Walmart vs. Target vs. United

I decided that I was not content to merely compare food prices at various stores (as seen here). What kind of nerd would I be, after all, if my spreadsheets didn't include toiletries? So, off to Walmart, Target, and United I went to satisfy my obsessive compulsion. Here is my random list of items selected for comparison:

Opti-Free contact lens solution 10 oz.
Extra strength Tylenol 100 count
Crest with Scope toothpaste 6.2 oz.
Charmin Ultra Strong TP 12 double rolls
Arid XX deodorant 2.7 oz.
Huggies size 4 82 count
Pantene shampoo 12.6 oz.
Clorox bleach 3 qt.
Tide liquid detergent with Downy 150 oz.
Cascade liquid dish detergent 75 oz.
Windex 32 oz.
Scrubbin' Bubbles bathroom cleaner 22 oz.
Resolve carpet cleaner 22 oz.
Gillette Mach 3 razors 15 count

If you buy every item on this list at Walmart, Target, and United here is what it would cost you:

Walmart: $122.88
Target: $123.78
United: $130.96

If you buy the generic version of every item that you can on this list, here is what it would cost you (Target carries no generic Resolve. United carries no generic Resolve or Scrubbin' Bubbles. So, I used the price from the name brand for each of these items. Also, there is no generic substitute used for Gillette Mach 3 razors at any store):

Walmart: $84.56
Target: $88.19
United: $99.15

The spreadsheet containing the detailed data can be found here: yeah a spreadsheet

Let's assume that the average American's time is worth 43 cents per minute (previously calculated here: Walmart vs. United).

Name Brand: If it takes you, Mr. Average American, more than 2 minutes and 5 seconds longer to buy these items (including drive time) at Walmart than it would at Target, Target would be cheaper (factoring in the cost of your time). The break even number is higher for United: you would have to spend more than 18 minutes and 47 seconds longer at Walmart than United to justify shopping at United for these items.

Generic: If it takes you more than 8 minutes and 26 seconds longer to buy these items (including drive time) at Walmart than it would at Target, Target would be cheaper (factoring in the cost of your time). The break even number is again higher for United: you would have to spend more than 33 minutes and 56 seconds longer at Walmart than United to justify shopping at United for these items.

Other overgeneralized observations: Young trendy people shop at Target. Old distinguished people shop at United. Hooligans, hippies, and people like me shop at Walmart. I think that 90% of Walmart shoppers give the other 10% of us a bad name.

So, there you have it. I hope that you find this life-changing information useful.