Their motto is save money, live better. But Walmart may not always be the better choice. Some companies can deliver better products, and better prices. Contact 13 looks at 7 items to avoid during your next visit.
"Don't go to Walmart," says one shopper.
If you're looking for the best price available, some shoppers say:
"Always comparison shop," says another shopper.
"My go to is Amazon," says a different shopper.
The website Cheat Sheet says depending on what you're buying, Walmart may not be the best option. So what purchases, should to avoid?
Number 1, store-brand supplements. New York's Attorney General looked at herbal supplements from Walmart, Target, Walgreen's, and GNC. They found some of them didn't actually have the ingredients listed on the label. And Walmart was the worst offender in the group.
Number 2, prepaid cell phones. Walmart sells Straight Talk. And according to tech review site Tom's Guide, it's the worst phone carrier in the country, providing the slowest high-speed data.
Number 3, tech accessories. These items are usually overpriced at Walmart.
"Great places are Marshalls, TJ Maxx. They have a ton of tech accessories," says local super shopper, Channelle Beller.
She also recommends shopping at online stores like Amazon and New Egg.
Number 4 on our list, batteries.
"We go through a lot of batteries and the best place, the best deal, whether you buy name brand or the knockoffs is Costco," says Beller.
Consumer Reports says Costco's Kirkland brand AA batteries are the best deal, and the only brand to earn the "Best Buy" check mark.
Number 5, wrapping paper. Unless it's on sale, get your paper, gift bags and bows at the dollar store. Some places like Dollar Tree have a great selection.
Number 6, magazines. It's a case of simple math. The average magazine will cost you about $6. But for just $10 to $12, you can usually get every issue of the same magazine for an entire year.
And number 7, gift cards. You can actually find better deals online.
"I get gift cards every year that are for places I don't like. So you can go to sites and basically resell them," says Beller.
She suggests buying gift cards on discount sites like Card Cash and Raise. You can also get them for less, at Costco or Sam's Club.
In the end, whatever you're buying, Beller recommends not only considering the cost, but the quality.
"You get what you pay for more often than not," says Beller.
