During my recent grocery run, I was tempted by the cashews but balked at the steep $20 price tag, ultimately deciding to leave them behind on the shelf.

My grocery bill finally dipped below $100, a milestone I haven’t hit in recent memory. Skipping the cashews was a strategic move that prevented the total from climbing by a fifth, leaving me feeling both financially savvy and satisfied.

Upon returning home, I discovered an email from Wal-Mart inquiring about my recent Lunchables purchase, seeking feedback on my shopping experience.

It seems a pattern these days: two or three emails a day. What business is it of theirs?

I haven’t consumed these yet, and I’m not particularly concerned about who knows. However, I prefer to maintain my personal space and dislike when others intrude on my privacy.

Despite my initial impulse to seek alternatives, the retail landscape offers limited options. With Walmart’s dominant market position, finding a comparable shopping destination proves challenging.

That means the alternative is to use cash, at the least, as much as possible. That way, if I buy Peter Pan instead Jiffy peanut butter, they won’t know it. Moreover, they won’t even ask me.

By the way, it’s usually Skippy. It was advertised by Annette Funicello.