Posted by Aeryn Lynne on Jan 25, 2012 in Events | 0 comments

Not All Walmarts Are Created Equal

Hey all!

So I was given the FUN task of finding this new Cook and Bake Canister of Equal, which after these holidays, just might be my saving grace.

#EqualCanada

Do your pants feel just the wrong side of snug too? I'm usually proud with my ability to moderate the amount of sweets and treats that I consume during the holiday season, but OMG, that filter was somehow turned off this year. I can't believe how much I consumed, and I know I gifted myself at least 10 pounds…

maybe even 15.

Ne're was chocolate safe. Nor cookies.

I ate them all.

*facepalm*

It was a Good Thing™ when I was asked to find the Equal Cook and Bake Canister for my future sugary needs! I need to cut back on the calories I consume right now, but like any other addiction, it doesn't work going cold-turkey. So whenever I need my sugar-fix, I'll be adding the sweet from Equal instead. When measurements are equal (one cup sugar = one cup Equal), it will be easier to adjust.

Woot!

Prepping Before Shopping

If you haven't found out yet, I'm a deal junky, and if you need proof, meet my coupon binder…

Before shopping anywhere, I'll first check out my binder for any coupons that correspond with what I'll be picking up that day. Sadly, I couldn't find any for Equal, but I'll keep my eyes open for future ones. I may even call Equal to see if they have any available to mail out. You'll never know unless you ask! (I'll update this page with Equal's response, when I remember to call.)

The canister is on a Rollback sale at Walmart anyway, meaning that at $7.97 ($2 off reg,) I'm still getting a good deal. So with my Purse-on-All® coupon holder in hand (blue/clear pouch that sits in my purse with coupons that I'm planning to use soon,) I went to my favourite place to shop for groceries: the Walmart that is only a block away from home.

The great thing about shopping at Walmart is that they have a price-match guarantee. Anything I find in flyers from competing stores will be price-matched. This means that I don't have to go to five different stores to get the deals I want, which saves time. And if I drove, it would save gas money too.

I think my attendance record for this Walmart on average is four times a week. I'll purchase most of my groceries all at once, but I never have to worry if I've forgotten an item, 'cause I can quickly return to Walmart any time I need to. (So even though I got my main grocery shopping done the day before – and boy, were the deals awesome this week! – I didn't think twice about heading over the next day to pick up the Equal canister on it's own.)

Except the canister wasn't there! :/

Bummer.

Did I mention that Equal is stocked in the Pharmacy section? All items that are related to a diabetic diet are found in the Pharmacy area, though I don't understand why there couldn't be a special dietary row… or even half-row situated amongst the rest of the food items.

When I first looked for Equal, I had asked the stock-guy that was unpacking cereal boxes where I could find their Equal products, because I wasn't successfully finding it myself with the other sugars and substitutes… but, he didn't even know what Equal was.

I should have told him, “They're on facebook.” It's almost like saying, “There's an app for that.” Mind you, Equal is also on twitter too, which is my preferred way of speaking with companies if I have Qs or props to send their way (*hint-hint* follow them on Facebook/Twitter if you use Equal, 'cause it's always handy to have one of their CSRs so easily at hand!)

When I realised I should have been looking in the Pharmacy, I got my hopes up that I would finally find the yellow tin I was looking for, but alas, it wasn't meant to be.

Fortunately though, living in Toronto means that I have at least two Walmarts that are relatively local, even if I don't drive. So I left my fave Walmart and headed for the next closest one, which is at Dufferin Mall.

One Bus and One Subway Ride Equals 20 Minutes of Travel

This Walmart is HUGE. It's two floors of awesome bargains!

And I'm not even kidding when I say that I found the right Equal canister in under two minutes. There was a bright and shiny display right in front of the Pharmacy.

I also happened to find another great deal right beside the Equal too, lol. *This* is what I love about coupons.

And as a BONUS, there's a really sweet No-Frills in the same Mall, so I had decided to pick up the couple of deals that weren't available when I did my grocery shopping the day before…

Did I mention that I LOVE sales and coupons? XD

And with that Equal tin, hair dye, POM juice and crackers, I'm just about ready to work off those extra pounds I found over the holidays.

Please note: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias All words and opinions are MY OWN. Please be advised that although I do accept work ('cause I need to make a living,) and discuss the results of that work on this blog, I am in no way offering you, my valuable readers, lemons… unless it'll be used for drinking. Bottom line: if I don't believe in it, you won't see it here.