I did a little online surfing and checked out the websites of my local grocery stores: Pick 'N Save, Trader Joe's, Save a Lot, Sendik's, and Aldi. A few of the stores put their weekly fliers online and I was amazed how widely the prices vary from store to store on similar items. At one store, bananas were "On Sale!" at 49cents per pound, while another store boasted an "Everyday Value" of 39cents. The baby carrots that I thought were a deal at a dollar a bag are half that price at Aldi. Walgreens sells eggs for 50cents less than a grocery store's sale price. I don't really care whether my bananas say Chiquita or Dole, fruit is fruit, carrots are carrots, and eggs are eggs. I'm starting to understand and accept: don't judge a store by it's logo, location, or clientele. Sales are sales and sometimes, the best sales are at unfamilliar stores. I'm not a snob, I want cheap carrots. My family has shopped at Aldi since I was a kid; I used to defend "Dr. Sweet" as my favorite soda brand all over the playground.
I sent my husband to a store near his office; the area suffers considerable economic blight and the store is bare bones. They sell mostly generic brands, don't have grocery baggers, and a uniformed city police officer patrols the store. But what they do have are cheap prices. And, they reward customer loyalty better than other area stores. I signed up online and was instantly e-mailed a $5 off coupon on a future $25 purchase. That's 20% off groceries that are already less expensive than other stores! My dollar goes far at Save a Lot indeed! But I will be frank, I will not drive 8 miles each way with my children to shop at this store. I will happily send my husband who works a minute away.
So I guess my thought for today is this: if you want to save money, don't limit yourself to one store (even if they have cute bags or an apple pyramid.) If you drive past a store on a regular basis, stop in and check it out. You might be surprised by great savings. You don't have to be loyal to only one store. Grocery stores aren't your friends, they're not going to bring you chicken soup when you have a cold...but they'll happily sell it to you.
Here's what we ate today
Breakfast
- K Oatmeal and Coffee (at Starbucks)
- SC&G Omelet (4 Eggs, 2/3 Cup Cheese, 1Tbsp Margarine), leftover Cinnamon Roll
- C&G Milk
Total $3.57
Lunch
- SKC&G Grilled Cheese (1 Tbsp Margarine, 3 slices Bread, 1/2 Cup Cheese), leftover Beef Stew, Orange, Banana
- C&G Milk
Total $2.07
Snack
- G Milk and Cereal
Total $0.09
 |
| Our pizza. The Balsamic carmelized onions were amazing! |
- S&K Homemade Pizza (Boxed Crust, 1/2 cup Pasta Sauce, 1/4 Can Mushrooms, 4 oz Beef, 1/2 Cup Cheese, Caramelized Onions (2 Onions, 4Tbsp Olive Oil, 1Tbsp Balsamic vinegar), Spices)
- C&G Homemade Pizza (Boxed Crust, 1/4 Can Mushrooms, 3/4 Cup Cheese)
- Spices: Oregano, Garlic Powder, Salt, Pepper, 1 Tbsp. Flour, Vinegar (charged 50cents for spice use)
Total $4.86
Dessert
- C&G Cookies
- S Tapioca Pudding Cup
Total $0.52
Total Spend $11.02
Tomorrow, Blame it on the Rain (Check)
