#but you seem like a walmart expert

[capybapybara]

she may have eaten sasha but she will not eat this response (idk wtf i’m saying)

[dissociacrip]

i saw that one disability-related post a while ago about dental care but i can't find it again so i'm gonna mention a few things as a (mild to moderately) mentally & physically disabled person, whose teeth hurt when i eat sweet stuff now + i've had a root canal due to a fall + i'm learning to take care of myself, that may or may not help other folks with their dental routine

note: i am not a dentist & this info is mostly what i've gleaned secondhand from dentists, so yeah, i am not an expert in any capacity

water flossers aren't as effective as regular flossing (doing both is actually what's most effective) but they're better than nothing & helpful in cases where coordination problems or other issues might prevent regular flossing technique (i imagine this also depends on the quality of the water flosser)

if you use one of the plastic pre-made floss picks things, rinse the string off in-between each time you use it to floss one side of a tooth, it's tedious but it mimics moving to a new (clean) part of the thread like you do with regular floss

if you get an automatic toothbrush, get one that does circular rotation rather than just vibrating or whatever, as this mimics the tools they use in a dentist's office + imitates the circular motion you're expected to make with a standard toothbrush (which is also hard with coordination issues), i got one that does this pretty cheap from walmart (it's an oral-b but i forgot the specific type) + it automatically times it for you

if you have white spots on your teeth that are uneven with the shade of the rest of the tooth those are potentially white spot lesions due to demineralization; whitening products can make this worse rather than help it, but some products can help with remineralization such as mi paste topical tooth creme, which contains calcium and phosphate (i have yet to try this myself but it seems to get suggested by a lot of dentists, orthodontists, etc. for white spots on teeth & it's also supposed to help with sensitivity and tooth health in general because the white spots are lesions so it's not purely cosmetic!)

it's advised to not rinse your mouth immediately after brushing as this potentially dilutes & reduces the effects of the flouride (if you use fluoride toothpaste), stuff says to wait at least 15 minutes or so

just giving your teeth a quick scrub (even if it's without toothpaste and just water) is better than not brushing your teeth at all

if you have trouble seeing a dentist for financial reasons, try to see if there are income-based or charity dental services in your area, sometimes dental schools also provide low-cost/free dental care

that's all i can think of for now, i wish i had more advice for people who struggle to be able to brush their teeth at all in general but this is all i got unfortunately :(

additionally - you're not bad, useless, gross, or a failure if you struggle to (or can't) maintain oral hygiene; this stuff is much easier for some people than it is to others & those who take it for granted like to forget that, no one deserves to be mocked or looked down on for being disabled & struggling to/not being able to do """basic""" stuff like this!

[candycoloredwolf]

Pleant experts of tumblr, I need some advice

This is Karlach. I have had Karlach since at least 2017, though it's very possible I got her back in 2016/2015. I found her at a Walmart on the back of a shelf in a very tiny Valentines themed heart-shaped pot (it was mid-March), and despite my horrendous luck with plants, I decided to buy her. She's somehow survived a possible 9 years with me, most likely because I kept her on the filter of my fish tank by the window for most of those years, so she had plenty of water due to condensation. I have no idea what Karlach even is. Her tag was missing, and all that came up when they scanned her was 'succulent'.

I've been trying to decide whether I should get her a larger pot, as she has grown far more than I ever expected, and I'm worried she will/has grown too big for her pot. She seems perfectly fine currently, but the flowers she grew started to wilt not long after they grew, which Im worried might be a result of her planter being too small.

I'm hesitant to move her if not nessecary, because despite her living this long, I still have horrible luck with plants, especially succulents, and I don't want to mess with her if I don't have to.

If anyone can give me some advice on whether or not I should transplant her to a bigger pot, or if you have any idea what she might be, it would be greatly appreciated.

[paradiserotting]

i couldn’t even tell you what they sell at walmart, ive never shopped there. but you seem like… a walmart expert. you shop there alot huh?

[wario-speedwagon]

Dave and Old Sport Adopt a Kid: Chapter 8

Hello, me again here with chapter 8! And with the longest chapter yet no less! Hope you enjoy, and thanks for the support as always! <3

And this time I want to shout out @p13rr0t for their cute little drawing of Pruny that honestly made me laugh! Thank you so much!

Chapter 1 Chapter 7

And without further ado, full chapter beneath the cut!

Chapter 8

Suddenly the momentum slowed to a halt, and Dave awakened. Ah, when did he fall asleep? After some seconds of waking himself up, Dave glanced up out of the front window. Jack was already at the front door of his house, bags and blankets in arm, fishing his pockets for a house key.

He looked beside him and Pruny was also still fast asleep, head leaning against the car door. His heart melted at the sight–that is, the cavity where his heart should have been did. He climbed out of the car to catch up with Jack.

“I see that you’re unfortunately awake now. Welcome back.”

“What, getting sick of me already?”

“Evening naps are always dangerous for kids. Once you wake up from an evening nap, you'll be awake for hours before you go to bed; it’s always a real headache to deal with.”

“C’mon, Prune’s a good kid.”

“Oh, it’s not her I’m worried about.”

“Ha ha. What would you have done if I didn’t wake up, carry me to bed bridal style?” Dave said perhaps a little too hopefully.

“Good point. I probably woulda just let you sleep there in the car for the night.”

“Mm. Well lucky for ya, I’m ready to collapse right back into the sack as soon as possible.”

Dave was tired, but even then he still took note of how Old Sport clearly seemed to speak earlier as if referring to personal experience, which left Dave wondering again about his background. …No, now wasn’t the time or energy to bring up something like that again.

“...Hey, what's all that extra stuff you got in that bag? I see a toothbrush.”

“Yeah, I bought her some other essentials we'd missed, y'know, in case she would have to stay longer…”

“Weren’t you strapped for cash or something? Did ya ‘lift ‘em after all?”

“Well yeah, I sneak stuff out all the time too, how could I not? It's been hard to get by ever since Walmart stopped accepting Faztokens. But I'm–”

“Woah woah, Walmart used to take Faztokens!?” Dave suddenly shouted very alertly to Jack’s regret.

“A couple years back, yeah.”

“Damn…”

Jack resumed unlocking the door open, so Dave went back to the car to carry Pruny inside.

It made Dave think. The way her light body felt in his hands. Just like all the other ones he disposed of. But this time he had to actually be careful not to wake the sleeping kid…

Boy, it’s a real good thing Dave was an expert on cutting off haunting thoughts like that before they can get to him! Besides, Pruny was different!

Dave carefully closed the busted up car door and, Pruny still cradled in his arms, re-approached the front door step to enter the briefly dark living room that Jack promptly lit up with a switch. The two were consciously trying to stay quiet in her presence.

“Shit, I completely forgot about a pillow,” Jack harshly whispered to himself as Dave went over to gently set her down onto the living room couch. Luckily they seemed successful at not stirring her awake as she seamlessly snuggled into its cushions.

The two then shut off the living room lights and left the girl to her peace as they then took the shopping bags to the kitchen table.

“So what else'd you get her then?”

“Oh��� just a toothbrush, toothpaste, some hair ties, and a brush (since I don't exactly use one myself). …Oh, and I nicked this as well for her.” He held it up. “Think she'll like it?”

Dave stretched his neck closer and judged the strange little bottle carefully with a discerning eye.

“Hmm…

…

…What is it?”

“...Huh?”

“What is it?”

“You… don’t know?”

“Is it… edible? It’s not much to drink if so…”

“...”

“...”

“...Oh. ...Oh, this is a delightful twist! If you don’t know what this is, then that just means you’re gonna find out directly once we give it to Pruny!”

“I don’t know that I like the vague threatening tone in your voice…” Dave eyed the red bottle with confused intimidation.

“Nah, don’t worry about it, it’s not a very painful process.”

“Not a 'very–’?”

“Anyway, what are your sleeping plans, Aubergine? I don’t exactly have any spare bedding for you.”

“Oh, uhh, maybe just with you–?”

“Vetoed.”

“That was… the only idea I had to be honest…”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

…

When she came to, the first thing Violet relished in noticing was that she had been the most comfortable she had been in months. Every desire told her to just keep her eyes closed and her mind foggy with sleep, but she had to be sure– sure that yesterday did happen, so she opened her eyes a slit to the mild morning light to confirm this was indeed the orange man’s living room, and that she had been laying flat on his couch–oh, and covered with an incredibly warm, soft navy blue blanket!

And so she faced an internal battle: wanting to get up and satiate her new curiosities while wanting to stay warm and sleepy in her blanket’s heavenly embrace. She continued to sit with this dilemma under closed, tired eyes...

But she finally decided that her curiosity wins out.

Lightly opening her eyes, she saw that grandfather clock that she rather liked. It read 7:47. Violet enjoyed the pendulum’s dedicated repetition back and forth as her gaze meditated on it for a good minute or two.

...Until she noticed something purple on the floor nearby her.

That purple guy–Dave–was sprawled on the floor asleep in a position no more natural than if a Raggedy Andy had been unceremoniously dropped onto the floor. He didn’t even have a blanket or anything… Well, at least the floor was carpeted.

Getting up from her comfort felt like a crime; but Violet was being exposed to a lot of that lately, so emulating her new—

–Her train of thought halted. ...How should she finish that sentence? Calling them her captors might be the most accurate, but she only ever felt “captured” in the first couple hours of meeting them before she started to realize that maybe she had just wildly misinterpreted their intentions at first... that maybe sticking with them might be a better bet than what she’d been doing for the past several months…

But the word she wanted to use for them… it felt too presumptuous.

Well! Enough daydreaming, time to wake up and explore this house while they’re still asleep! So tiptoe-ing around the mangled pile of purple limbs on the floor, she headed first for the kitchen!

...

The dishes from last night were still awaiting washing in the sink and the table was not cleared of crumbs from their grilled cheese last night, but otherwise it was a perfectly fine kitchen. Naturally the first place Violet checked was the fridge to see what kind of snacks Jack usually had, but she didn't expect such disappointment upon opening it.

The full-sized fridge was mostly empty if not populated by some yogurts, cheese slices, a half used stick of foreign butter and a loaf of bread (that had some specks of something green in it...?). And in the door were just some bland looking soda cans…

Well enough of that, where else could she raid? But her attention was immediately redirected to a cute doggo! Or rather, a framed picture of one hung on the wall. She didn't know her dog breeds very well, but she was enamored with its pointy little ears and dark purple fur– er, huh… She could have sworn she saw that it was a dark purple color at first, but it was just a regular blonde color. Weird.

Opening drawer after drawer for interesting things, she only got mildly interesting junk at best like Freddy's trinkets or a popped balloon dog or a taser, but otherwise it was mostly random cigarette packs, loose change, pens, Faztokens… Violet very quickly decided to head to a new, hopefully more interesting room instead.

But this small house didn't have many other places to explore. There was a second bedroom, but that didn't have much of note upon entering as it was half-empty: a desk with minimal desk stuff on it… most interesting were some unopened cardboard boxes she found in the closet that were still taped shut. Strange. They were simply labeled ‘Kennedy Stuff’ in marker, whatever that really meant. She'd love to rifle through all their contents and find out if it weren't for the tape stopping her. For now…

Well, given she'd already spent time in the bathroom last night, that left Jack's room. She debated if she wanted to sneak in quietly and risk waking him and getting caught. She slowly opened the door just a crack to peek inside…

And she saw the messy bed was empty. No one was in that room.

Now she wasn’t sure if she wanted to take the opportunity to explore Jack’s room or to first ascertain where he even was.

She decided to go search the bathroom next instead.

So she opened the bathroom door and–

*gasp*

“Bejesus, you scared me!” Jack blurted startled with a hand over his chest. But then self-awareness quickly kicked in since he quickly turned away from Pruny in a way that failed to be casual.

And Violet knew why because the man she accidentally interrupted looked ghastly and frankly terrified her at first glance. But she understood quickly what he was in the middle of doing and why from the open orange jars at the sink he’d just been using.

Jack, recovering from being caught off guard, turned back to at least somewhat face her, one hand at his cheek as if it would help hide it. He said something to her, but she didn't know what, with his hand blocking his mouth–

And only growing more awkwardly flustered, he abruptly jerked his hand down away from his face as if reading her mind.

“Sorry, you, uh… You're up early aren't you? Caught me in the middle of my makeup–”

But that filled Violet with some excitement as she rushed toward the sink to see it.

“O-Okay then–” Jack stepped back mildly bewildered to give her space to indulge in her sudden fascination.

And oh boy was there a lot of it!! Just whole jars of orange stuff, though it seemed cheap. And looking back up at Jack again, he seemed to have gotten to his forehead, under-eyes and part of his left cheek so far with how it's bright orange contrasted with the rotten, grey-ish maroon rest of his face and neck as well as the hands and– Violet then noticed that along his arms–both of them–were deeply indented, discolored gash lines running down them. She had so many questions, and she didn't know what the appropriate way to feel should be– and then suddenly she realized she'd been just staring at his rotten skin for seconds too long, and it was her turn to look away sheepishly.

Jack's arm then reached for another dab of makeup to slather onto his face, his attention returned back to the mirror again. She quickly saw that this guy was not very good at this, at least not compared to how her street friend showed her how they did it. Unfortunately, she’d never done it for herself, so she couldn’t show Jack how to do it better if she wanted to.

At the rate he was going… How long would this take? Did he do this every morning? Would it be weird if she just watched him put on makeup for a while? It’s not like there was anything better to do right now, now that she was well awake, and his face admittedly made her morbidly curious–

“By the way, just for future reference, it’s good manners to knock before entering a bathroom if the door’s closed,” he said while continuing to smear orange streaks across his cheek. She nodded in acknowledgement. The thought didn’t even occur to her since she wouldn’t hear an answer if there was one anyway.

Violet picked up an orange jar to look at it closer to give her a more polite thing to stare at instead. Orange, huh? It seemed to be from some company that specialized in costume makeup and such. She turned immediately as Jack started talking–

“--’re wondering why orange, huh? It was the only color they were practically begging to get rid of. Well, the best of a couple colors; the other options were even worse if you can imagine.”

Violet opened the jar to observe the texture of its contents–

“--free to try some on. If you’re bold enough, that is.”

She swiped some of it onto her fingers and smeared it across the back of her other hand. The orange comically contrasted very gaudily against her purple skin.

“Oh, sorry, you probably came in here for a reason. Did you need to use the bathroom?”

She shook her head. She was just being nosy.

“Well, either way, if you wanna freshen up, I got some stuff for you last night!”

He stopped mid-application of makeup to head out of the bathroom to get something–

–when he opened the door, a purple figure was standing right there, quickly realizing he was caught eavesdropping.

The half-orange man groaned a deep, exasperated sigh, loud enough that even she could hear it well.

“Dave, are you unacquainted with the concept of privacy?”

“Why hello there old sports! You’re looking, uh, dashing this morning…?”

“Dave, I thought you were the kind of person to sleep in late? What are you doing up at 8 in the morning?”

“Well, I DO sleep in late, given I have a half-decent bed to sleep in!” he retorted pointedly. “‘Sides, I heard you talkin’ in there, so I wanted to know what I was missin’ out on!”

“This kind of thing is exactly what I was afraid would start happening…”

“You’re pretty good with kids by the way!”

Jack just blankly stared back.

The statement hung in the air unanswered for a few too many seconds until Jack pushed past Dave for the kitchen.

Jack picked up the grocery bag. “Anyway: here Pruny, we got you some extra things. Look, toothbrush and toothpaste, some hair ties–” Jack handed her the bag and with elation, she ruffled through it to see the contents for herself.

“So how’d you get to be so good with kiddins anyway?” Dave added with no subtlety.

"...I'm really not, Dave, believe me."

"Nonsense! You got her warmed up to ya like-"

“Now Pruny, why don’t you ask Dave to tie your hair up while I go finish up in the bathroom?”

“I dunno, I think you’d probably be much better at that than I would, old sport!”

“Well, there’s no better way to improve than to practice then, is there? I can’t do everything for her, y’know.”

“But I’d need someone more experienced to show me how first!”

“Figure it out yourself! It’s really not that complicated to learn, Pruny could probably even teach you I bet!”

“Out of curiosity, where’d you first learn how to do it? You didn’t have long hair to tie yourself in your younger days, did you?”

This drawn out back and forth was getting more and more passive aggressive. Violet was starting to not like it.

“Dave, remember when I asked you to drop the issue last night?”

“And what issue was that again? You’ll have to remind me.”

“No, I’m not a parent!" Jack snapped. "I just had a little sister, now will that shut you up?”

“A sister!” Dave’s insufferable cheekiness suddenly gave way to genuine, delighted interest as he pestered a retreating Jack who was ignoring him again. “Now I’m even more curious! What was she like!? Were you guys close!? What’s her name!? Why don't you talk about her-”

The bathroom door closed in front of Dave, halting his onslaught of questions.

“Fine then, keep your secrets!” Dave retorted nonchalantly.

Violet could tell Jack regretted saying anything at all. But she also couldn’t deny having her curiosity piqued as well. A guilty part of her was hoping Dave would eventually drag an answer out of him too, though she felt equally bad about Jack being put in a bad mood again. Dave seemed to have a talent for that, didn't he?

“Well then! Pruny!” He turned back to Pruny with a smile that changed the topic. “Let’s have a go at this hair business, eh? You think that hair’s long enough for a braid?”

Pruny didn’t even know how to do a braid herself, and she seriously doubted Dave did either, despite his newfound confidence.

(Chapter 9) ->

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FANART! :D

Thanks again to @p13rr0t for the awesome drawing, it has lived rent free in my head for a while since I first received it from them <3

[chilakillme]

I just need to vent lots of things regarding the Harry Potter reboot so bear with me

First of all WITH ALL OF THE POTENTIAL STORIES IN THE WIZARDING WORLD THEY DECIDED TO REBOOT THE OG THE WORLDWIDE LOVED ONE???? No marauders? No Hogwarts founders? No Tom Riddle origin story??? Like....how can they expect a random british boy to create the IMPACT Dan Radcliffe's face had on the world....like no. And also the only person of that cast that'll return will be Felton, I just know it.

And also, the movies are RECENT, yeah the first one is 20 years old but 20 years is not long enough to reboot a series that had the IMPACT Harry Potter had, like they still sell LEGOs and cutlery sets with the original actors face at my Walmart and they don't seem like antiques. Think about Indiana Jones or any other iconic character that has only been played by one actor, that's what Harry Potter should be (with exception for the play that most of us ignore) BUT NO THEY WANT A WHOLE NEW CAST

Now, the fact that JKR is going to be super involved and they're going to try to be as loyal to the books as they can is a blessing and a curse because of course having the author in a project like this is something fans love but we're talking about JKR and, she, you know, got herself into some messes recently and...yeah. But also, as much as I would love to see more of things that the og movies skipped and more depth to characters I still love, I can't help but think that it's going to turn into some political agenda (and I know everything is political but I'm talking about blatantly obvious political) or some kind of statement idk. Also, if it's going to be an almost book to screen copy they're going to run into a wall called plot holes and wonky worldbuilding.

As someone who read the books 11 times in a year because they had no friends in elementary school and revisited them constantly until a couple years ago, I can say that the series is full of plot holes and yeah they're going to need to fix that, but also some of the world building is just not done right, many things don't make sense or contradict themselves, and I'm not saying I don't appreciate the world we were given, I loved ot and still do, and I really appreciate the mythology, research and work that went into it but there's a point where some things just get ridiculous. (Examples: the secrecy things with wizards has some big questions to be solved, why are dentists unknown to wizards, do wizards know math or what do they do before hogwarts, the sirius black trial, why are the weasleys poor in the wizarding society, like there's really no sense in that (or at least I think so))

Also JKR should not go anywhere near the script, she wrote the scripts for the first Fantastic Beasts movies and then the third that was a little bit less of a mess had another screenwriter but by that time it was already too late and we all know how that went.

Also, this thing is going to need a gigantic budget but it's going to be a series and we know warner had some troubles or something recently (I don't remember all the details but yk, the discovery situation and them cancelling movies and originals from max). But the thing is that we could be looking at an amazon's lord of the rings situation where the firsts episodes were a success but only 40%-50% of viewers who started the series watched until the finale. And they want to make this a decade long project and I don't know if they're going to make it past season 4 even, but who knows I'm no expert in economics

Overall this shouldn't be happening but...

[princesstadashi]

Dashi talks adulting: oral hygiene edition!

So as someone who went to the dentist for the first time after college and had a shit ton of cavities, I have made it my mission not to face to go through that painful and expensive process again. And apparently my oral hygiene has greatly improved so I'm passing along what I've found that works with my neurodivergencies!

First up: flossing. I know it's a bitch but as someone who gets tooth decay between my teeth super easily apparently it has to be done. I hate battling with regular floss though to the point that I don't floss if that's my only option. So this is what I use! Flossers for between my teeth, brush picks for underneath my permanent retainer. Pro tip from my dentist: don't just put the flossers in and then pull them back out, make sure to get both sides of your teeth to get the best cleaning!

Next up: toothbrush and toothpaste! Electric toothbrushes overall seem to clean better, but you don't have to get the expensive ones! I get the Walmart brand two pack and they last a long time, if you have a little extra money I definitely recommend them! Also toothpaste: good news, you don't have to use mint toothpaste if you don't want to! I get the Mickey Mouse strawberry toothpaste and it does the job!

Finally, combatting an issue that I specifically have that others might also deal with: dry mouth. I very severe dry mouth especially at night to the point I'd wake up gasping for breath and feeling like I couldn't swallow almost every night. (Which SUCKED when anxiety already makes sleep difficult.) Also dry mouth makes it much easier for cavities to form. So I use a mouth wash I found at Kroger and, most helpfully, Xylimelts. They're little mints (they also come in a "slightly sweet" flavor if you don't like mint but the mint is very mild) you can buy from your local pharmacy or even on Amazon that stick to your gums, and if you put them in before going to sleep or whenever your mouth is feeling dry they stimulate saliva. There were a total game changer for me! (Warning: they are apparently poisonous to dogs so keep that in mind!)

So yep, that's what I've got for you! I'm not a health expert so please know that I'm not claiming to be, but this is what I've found works for me and that my dentist has recommended so just passing it along in case it helps someone else!

[coochiequeens]

First it was a menstrual care product shortage, then it was a baby formula shortage that could last until spring now there is a shortage of children’s painkillers. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/12/01/childrens-tylenol-ibuprofen-shortages/

People seeking over-the-counter medication for their sick children are often finding sparse or empty shelves, as a spike in respiratory illnesses pushes pediatricians and emergency rooms to the limit.

Usual supplies of fever- and pain-reducing medicines, such as liquid acetaminophen and ibuprofen recommended for children with RSV, flu or the coronavirus, have not kept up with demand in recent weeks in pockets of the country hit hardest by surging illnesses.

Fast, informative and written just for locals. Get The 7 DMV newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning.

Unlike in Canada where the government has issued emergency orders to address a shortage of acetaminophen and ibuprofen, commonly known by the name brands Tylenol and Advil, and similar products, U.S. manufacturers and retailers emphasized that supplies should rebound within weeks. On the prescription side, increased demand for the antibiotic amoxicillin has caused shortages in the United States, Canada and parts of Europe.

In the meantime, pediatricians say they worry limited access to medicines could result in more urgent-care and emergency visits as parents struggle to keep sick children comfortable.

“It’s a huge problem,” said Kristina Powell, a pediatrician in Williamsburg, Va., and president of the Virginia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “This is a result of the ‘triple-demic.’ Parents run to Walmart or Target, the shelves are empty. … This is going to be a long fall and winter of viral infections.”

A crop of influenza-like illnesses, which includes RSV, hit the South and Southeast hard a month ago, federal data show, and those illnesses have slowly progressed westward. By mid-November, Texas, New Mexico and Tennessee reported the highest incidence of illness, while levels remained very high in Virginia and D.C., followed closely by Maryland, according to data tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Kylie Moriarty, 30, of Buffalo, Mo., searched her local Walmart for Tylenol or ibuprofen to treat her sick 9-year-old daughter and found nothing but empty shelves. That seemed odd, she said, because just last week she had no trouble buying the same products for her 2-year-old son in a merry-go-round of illnesses affecting families with young children.

“I was very frustrated that it’s 2022 and we can’t keep something in stock for parents to help their children get better,” she said in a phone interview. “It makes me want to cry, almost, because these are my kids.”

She and her husband called other pharmacies looking for medicines to soothe the girl and couldn’t find any guaranteed availability.

“When they’re sick, there’s only so much that loving on them and cuddling with them you can do. So when there’s no medicine or something that you can give them … it’s hard,” Moriarty said.

Feeling powerless, the couple gave up and cautiously shared their younger child’s more concentrated medicine with the older one, which seemed to help. Just as they began to relax, their little boy came home from day care with a fever. Moriarty plans to schedule an appointment with his pediatrician for treatment — and samples to take home.

The ordeal reminded her of the height of the pandemic when supply chain problems left consumers scrambling for toilet paper and other basics.

Generic varieties play a large role in the market for over-the-counter comfort drugs, and that industry runs on profit margins so lean that companies typically lack capacity to boost production on short notice, according to supply chain experts. That left shelves bare during the early days of the pandemic.

The same dynamic is playing out now as RSV, flu and the coronavirus hit simultaneously, prompting sporadic shortages of commonly used ibuprofen and Tylenol at some hospitals and retail stores.

The extent of those shortages isn’t clear. The Food and Drug Administration hasn’t reported any shortages of fever or pain medications. Drugmakers, pharmacists and industry organizations say there aren’t any constraints to manufacturing and expect supplies to rebound within weeks.

The University of Utah’s Drug Information Service, which tracks drug shortages, received its first report of a shortage of liquid ibuprofen — generally for children — on Monday, and quickly confirmed it with several manufacturers. Most of the drugs tracked by the service are purchased in large quantities by hospitals, but some formulations had over-the-counter labels. Erin Fox, the service’s director, said it was impossible to know how widespread retail shortages were given the variety of store-branded versions.

“There are definitely distribution and supply chain problems that still exist,” she said, such as a company not being able to hire enough drivers. “These shortages seem to be mostly a demand spike and should resolve relatively quickly,” she added.

Until then, both chain stores and independent pharmacies are dealing with the unpredictability of high demand and uncertain supplies.

Martin McCarthy struck out at 5 p.m. Wednesday when he stopped by Brookville Pharmacy in Chevy Chase, Md., looking for liquid Motrin for his 10-year-old son, who probably picked up a bug at school.

The pharmacy’s stock of children’s fever reducers was depleted after two busy weeks of parents and grandparents stopping in to buy Tylenol or Motrin for little ones suffering from colds, RSV, flu and other viruses.

By Wednesday evening, only three boxes of generic ibuprofen chewables, two boxes of generic acetaminophen chewables and six boxes of suppository acetaminophen remained. Other parents peeked down the aisle looking for liquid fever reducer and fever reducer for children younger than 3, only to leave empty-handed.

McCarthy scanned the cold-medicine aisle for a few minutes and called home to confirm that his son would tolerate grape-flavored chewable tablets instead of the liquid Motrin he was used to.

“It is surprising because it’s basically completely out,” he said. “And it’s just generic.”

A spokeswoman for Walgreens said McCarthy’s experience is typical. Even if their usual choice of medication is unavailable because of high demand, parents can usually find an alternative.

“Although demand for pediatric OTC medications have increased, Walgreens is prepared and able to continue meeting the needs of our customers and patients. We are working with our diverse set of suppliers and distributors to ensure our patients have the products they need most,” Walgreen spokeswoman Zoe Krey said in a statement.

Martha Welman, a pediatrician and medical director at Neighborhood Health, a primary care provider serving low-income and underinsured patients in Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax, said staff will sometimes call pharmacies to find medicines for patients — a time-consuming process at a busy time.

“If it’s between helping someone find a medicine or seeing a sick child, we have to make that choice. We’re all kind of compromising right now,” she said.

Perrigo, an Ireland-based manufacturer of over-the-counter products, said “shortages are occurring in a number of markets we supply” because of high demand. The company has increased production of medications for fever and pain by 46 percent through October compared with a year ago, and increased shipments by a similar rate.

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association, which represents companies making over-the-counter drugs, said parts of the country are seeing a rise in pediatric illnesses but that there aren’t “overall widespread shortages here in the United States” of children’s pain relievers.

“We understand it might be frustrating for some parents who are unable to quickly locate these products from their usual pharmacy or retailer due to limited out-of-stocks in some stores,” the association said in a statement, but it emphasized the importance of calling around for medications and not hoarding, which could lead to widespread shortages.

Elizabeth Murray, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester, N.Y., said from the bed shortage to overflowing emergency rooms, the last thing parents need is another hurdle. But until the early and aggressive onset of respiratory illness abates, health-care providers and parents have no choice but to ride it out together.

“Everyone would like to have one thing to blame and there isn’t one thing to blame,” she said. “This is happening for a variety of reasons and we’re going to move through it and we’re going to be okay.”

[alpacinogirlfriendofficial]

walmart version of justin bieber? aww. I wish I could tell you what they sell at walmart but I've never been there. never shopped at walmart. but you seem like a walmart expert. you probably shop there dont you?

[theygender]

This tweet is entirely speculation. Please remember to look for sources and be mindful of the fact that many social media sites reward inflammatory posts that misrepresent the truth because anger = more interaction

Here's Walmart's official announcement of new electronic price stickers being rolled out in select stores:

As you'll notice, there's no mention of surge pricing. The new stickers are intended to reduce waste and make the employees' jobs more efficient. Price changes should still function the same way, it'll just take the employees less time, reduce the chance of mistakes, and keep them from having to print and throw away hundreds to thousands of little paper slips every time prices are updated

The article the tweet seems to be referencing is here:

This article is NOT based on any communication from Walmart but instead on the opinion of a "grocery industry analyst," Phil Lempert, who—as stated above—is not affiliated with Walmart in any way

Looking Phil Lempert up, I'm actually kind of confused about why NPR asked for his opinion at all. According to his Wikipedia article, Lempert is a self described "supermarket guru" whose degree is in... package design. He used to be a life coach for baby boomers but now he runs several podcasts and has his own website at supermarketguru.com where his primary job function is apparently putting together a weekly "new product hit and miss" listicle. It also seems that the only experience he has actually working in the grocery industry is with the "virtual supermarket" he created in the video game Second Life. This does not seem to be a man who's qualified to make predictions on what Walmart will do with their business. Why are we listening to a random podcast bro who runs a digital store in a video game that's mostly known for its porn? This seems more like a statement of what he would do if he was in Walmart's shoes, but luckily for us he's not even affiliated with them

Also luckily for us, the other expert cited in the same article, Santiago Gallino, a professor of retail management at the top-rated business school the University of Pennsylvania (who I imagine would be much more well-versed in this sort of thing than a former-life-coach-turned-podcaster), says that he thinks it's very unlikely that these digital price stickers will be used for surge pricing:

Also, as pointed out multiple times in the notes, changing the price of an item from the time you pick it up to the time you get to the register could be illegal in many cases. Walmart currently performs price changes while the store is closed, and there's no indication of that changing with the switch from paper to digital stickers. I'm not saying it's impossible—I can't predict the future—but there are no indications that the company has any plans to do this

If this DOES happen, then please contact the Walmart customer service number to report it and file a complaint as described above. But please be respectful of the associates on the line, they don't have any control over company policies or the actions of random stores and the only difference between them and a customer service rep you would see in person at your local Walmart is that they have a process to submit your complaint to corporate. And please don't call in to complain about it unless it actually does occur. If you call a customer service line to berate some underpaid employee about something that isn't even happening just because you believe everything you read on social media that would be very Karen-like behavior

It's good to be on the lookout for these kinds of things. Corporations are constantly trying to find new ways to squeeze money out of us, so it's understandable to be wary. But be careful not to fall for internet rage bait, and please don't take your anger out on random working class employees

[yourgamemasterthewhiterabbit]

No but really I spent the last 4 days trying to get my spine to un-swell, and then yesterday I did what I thought was a 'short' walk to drop off the mail and buy some stuff and that RUINED my calf muscle entirely somehow, and the walk was longer than I thought... and I woke up today barely able to walk, but I had to walk over 2 and a half hours to make my appointment today and drop off a USB to get some medical records...

And I'm not even next day stiff and sore yet, but oh fuck I do not think I will be able to move.

All I did was a bit of light cleaning and some walking... But like, also I should not be doing 20 minutes of walking at once, let alone hours of it. I can feel the swelling and stiffness developing in my spine and legs and even my arms, so bad.

My left bicep keeps cramping up for no good reason at all, and now I just used my right arm to take some of my walking weight enough to get blisters on that hand.

I can't even switch hands when using my cane because my left wrist is so messed up inside. Multiple cysts and the larger fluid filled something that at least isn't cancer, confirmed. But something is just tearing apart the connective tissue in my left wrist specifically.

So they say the IUD is in a good place but I have a cyst on my right ovary again. That explains the recent pain in my right ovary. None of that explains the iud strings going missing or the bleeding every time I have an orgasm, but nothing is like *wrong*TM, so whatever, I don'te care. Maybe my muscles are just contracting hard enough to press vascular tissue against the plastic of the iud or something? They don't care enough to investigate and I'm to tired to care if it isn't serious.

I literally don't care about the pain, I just don't want cancer or permanent damage.

She says she'll ask for me about whether they'd operate on my wrist with only local anesthetic. She would NOT fucking let me see my usual dermatologist about the skin things I am worried about but says I can see the one at their clinic and they can freeze things off for me. I want them surgically removed and biopsied, really, but she just will not leave that up top my usual dermatologist. She is a nurse but she is gatekeeping me seeing the actual expert. I scheduled that for over a month from now because I will not go in later than 9 am and I will not be able to walk for a while.

They're about to not be my doctor's office soon anyway, one way or another, I needed to find a new family doctor regardless. Maybe one a bit fucking closer. idk...

Anyway,

I think I saved my right ankle from the worst of the walking consequences, but I still don't know if I'll be able to walk or move around much by tomorrow.

I don't know why I am in so much extra pain even compared to my usual levels and even for this level of activity.

Maybe it's the one change I made before the vitamin... For the past week and a half I have been having a lot of lactose in the sweetened condensed milk, because I am out of cream. The level of iodine seemed to be fine so far, but I was wondering why I wasn't reacting more strongly to the lactose. The digestive reaction has been weirdly minimal and it's full of extra added lactose as the sugar that's added to it. Maybe it's having other full body effects? I have no clue.

Did you know that walmart sells fucking wheelchairs on their online store? You can just fucking buy those.

If I keep having pain weeks like this I am going to start considering it. Just trying to hold my cane and the umbrella for shade today made it so I couldn't give either arm any kind of break, I still went half blind from the sun, and I can't really stop walking to rest because the change in position in my muscles and joints hurts worse somehow. I can't fucking walk or see anything and this city isn't even particularly walkable. There's also some big ass hills going on and the only way around them makes your walk like way longer. No fucking benches, and certainly none in any measure of shade.

Anyway I need a nap T~T

[triplendeja]

walmart version of gojo satoru? awww, i wish i could tell you what they sell at walmart but i've never been there, never shopped at walmart, but you seem like... a walmart expert, you probably shop there don't you?

[notaplaceofhonour]

So, I’m by no means an expert on knitting & crochet (I have never knitted or crocheted a single thing in my life), but something about the claim being made here just didn’t make sense, so I looked into it. Obviously the idea that companies would lie, cut corners, or use un(der)paid labor for profit is entirely believable—it happens all the time—but something about the idea of companies going out of their way to justify selling a product for less money seems… counterintuitive at best?

It’s a plot that banks on the average consumer a) knowing what crochet should cost, b) refusing to buy it because it’s cheaper than they expect instead of seeing as a great value, and c) greedy companies purposefully devaluing their product to justify selling it for less rather than just raising prices to get a higher profit margin. Not saying that can’t happen, or that big companies never do anything illogical or short-sighted in pursuit of short-term profit increases, but it seems a little far fetched, and I’d need considerably more proof that that’s what’s happening beyond a garment simply being labeled “machine crocheted”.

But actually looking into it, I found a few things:

There actually are machines specifically designed to mimic crochet patterns. Maybe it doesn’t count as “true” crochet from a purist perspective, but to the average consumer, that’s not really a distinction they’re going to know or care about as long as it resembles crochet.

Knitting machines can make granny squares. According to users on r/crochet, there are several tells that show these “machine crocheted” granny square vests are knitted, and I was able to find videos of people making granny “squares” (technically hexagons, presumably due to the circular shape of the machine) with a fairly affordable knitting machine, as well as (actually square) granny square sweater patterns for knitting machines.

Most of the “machine crocheted” granny square garments I could find online were actually closer to $30 than $14, but that’s a very specific number, and after a little bit more digging I found a tiktok with basically the same narrative op was going off of that showed a $14 granny square garment at Walmart. All I can say about that is, if you’re already buying clothes from Walmart, the $5 t-shirt isn’t any less likely to be made by underpaid labor. It seems weird to make it about specifically the machine-knitted “crochet” garments.

There’s no reason for companies that mass-produce clothing to take like 15 hours to make a single vest when automated knitting machines exist. The earlier examples of crochet style on knitting machines are just using low-end ones marketed at hobbyists; the kinds of industrial knitting machines—such as those from Cixing or Steiger, or even Kniterate—that would be used to mass-produce garments at scale for big box stores are actually mostly automated & significantly more sophisticated than the little $30-500 knitting machines you can buy on Amazon. There’s still some work that goes into them, like changing out spools and whatnot, but they appear to work a bit more like 3D printers.

All of that taken into account, it seems like a rather large leap in logic to go from “Walmart is selling a $14 ‘machine-crocheted’ garment” to “this was hand-crocheted by slaves in a Victorian workhouse who are being paid less than $0.50 an hour” with no further evidence. It makes sense that it would be believable—again, obviously sweatshops exist & there are companies that underpay or withhold pay all the time. It confirms beliefs we already have about the world & the feelings of injustice we experience; in a way, it actually makes us feel good to be outraged about it—we feel vindicated. It just doesn’t follow from the information given here in this case.

And in terms of fast fashion, it seems like rather selective outrage to pick on the “machine crocheted” items, and far-fetched to spin out an entire narrative about companies trying to “trick” consumers into thinking an entire technology exists, all so they can cover up what is already fairly common knowledge about fast fashion, based on an inconsistency that most people wouldn’t know if they weren’t super into crocheting, just so they can undervalue their own products.

Ockham’s razor tells me it’s more likely that the mass-produced “machine crocheted” granny square garments were just made with industrial knitting machines.

Apparently, some companies now are labeling mass-produced crochet items with "machine crocheted" to justify selling an entire granny square vest for 14 bucks.

1. Machines cannot crochet.

2. Knitting machines, to my knowledge, cannot make granny squares.

3. Even if there was a machine that could crochet, 14 bucks for an entire fucking vest is still too low to be paying people a livable wage basically anywhere in the world.

4. It takes me, a very fast crocheter, about twenty minutes to make one granny square in a single color with five rows. Multi-color granny squares take more time. I'll say 30 minutes. Next time you see a granny square anything in a big box store, count one row of squares and multiply by 20 (for single color squares) or 30 (multicolor squares). Then consider that it's skilled labor which should have an hourly wage you can live on. Then look at the price tag. This is Victorian piece work poor shit going on.

[intersectingparadigms]

Hi

I saw one of your posts about forensics and how you dropped out because of the inaccuracies in the science. (Understatement of the year, but I think u get what I mean)

I'm thinking about taking forensics in college, but this made me rethink that decision because, as much as I hate inconclusiveness, I still have this genuine interest in it.

So I was wondering if you could give me advice or just shed a light on how it would look like to go down that road.

Hello!

It may seem interesting and like something thrilling, but I promise it's not. It's the modern-day equivalent of phrenology if not the exact same thing.

The professors, videos, and books will do lots to enforce the idea that this is backed up by science, studies, research, but if you look into the research it's often flimsy or misconstrued. Most of it is funded by law enforcement groups - you do a lot of interaction with law enforcement in this field btw, it is a type of law enforcement and it is inherently violent - and very little of the lessons were devoted to false positives, or whole areas of forensics being based on nothing but lies.

Most courtrooms will accept forensics as a bulletproof, undeniable science instead of a developing field that turned out to be heaps of bullshit all the way down.

I had real faith I could make a change, do something good, I maybe watched too much TV and thought I could make a difference. The show that inspired me was Unsolved Mysteries, and a disappearance near me that never got solved decades earlier that impacted my mother personally (she knew the child that disappeared) which she insisted could have been solved if they had been able to do what we can today to the evidence that was collected at the site of disappearance. (Spoiler: it didn't solve shit)

For instance, bite mark identification is entirely made up but they will do a lot to reinforce how it's accurate. The very first case used to prove it was thrown out decades later because there was hard proof it was just racism at play, wanting to pin a black man for the crime. His teeth did not match, and it is extremely hard to "make a match" conclusively for ANYONE's teeth

Fingerprints are interpretive and more than one person can have the same fingerprint, they are not unique as previously thought.

Hair samples - look up Motherisk lab scandal or George Perrot scandal

Lots of crime labs are run no better than a high school chemistry lab and cross contamination is easy.

Saliva samples are so often contaminated as to be useless as prepared drinks like the ones at bars and pubs (where secret saliva samples are often taken) can often be from unclean glasses that can contain the saliva particles of many. If done with a swab it is slightly better but still not perfect.

There is nothing but cops and "forensic experts" coming in to give speeches about how to do things and catch people and after the 2020 protests and a speech from a cop that was talking about the cameras they have that could track someone based on walking gait (these are all over stadiums, airports, anywhere high security with large crowds, even Walmart tested them out) and single them out in a crowd of thousands, I thought, this is no good. Because the tech kept messing up, and he would slide right past it as if the live feed wasn't doing that.

It was my ACAB moment when he went on about how it could be used to track terrorists, and how you can tell a terrorist based on how they walk, look around etc. But a lot of the traits were traits neurodivergent people had, for example one he said touching your fingers together and interlocking them or rubbing the knuckles of each finger was a sign of nervousness, but I looked down and I was doing that, it was a stim.

I sat there, thought, this is training cops to pretend they're smarter than they really are, none of this is true, you look at the studies and you see how easy it was to confirm their bias.

I would rather be on the side of racial and social justice than ever work with law enforcement to take down innocents with bullshit

[dishtothedeath]

MAPS | MALWART

Back to Maps

Malwart: The World’s Megastore™

Dish to the Death’s first official sponsorship with the world’s fastest growing Megastore - Malwart™!  This is a supermarket, a huge building with various departments inside. Malwart™ at its core, however, is a grocery store. Assured quality products at your convenience - if for some reason your kitchen or pantry is lacking in ingredients, you can head on down to Malwart for groceries. 

Not only are you spoiled for choice for food and produce, but there are aisles dedicated to healthcare, toiletries, and beauty! Running out of your favourite clown make-up? Are your roots showing or just fancy a new hair colour altogether? Need some more sunscreen after all that time on the beach? Malwart™  has got you. 

Have you ever been to a store after 12am? This Walmart seems to have those vibes no matter what time of day it actually is. To say that this store is unsettling is… an understatement. Aside from the outdated pop music echoing around the giant store, you could swear you saw a shadow stocking the shelves, or a shopping cart suddenly rolling away down an aisle all on its own. Anything that’s spilled is mysteriously cleaned up 5 minutes later. The pricing labels are prone to glitch and warp sometimes as you read them. 

Maybe it’s best not to browse here for too long…

Anyways, while you do not need money to purchase items, it is heavily encouraged to use the self checkouts towards the exit. Mostly for the viewers’ curiosity… and to keep track of stock demands, of course.

BB’s Bakery and Café

Once you’ve entered the Grocery Store, to the immediate left you’ll find a Hole in the Wall style Café. It’s cosy and cute and decorated like it was on a Parisian street. The smell of freshly baked bread and roasted coffee beans hits your nose the moment you step through its door. Of course, it's self-serve - but the kitchen is perfectly equipped for even the most expert of bakers, and a stunning barista station that can brew any beverage to the perfect flavour and temperature… if you know how to use it. 

There’s a handful of small tables for sipping your lattes inside, and through some patio doors, you’ll find a very small private garden. This garden will only seat a couple, with its table hosting two chairs, a forever-burning candle and a rose in the centre. How romantic!

The Deli

Located towards the back of Malwart™, the Deli can be found. The freshest cuts of meat (both real and faux!) can be found here. You can choose from a pre-cut selection done by automated machines, or try a hand at it yourself! There’s a professional meat slicer, so many knives, and even a salad bar—gotta have some greens with that meat.

Malwart ™ is not responsible for any injuries, illnesses, or death should you cut your own meat.

Warehouse

Attached to the very back of the megastore, the Warehouse is a very large and spacious place. It’s easy to get lost, as all the aisles look the same, with the occasional flickering light. You know the show can afford decent electrics, so it's assumed the flickering is done for ambience. 

Since Malwart ™ isn’t staffed with actual people, the Warehouse is eerily empty and almost non-functioning. There’s a forklift parked in the middle of one of the aisles, but the keys are nowhere to be found unless you’re forklift certified, which is probably for the best. It’s heavy machinery! Speaking of, there’s also an industrial trash compactor back here, too. 

In the hours of the early morning, there is a rare chance you may catch robots scurrying around doing their stock fulfilment duties. Just… you’re not sure where they get their goods from. Is it delivered by sea? By air? By secret tunnel? (SECRET TUNNEL!) Who’s to say…

Breakroom

Connected to a corridor from the Warehouse, you can find yourself in the Breakroom! Not like there’s any cashiers or anything to take a break, so it’s free for you to use. There’s several well-stocked vending machines for snacks and drinks, tables and chairs for sitting or whatever else you do with them, and even a pool table to smack some balls around. It looks like someone has been playing tic-tac-toe on the whiteboard mounted on the wall.

There’s an old stereo—do any of you young’n’s know how to use it? Many tapes feature Toppin’ Pop Hits from the 80s to 90s. Maybe even some early 00s. Get your boogie on… if you manage to get the stereo playing, that is.

Security

Malwart ™ takes its security very seriously, even on an island that only hosts 18 people! Well, less now but – You can find the security room just opposite of the Breakroom. It’s a very small box room, with a desk, a defunct computer and many monitors. The technology seems to be retro purely for aesthetic’s sake. 

And yes, the cameras and monitors work. You can watch the goings on of all of Malwart ™ (and only Malwart™) from these monitors, as each location has its own screen that periodically cycles through the different cameras. 

Every once in a while, you could swear you see unfamiliar figures in the footage walking down the aisles, but you know that no one else is on this island besides you… right?

Parking Lot

Following the corridor from the Warehouse, past the Breakroom and Security office, you’ll find yourself outside in an obsolete parking lot. Like, really, what was the point of building this? Who has cars on an island? It’s totally empty.

Oh well, there’s plenty of space to race around in the Malwart™ shopping carts if you so desire. Maybe set up a course with the traffic cones left around the place. It seems like a makeshift basketball hoop has been put up on one of the lamp posts. Surely you can keep yourself entertained out there if you need to.

[atlanticcanada]

Battle for bargains: Shoppers hunt for deals as inflation continues to bite

A day after Loblaws' price-freeze on No Name products ended, some experts are warning retailers that consumers won't hesitate to find new places to shop if prices are better.

Lineups have become common outside the Gateway Meat Market in Dartmouth, N.S., especially on weekends.

Famous for lost leaders, the local market has honed a reputation with bargain hunters and some people are even willing to travel to get there.

Jennifer Harten drove from Rawdon, N.S., which is an hour away from the market.

"They had significant savings here compared to some of the other stores," Harten told CTV News on Sunday. "So, I'm just here to stock up on some of the things they have on sale."

"Prices are getting ridiculous in grocery stores," said Alessandra Naccarato. "I'm a student, so to be able to afford food, it's better to come where there's good deals, and I saw it online so I came here."

It's not just grocery prices that keep going up. It seems everywhere people are turning, they're paying more.

The December inflation rate sailed in at 6.3 per cent, slightly lower than what analysts were expecting, but still painful for those struggling to get by.

"There definitely have been some retailers who've been taking advantage of this situation to raise their prices to pad their profits," said retail analyst Bruce Winder.

"[But] having said that, there's also a lot of retailers who aren't able to raise the costs needed to cover their new, higher input costs, so it's going to be across the board," said Winder, adding retailers often find inventive ways to keep customers.

"Some of them create value products or value product lines. So, they come up with sort of a de-spect or lower-specification version of the products. Maybe it's smaller - you've heard of 'shrinkflation' - to try to keep prices intact while still doing volume," he said.

"And, what happens though, is consumers change their mix in terms of who they shop at. So, maybe if they shopped a little more at Walmart, now they're shopping at Dollarama or Dollar Tree."

And shoppers are looking for other ways to save.

Kat Cassidy has built a couponing empire on social media platforms, with117,000 followers on Instagram alone.

"I really think Canadians are looking for ways to start being a little bit more savvy with their money, and really stretch their dollar as we hit record high inflation, especially when it comes to those everyday items, such as groceries," said Cassidy, who took up couponing as a hobby a decade ago.

"I'm very thankful to be able to reach so many people and try and help them. Giving them the tips and tricks to start saving money, but at the end of the day, it does come down to the individual. How much you save depends on the time and effort that you want to put into something. I always say, couponing can be a fun hobby, but it also has that financial reward as well."

Cassidy, who also provides content on Facebook and YouTube, has a full-time job outside of couponing, and notes deals can be significantly different in different regions of the country.

"In Ontario, we sometimes see some of the lower prices, compared to out west or the Maritimes, sometimes pricing is a little bit inflated. Just the cost of goods are more. But, also it really comes down to, 'What stores do you have in your area?'" she said.

"A lot of Canadians are struggling right now, especially with inflation on everyday items like groceries. But, when you go online and you're looking at other creators or couponers who are doing the same thing as you, don't be afraid to ask questions and start learning, because at the end of the day, we're all really just here to help each other and try to get through this as much as we can."

Back at the Gateway Meat Market, Naccarato was pleased with her purchases, totalling around $140.

"I go to Walmart, and it's like four things and it's $50. And come here and support local, and actually get enough food for the week," she said. "It was definitely packed."

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/hQIX2TP