for vegetables and fruit, Wal-Mart for dry goods and cereal, and keep getting my Uncle in Ohio to send me some farm fresh beef, pork and eggs. It may be a lot of work-but there's no way I'm getting ripped off again.

DCW_NYC
-Hilary-