I Shopped Different Groceries To Compare Prices

Shopping for groceries has a political aspect just as all shopping does. I don't know what the situation in America is, but in Britain, the political parties rely very much on donations from big business. That includes the supermarket chains. I try as best I can to use British shops, not those taken over by foreigners. I no longer shop at Asda. A small supermarket chain has a store near me and I do a lot of my shopping there. They support local businesses, stocking local cheese, yogurt and bakery products; they also employ people from the local area.
I no longer buy Cadbury's chocolate, but buy from the small British manufacturers. Incidently, their products are much better quality and not laden with sugar.
It's a great pity that more people don't have the same attitude!
 

Lavinia said:
Shopping for groceries has a political aspect just as all shopping does. I don't know what the situation in America is, but in Britain, the political parties rely very much on donations from big business. That includes the supermarket chains. I try as best I can to use British shops, not those taken over by foreigners. I no longer shop at Asda. A small supermarket chain has a store near me and I do a lot of my shopping there. They support local businesses, stocking local cheese, yogurt and bakery products; they also employ people from the local area.
I no longer buy Cadbury's chocolate, but buy from the small British manufacturers. Incidentally, their products are much better quality and not laden with sugar.
It's a great pity that more people don't have the same attitude!
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I love my local bulk food store. I buy all of my pantry items from her. She carries organic & less-processed packaged goods than any chain & supports Mom & Pop manufacturers. Her little shop has expanded several times, but it's still quaint & inviting. She added baked goods, frozen meat & in summer produce.

Sadly, our local butcher shop switched to using cryovac meats rather than butcher themselves. Lack of people wanting to work was the reason. They had a great bakery, but because of people not wanting to work again, it was closed. I try to support them too over the chain stores when I need meat. I believe in keeping local businesses & people employed first.
 
NorthernLight said:
Yes, check for sales, and stock up.

One store here has a member discount card. You only get the sale price if you have a card. BIG savings.

Good luck to all.
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Kroger has a card...we save a lot by buying the Kroger house brands and they are just as good as the brand names...hey, probably Kraft makes Kroger cheeses anyway...lol. And hub just got 80 cents off per gal. on gas.
 

In the 1960s, my mom, on Sat. morning, would shop 4 grocery stores, Back then it was the A&P, etc.. She'd get 1 cent off something in one store and not in another. Today, I eat my favorite frozen dinner each nite. It doesn't matter where I buy it, it's $3.57. Strangely the "dollars" store carry it, but it's a dollar more. I guess that's why the called them "dollar" stores?
 
Store brands (at times) can save, but be aware. Like I shopped "mixed vegetables canned" at Walmart, Winco, Kroger and Safeway. Walmart won with small half sized cans. Priced higher, but that's the rub.

Kroger & Safeway were good, but no half sizes. Then Winco. Damn, very heavy potato and carrots and a green bean or pea. I kid you not. That's NOT getting your moneys worth.

So it really does require us to watch for value and yes, we'll have to make do with what we get.
 
My weekly shopping is first at a store that specializes in produce then Aldi (about a mile away). Costco is also nearby, but I usually that on a different day. There's one other grocery/restaurant supply store I go to roughly once a month for certain items that nobody else carries, like 2 Gallon Ziplock freezer bags).

DH loves going to Trader Joe's and generally hits there for a few favorite items every 2-3 weeks.
 
For most items, if something I plan to buy is much too expensive, I either substitute something else or do without.
My #1 gripe, though, is bathroom tissue- not only have prices skyrocketed since covid started, it's extremely poor quality, and that goes for name-brands too, not just store-brands.
I've shopped at two stores within a popular chain called Hy-Vee, a convenience store, Target, and Amazon.. and while stores are outrageously expensive and Amazon is with its shipping fees, the quality isn't much better than what I bought a couple of times at Dollar Tree. (Unfortunately Dollar Tree was difficult to get to, and not sure if there's one in new town I moved to.)

At the risk of sounding dramatic, I think the companies are robbers- they know it's an item people need, so they can get away with selling below-substandard products and charge whatever they want.
 
StarSong said:
My weekly shopping is first at a store that specializes in produce then Aldi (about a mile away). Costco is also nearby, but I usually that on a different day. There's one other grocery/restaurant supply store I go to roughly once a month for certain items that nobody else carries, like 2 Gallon Ziplock freezer bags).

DH loves going to Trader Joe's and generally hits there for a few favorite items every 2-3 weeks.
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Love 2 gal zip locks. I find them at the local Gordon Food Service (GFS) that supplies restaurants and the public. They work great when we cure pork belly for homemade bacon.
 
JaniceM said:
For most items, if something I plan to buy is much too expensive, I either substitute something else or do without.
My #1 gripe, though, is bathroom tissue- not only have prices skyrocketed since covid started, it's extremely poor quality, and that goes for name-brands too, not just store-brands.
I've shopped at two stores within a popular chain called Hy-Vee, a convenience store, Target, and Amazon.. and while stores are outrageously expensive and Amazon is with its shipping fees, the quality isn't much better than what I bought a couple of times at Dollar Tree. (Unfortunately Dollar Tree was difficult to get to, and not sure if there's one in new town I moved to.)

At the risk of sounding dramatic, I think the companies are robbers- they know it's an item people need, so they can get away with selling below-substandard products and charge whatever they want.
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I have switched to the Aldi TP. I tried them all in smaller packs and found one we liked. It was as good as the Angel Soft we used to buy.
 
There is very little competition in my area as most stores are owned either by Safeway or Kroger. If the merger goes through, I fear even higher prices. There is a Walmart Supermarket in the area but it is quite a bit farther away. However, their prices are definetly cheaper. I may need to start a monthly trip to Walmart to defend my wallet. I already have two shopping lists - Kroger store and Costco. I may need a 3rd shopping list.

Edited to add: There are other super markets in the area but they a local 'botique' stores that charge even higher prices. I might to there to find something like fresh pygmy goat cheese.

Amazon sells a number of items for less than Kroger's stores and Amazon includes the free delivery! I may have to have a 4th shopping list for Amazon. At least I don't have to drive there.
 
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Lilac said:
I have switched to the Aldi TP. I tried them all in smaller packs and found one we liked. It was as good as the Angel Soft we used to buy.
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Now that you mention it, when I was getting groceries delivered from Aldi's "TP" was often on my list and it did last a reasonable length of time at a reasonable cost.
I'll have to check and see where the nearest one is to my current location.
Thanks!!!
 

I Shopped Different Groceries To Compare Prices​


My woman has done this for years...decades
She knows prices
Heh, when the pandemic hit and prices jumped overnight, she'd shop and say 'I'll NEVER pay THAT price EVER!'
Told her.....'no, you won't.....if you wait'

Now
she gets the best buys
Still holding tough at $30/wk (food only...no toiletries)
Eating out of the garden/freezer/pantry has kept things reasonable
Gets tricky when 'reasonable' is no longer reasonable


StarSong said:
There's one other grocery/restaurant supply store I go to roughly once a month for certain items that nobody else carries, like 2 Gallon Ziplock freezer bags).
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Yeah, we have one that's called US Chef or something
Their over all prices aren't all that great, but their boxes of TP can't be beat
96 (500sht 2 ply) rolls for less than $50
 
@Gary O', grocery prices stick in my mind, too. I'm aghast sometimes at the slow creeps and sudden jumps in prices. Fortunately, they haven't skyrocketed beyond my ability to pay, but know they're beyond the reach of an increasing number of people. It's a worldwide problem.

I spend a lot more than $30 a week on groceries. Don't know how your wife manages to keep food in you plus maintain freezer and pantry stock for that amount. Even with a garden.

As you already know, and for reasons looming larger than this one, your woman is a keeper!!!
 
StarSong said:
I spend a lot more than $30 a week on groceries. Don't know how your wife manages to keep food in you plus maintain freezer and pantry stock for that amount. Even with a garden.
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I really don't know either
I keep trying to ply her with a couple more twenties, but no.
It's become quite the challenge to her
The grocery bags are getting fewer and smaller
There will come a time
But 'not yet, no not yet'
We did spend a few hundred to refill the pantries and freezers a year or so ago
And there's a dent here or there
But, for the most part, we're flush
We have rather large bins (sealed bins) of rice, flour, beans, sugar.
Haven't noticed any real changes in elect bill due to baking, cooking
And I went nuts on Coffee our last trip over the mountain to Costco
(Coffee is not considered a food item)
I do spring for Adams peanut butter outa the main budget
She's given to just buy cheaper peanut paste glop.....I can't....won't
The garden has been the game changer
 
Chet said:
They are high everywhere. I thought I might be getting gauged at my usual grocer, but no. The one I went to today was actually higher and the one last week was about the same as my usual one. Aldi is overall the cheapest but even their prices rose as well. Looks like we just have to suck it up and check for sales.
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Morning chick I know what you're talking about I just moved down here from Klamath Falls Oregon in the California but it depends on the gas different states to Oregon was outrageously priced California is a lot cheaper. Hope you have a good day bye now. Post
 
Butter here is usually $5.99 a lb. at the local grocery.
Two years ago, right before Thanksgiving, it dropped to $1.99 a lb., so I stocked up.
Last year that went to $2.49, so I stocked up again.
This year, it went to $2.99 a lb., again just before Thanksgiving
so I always get enough to last a year.
It will keep going up and up. At least I'm saving a little.
 
Bob’s nutritional yeast was $10 when I bought it at Walmart a couple of weeks ago. Today it was $7.49 regular price at another store. Drives me crazy.
 
Surprisingly our neighborhood supermarket which is a smaller subsidiary of a large supermarket chain has better prices than the large one. I usually shop sales and have found that I love most of their store brand and affiliate brand products, which saves me, sometimes over a dollar on each purchase. Then there's Costco...huge savings on many products, but not on all things, so obviously I don't purchase those items there. Walmart also has good prices on some of the groceries we purchase. I like some of their store brand products as well (Great Value and Equate).

It's good that you're shopping around but not so good if you're using lots of gas going from place to place...unless you are grouping your errands.
 

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