Have you ever made the mistake of going to the store on a Friday afternoon? It’s typically a crowded tangle of payday shoppers, weekend partiers, moms with school kids, all jamming the aisles and running into each other.   No retired person would voluntarily choose this day and time to shop.  But sometimes, it’s a necessity, if you  need something  at the last minute.  So, you grit your teeth and prepare to fight the crowd. However, it didn’t happen last Friday.  Higher gas prices have led to half empty store parking  lots and loaded carts inside.

I found a parking place  right near the entry way.  The store was eerily quiet for a Friday afternoon.   And there were no long lines at the checkout. However, I didn’t see any light shoppers.  Everyone  appeared to be saving gas by shopping big. Loading  up their carts with enough food and supplies to get through  the week or more.   Many customers had helpers with them because their top and bottom baskets were filled to the brim.  It was a major undertaking to get the stuff loaded on the store conveyor belt, checked, bagged, and finally loaded into the back of an SUV in the parking lot.

Of course, if you don’t drive, it doesn’t cost anything but wear and tear on your legs to walk to the store.  Ditto for bicycling.  You can’t buy as much ,but it doesn’t really matter because you can go back at anytime without paying $5 a gallon for gas to get there. .

It reminds me of the old days, back in the 40’s.  There was a grocery store on every corner, because many folks couldn’t afford to own or maintain an automobile.  Those small grocery stores were gathering spots for the neighborhood, and provided the grocers a means to support their families.  It would be nice if we could go back to those days, but we probably won’t.  For now, the only way to save money on gas is to load up on groceries one day a week…or month..

High gas prices lead to half empty parking lots and loaded shopping carts.  Now, where to put everything once you get it home?