Have you personally witnessed other people loading their carts up with the coveted items or excessive amounts of other items?

[Jan M.]

The reason I'm posting this is because my husband and I are embarrassed to be finding ourselves reduced to believing what we're reading on Facebook and hearing on the news. Both 100% reliable sources, so, so NOT. Today we were talking and both agreed that we would consider what was said on TUG far more reliable. During this time HAVE YOU PERSONALLY WITNESSED OTHER PEOPLE LOADING THEIR CARTS UP WITH THE COVETED ITEMS OR EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OTHER ITEMS?

I guess I should explain why we are asking this and how we could be so out of touch. We were actually in pretty good shape so haven't had to do much shopping since this all began in our area. My husband went shopping a week ago tomorrow and before that the last time was the previous Monday. He was able to get what we needed. However we didn't need any of the items everyone seems to be talking about so he wasn't paying all that much attention.

Here's what else we talked about.

We wondered if the people with loaded carts could have been buying for a business. Or for their family group, themselves, parents, in-laws, brothers and sisters who also have families.

If people were buying just for their own family we wondered what would possess them to buy that much of things they can't possibly use for likely a year or two and possibly longer.

We wondered why they would do that if they're concerned about money. Which we assume most families are right now.

We wondered how many people have the space to store all that stuff. We know we wouldn't want to have to make room to store large quantities of things it would take that long to use up.

We didn't have to wonder about about how much does an average family use of two things. Toilet paper and paper towels. A little back story. Our son's family is comprised of he, his wife and two little girls ages 3 and 8. Almost everyone who is now or has been the parent of younger kids knows they occasionally need to be reminded that they don't need to use quite that much TP. Also how often spills happen. Like most families they occasionally have overnight guests, the girls have friends come to play and our son and DIL have friends over. My husband took our son shopping at Costco to stock them up after they moved into their first house at the end of March last year. In July when we were at their house I took our son and DIL to Costco and loaded them up. Both times we bought them the big package of toilet paper and one of paper towels too. Our son said they had a few rolls of TP on hand when they moved in and in the packages we bought there were 30 rolls each for a total of 60 more rolls. As of four days ago they had 8 rolls left out of 65-68 in one week short of a year later. Our son didn't count how many rolls of paper towels they have left but said that it wasn't that long ago that they opened the second package of them.

 

[Brett]

The reason I'm posting this is because my husband and I are embarrassed to be finding ourselves reduced to believing what we're reading on Facebook and hearing on the news. Both 100% reliable sources, so, so NOT. Today we were talking and both agreed that we would consider what was said on TUG far more reliable. During this time HAVE YOU PERSONALLY WITNESSED OTHER PEOPLE LOADING THEIR CARTS UP WITH THE COVETED ITEMS OR EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OTHER ITEMS?

I guess I should explain why we are asking this and how we could be so out of touch. We were actually in pretty good shape so haven't had to do much shopping since this all began in our area. My husband went shopping a week ago tomorrow and before that the last time was the previous Monday. He was able to get what we needed. However we didn't need any of the items everyone seems to be talking about so he wasn't paying all that much attention.

Here's what else we talked about.

We wondered if the people with loaded carts could have been buying for a business. Or for their family group, themselves, parents, in-laws, brothers and sisters who also have families.

If people were buying just for their own family we wondered what would possess them to buy that much of things they can't possibly use for likely a year or two and possibly longer.

We wondered why they would do that if they're concerned about money. Which we assume most families are right now.

We wondered how many people have the space to store all that stuff. We know we wouldn't want to have to make room to store large quantities of things it would take that long to use up.

We didn't have to wonder about about how much does an average family use of two things. Toilet paper and paper towels. A little back story. Our son's family is comprised of he, his wife and two little girls ages 3 and 8. Almost everyone who is now or has been the parent of younger kids knows they occasionally need to be reminded that they don't need to use quite that much TP. Also how often spills happen. Like most families they occasionally have overnight guests, the girls have friends come to play and our son and DIL have friends over. My husband took our son shopping at Costco to stock them up after they moved into their first house at the end of March last year. In July when we were at their house I took our son and DIL to Costco and loaded them up. Both times we bought them the big package of toilet paper and one of paper towels too. Our son said they had a few rolls of TP on hand when they moved in and in the packages we bought there were 30 rolls each for a total of 60 more rolls. As of four days ago they had 8 rolls left out of 65-68 in one week short of a year later. Our son didn't count how many rolls of paper towels they have left but said that it wasn't that long ago that they opened the second package of them.

short answer - no
I noticed at Walmart and Kroger they were limiting TP purchases off the pallets but otherwise everything else seemed normal .... except eggs, which there were none
edit: yesterday at Kroger they did have "free range" eggs

 

[mdurette]

Most of the stores around me have limits on the amount of items you can buy. But, I have been in some that don't.

To answer your question, I have personally seen:
1. People at target buying toilet paper and asking, can I return this if I don't need. I would assume they were already well stocked if they had to ask that question.
2. A man at a local ACE hardware loaded all their Peroxide wipes into his cart. It had to be about 30 containers. I heard him say he was using them to clean down buses.
3. And personally....I was the one with 10 cans of Lysol Spray in my cart last week (I could have bought 30 as the store had no limit). I already had 3 at home. I have given most away to family and friends that did not have. I put one along with a tubs of wipes in my husbands police cruiser so he can keep that as clean as possible and limit what he brings home.

 

[jackio]

My husband was in the supermarket Thursday when they brought out a pallet of toilet paper. They made an announcement that there was a limit of one per person. They also hung a sign saying limit 1. DH Said that several people put 2 in their cart, only to have the extra one taken back at the register.
These were all senior citizens during the early designated senior shopping hour.

 

[Big Matt]

I am one of those people who shop daily. I've seen this behavior on a regular basis. It is mostly the honor system and people try to get around it. What I see most often is a husband and wife go into the store with two carts to get around the limits. Seems benign, but they know that they are breaking the rules. My wife calls these types, "Rule Breakers". I call them "Takers" (as opposed to "Givers"). The same folks will cheat whenever possible and lie to get away with things. It's just so much easier to be a nice person and give more than you take.

 

[presley]

I haven't seen it, but I haven't been to the store much. I am 100% sure that we will all contract the illness from the grocery store. Closing all business except the grocery store is a joke. Now, everyone goes to the grocery store all the time. To me, it's one of the top 2 worst places to be (the other being a doctor's office/hospital). At any rate, while I haven't seen it, there certainly wasn't any milk and hardly any produce. There's literally zero paper products. I've been to 2 stores in the last 2 days. I've also tried every delivery service and there's none to be had in my zip code or the surrounding zip codes.

I can't help but think that people were hoarding before the purchase restrictions were up and now those same people are going out to buy their one item at every single store every day.

 

[WinniWoman]

Nope. I have not seen that though I am sure it happens. I really hesitate to blame people for what is going on. They (we) didn't ask for this nightmare,

And I keep saying people might be shopping for others when they go on the store- maybe doing their own shopping and that of an elderly parent, for example.

And you have to realize, the stores were not ready for this craziness either. Now that people have to stay home- THEY DO NEED MORE TOILET PAPER AND MEAT AND SO FORTH. BEFORE THEY WERE AT WORK OR SCHOOL DOING THEIR BUSINESS and eating out as well. The stores based their inventory on that. Now there is more demand as everyone has to stay home and use their toilets and cook their own food.

I know because now that my husband and I are home all day we use more toilet paper and we flush the toilet a lot. (Doesn;t help that I drink a lot of water all day). Will be interesting to see the water bill.

As for over the counter meds people now just can't run out if they need something and be sure the item is in the drugstore. So as advised they are stocking up on things they may need just in case. Or at least trying to.

 

[Lydlady]

I haven’t seen it but I’ve been avoiding the crowds. I do my grocery shopping after the early morning rush and with the exception of no paper products (except for paper plates), shelves have been well-stocked.

 

[DaveNV]

I go to Costco often, (although not so much in the last few weeks - trying to stay safely home.) My experience is the aftermath of the panic shopping. The aisle at my Costco that normally is stacked high and deep with paper products is empty. Zip. Nothing to buy. That says somebody is buying up all the product. A friend posted on Facebook one morning that Costco had “plenty” of TP when they were there at opening. Another friend replied that by noon it was all gone. So people are definitely buying up what’s available.

On a lesser level, my local Safeway has food aisles with nothing in them. The shelves are literally bare. So somebody is buying everything up. Perhaps not panic shoppers, but certainly people buying more than normal. I think the stories of people with carts full of an item aren’t typical anymore, as buying limits and supply quantities are curtailing that.

I don’t have answers. I just want everyone to stay safe and healthy.

Dave

 

[pedro47]

I do not understand why any family needs three (3) cases of TP & three (3) cases of water. Especially when we have a safe public water systems in our nation.

 

[Talent312]

We have a package of TP that may outlast the shortage.
I was thinking about putting it up for auction on ebay.
<kidding>... I'm sure it'll be more valuable in 3 weeks.
-----------------------
DW wants to convert a laundry closet to food-storage.
I said, "Okay, but you'll need to go out to buy the stuff."
She says, "But I might get sick and die."
I said, "Then, the food is better off in the store."
.

 

[controller1]

I haven't seen it, but I haven't been to the store much. I am 100% sure that we will all contract the illness from the grocery store. Closing all business except the grocery store is a joke.

You do realize not everyone has two or more weeks of food at their house? Grocery stores are a necessity.

 

[WalnutBaron]

We have not seen hoarding of any sort. Instead, we've seen many random acts of kindness. One example: They were selling individual TP rolls at our local Rite-Aid, and there were only a few rolls left. Instead of stripping the shelves, everyone I saw took no more than two rolls, even though the store had no limit. Another example: Costco was down to its last 8 cases. The guys who had those cases and I waited until other shoppers came looking and we told them to walk to the cashout stations with us. After we paid, we just opened the cases, gave our fellow shoppers half of what was there, and accepted cash for half the cost. In our case, we didn't need the TP, but I knew several of our elderly neighbors did. They found two rolls each on their front doorstep yesterday.

 

[controller1]

I do not understand why any family needs three (3) cases of TP & three (3) cases of water. Especially when we have a safe public water systems in our nation.

Yet last week at a Walmart I saw a man with a cart containing three containers of TP and four cases of water. We live in a location with one of the highest rated water systems in the nation.

 

[DaveNV]

After we paid, we just opened the cases, gave our fellow shoppers half of what was there, and accepted cash for half the cost. In our case, we didn't need the TP, but I knew several of our elderly neighbors did. They found two rolls each on their front doorstep yesterday.

That is such a generous thing to do. Good for you for thinking of others.

I was working in my backyard a few days ago, and my next-door neighbor happened to be outside, too. She asked how we were getting along, knowing my older sister with health issues lives with us. I said we were doing fine, and we three were all staying home, trying to make safe distancing part of our lives. She asked if we needed any supplies. I said we'd stocked up, and I thought we were fine. She said, "Okay, if you need anything, let me know. We have plenty. I saw this coming a long time ago, and I have more than we'll need."

Not exactly sure what she meant, but I immediately pictured her garage stacked to the ceiling with cases of TP and water. I thanked her, and said that was generous of her. She's a nice person, but the conversation left me wondering. She has three smaller children, so must have REALLY stocked up, if she felt she could offer her excess to me. Not judging, understand, just wondering how "stocked up" she is.

I think this virus will bring out the best in some people, and something less in others.

Dave

 

[WinniWoman]

I do not understand why any family needs three (3) cases of TP & three (3) cases of water. Especially when we have a safe public water systems in our nation.

Right now you have safe public water but that like everything else and like we see now, can change on a dime. It is always good to have at least a gallon of water per person for 2 weeks or more in your house for any emergency.

 

[Luanne]

I haven't, but I really haven't been out shopping. I was in CVS to pick up a prescription and they were pretty much out of the things people are hoarding.

 

[SteelerGal]

Ppl are still hoarding. I know that our local stores are not allowing early hour for 1st Responders because of hoarding.

My sister and I are searching for Lysol because she has a 4mo old who couldn't get his latest round of shots. We are essentially sharing btw our houses to ensure she has enough since she was on disability when it all started, was due to come back and now unsure what is happening w/ her employment. Then add we have 15ppl btwn us. Because of the # of ppl. it looks like I'm hoarding but I'm not. Just trying to buy for 2 large households.

 

[Gypsy65]

 

[jonmaiman]

Up on my SoapBox on bottled water.

I don't see the need for bottled water in general the overwhelming majority of the time. The exception would be when there are known issues with the local water system (e.g. like Michigan with the lead problems). We have large water containers we use for camping as well as a 5 Gal insulated water jug for parties. If we suspect there is any chance there will be an upcoming problem with our local water supply, I will just fill them all up. That will be 15 gallons for a family of three. Buying lots of small disposable plastic water bottles is just wasteful and bad for the environment (too much plastic to recycle). If you don't already have large containers for water at your house, then by all means buy a few large jugs of bottled water at the store commensurate with the size of your family (e.g. >= 1 Gallon each). Regardless of how you choose to stockpile water, it isn't practical to have perhaps more than a weeks supply on hand. E.g. after that some form of government provided alternate water source will be needed.

Off SoapBox.

--Jon

 

[bluehende]

I go to Costco often, (although not so much in the last few weeks - trying to stay safely home.) My experience is the aftermath of the panic shopping. The aisle at my Costco that normally is stacked high and deep with paper products is empty. Zip. Nothing to buy. That says somebody is buying up all the product. A friend posted on Facebook one morning that Costco had “plenty” of TP when they were there at opening. Another friend replied that by noon it was all gone. So people are definitely buying up what’s available.

On a lesser level, my local Safeway has food aisles with nothing in them. The shelves are literally bare. So somebody is buying everything up. Perhaps not panic shoppers, but certainly people buying more than normal. I think the stories of people with carts full of an item aren’t typical anymore, as buying limits and supply quantities are curtailing that.

I don’t have answers. I just want everyone to stay safe and healthy.

Dave

I wonder if your experience is because you guys have been in the soup longer. Here is DE I have only been to the store once since the excrement hit the fan. It was an Aldi and it was well stocked. Did not check the tp as we are set. They had everything but chicken and believe it or not the snack aisle was pretty wiped out. I was actually surprised how well stocked it was considering we had seen the reports of empty stores over the weekend. I saw no one taking an usual amount of any product. My guess is we will have plenty of food but not as much choice. With this much disruption there is no way everything will be stocked.

 

[WinniWoman]

Up on my SoapBox on bottled water.

I don't see the need for bottled water in general the overwhelming majority of the time. The exception would be when there are known issues with the local water system (e.g. like Michigan with the lead problems). We have large water containers we use for camping as well as a 5 Gal insulated water jug for parties. If we suspect there is any chance there will be an upcoming problem with our local water supply, I will just fill them all up. That will be 15 gallons for a family of three. Buying lots of small disposable plastic water bottles is just wasteful and bad for the environment (too much plastic to recycle). If you don't already have large containers for water at your house, then by all means buy a few large jugs of bottled water at the store commensurate with the size of your family (e.g. >= 1 Gallon each). Regardless of how you choose to stockpile water, it isn't practical to have perhaps more than a weeks supply on hand. E.g. after that some form of government provided alternate water source will be needed.

Off SoapBox.

--Jon

We only use jugs of water and we also fill up empty soda and juice bottles with water rather than tossing them in the garbage. I also have water disinfecting pills or whatever you call those.

I only laughed because of your comment about a government supply of water. I am one that believes you cannot depend on the government for anything. It's called self reliance.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

We already keep extra water on hand in case of earthquakes. In addition a tank water heater will provide drinking water if needed.

 

[Tia]

I have personally seen empty store shelves, no tp, no paper towel, no canned vegetables, no dried beans/rice at multiple stores Kroger/Walmart/Target/Safeway/Sams Club.

First posted limiting quantity signs I saw were this past Friday at local Target. Before 9am they had a small amount of tp/paper towel. Someone is buying more then normal. Stores should of limited quantity sooner, so there would be some for others.

I already posted elsewhere a shopper behind me at Target Friday had his cart loaded w/papertowel, they told him 'no due to limit' he said he needed to clean windows. There was another gal who was trying to buy 2 packs of diapers, they told her limit 1.

 

[rickandcindy23]

We aren't worried about any shortages, and we are not hoarding anything. If eggs become scarce, Rick will eat something else for breakfast. He has two eggs and a piece of bacon every day. We can bake bread (I cannot eat bread on my health journey).

I do know that my close friend's daughter got toilet paper at Costco and delivered it to older family members and offered some to us. She knew that her family of five needed some of that but pretty much gave it all away.

I have not really looked at others' shopping carts. I bought groceries the other day and carried my salad, greens and other supplies instead of carting them. I have some meat in the freezer, not a lot. Rick is eating a lot of sandwiches at lunch time. We aren't going to the drive-through restaurants for a while.

Rick went to the grocery store on Friday for his stepmom. She needed some things and had to go to her hair appointment. She is 91 and very stuck in her ways. Anyway, he used the disinfectant wipes as "gloves" to push the cart around the store. I told him he still touched stuff at the store. He cleaned his pickup steering wheel and handles with cleaner after coming home. I don't know how paranoid we need to be, but I did have him put his clothes in the washer.

I like home, and I can stay in for two weeks, especially with my TUG friends. I enjoy your posts and relate to all of your concerns over this virus and the shutdown of our country. As timeshare owners, we are all very much aware of what this virus means for our own travel and the travel we booked for others and had to be cancelled. These are tough times. But John 1:5, A light shines in the darkness, and the light shall not overcome it.