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You took the words right outta my mouth
Whole Paycheck is even worse No reason to shop at either place.
A very large percentage of the food at TJ's is house brand. I like some of the food they have that's not available at other stores. That's a very good reason for me.
Location: where you sip the tea of the breasts of the spinsters of Utica
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Quote:
Originally Posted by believe007
Keep telling yourself that, as you get deceived into spending more than you should on groceries.
Quote:
Originally Posted by merv1225
I actually spend less on groceries at TJ's. Prices on most items are less than other grocery stores in the area.
I'd say in California and Seattle, TJs is cheaper than most chain supermarkets like Safeway, especially for some organic items. It only "deceives you into spending more" in the sense that you want to try all the oddball items instead of the same ol' same old. It's cheaper to shop at ordinary supermarkets if you are on a strict budget and eat only a few mainstream foods, and don't have any sense of adventure.
I love Wegmans supermarket. It blows TJ and WF out of the water. Everything they have is just as good or better and cheaper. They also have "regular" stuff your neighborhood grocery store has. It's like if they combined TJ and the local store into one. Everything has a section too. Kosher has a counter, seafood, bakery, cheese, deli, salads, Chinese, Indian, etc.
I've said it before and will again: there is no place quite like TJs. No, it isn't perfect and no, I couldn't do all my shopping there, but oh how I wish we had one. Even if they don't want to come to NWA (I am beginning to think it has to do with our liquor laws) if they would put one in Joplin, it would be a welcome treat. The reason I mention the liquor laws, I have asked 2 different managers at Aldi's why they do not sell wine and both times, the same answer: AR law requires anyplace selling wine, to carry at least some AR wine and the aldi's policy is to carry imported wines. I am guessing TJs has a similar policy. I know, they carry CA wine of course, but I can't imagine they would carry wine from our small vineyards here. When our entire state goes wet (hopefully in Nov) the laws may change.
We are off to NV for a week in Sept. One of the first things we will do when we land is have an IN&Out burger and then it is to TJ's. Before we leave we will return and buy a bunch of stuff to bring home including bread. I think their bread, for the $$ is the best. We will bring home a few bottles of wine I am sure, but mostly non parishables that we love.
Keep telling yourself that, as you get deceived into spending more than you should on groceries.
I have heard people declaring stuff like this many times on the internet, and it makes me wonder how much time they're actually spent in a Trader Joe's. If you go to a TJ's and decide to buy a bunch of fancy frozen prepared stuff and candy, then yeah, I guess one could "spend more than one should." But if you compare the cost of regular groceries (cooking oil, pasta, bread, coffee and tea, cheese, cereal, condiments and so on) to regular chains like Safeway and QFC/Kroger, Trader Joe's is actually substantially cheaper for equivalent items. (Their produce, at least here, isn't very good, unfortunately) But for other basic stuff I save a lot of money shopping there.
Keep telling yourself that, as you get deceived into spending more than you should on groceries.
TJ's is not a grocery store. I don't' buy groceries at TJ's. I buy their specialty items, which are way cheaper than most gourmet shops (i.e. Williams and Sonoma, A Southern Season, Dean and DeLucca, etc.) I buy certain items that are under their own label. I buy some of their wine (but admit that Costco often has better prices.)
I also love their flower selection, which is nearly always very fresh and cheaper than most others. Small cuts of the cheeses are great for tasting something new or those who don't eat a lot of cheese.
I never buy meat or toilet paper or soap at TJ's. THAT stuff is cheaper everyplace (except maybe Whole Foods, but I don't buy ANYTHING there.) And I don't give a rat's behind if it's organic.
TJs doesn't even need to advertise, it builds its business by people going there and finding great stuff, and keep going back.
In a nutshell if you're the kinda guy who goes to DD's and finds that acceptable as "coffee" then no need to waste your time at TJs.
I don't know anywhere around here to buy cheaper mango chutney, thai yellow curry sauce, peaches-that-actually-taste-like-peaches-and-not-fibrous-potaotes, organic chicken thighs, fresh shelled peas, endive, raspberry lambic beer, great Brussels pate, good pesto, excellent sun-dried toms..... I could go on and bore you but anyhoo.
But like most people on earth we don't do all our shopping at one store.
TJ's is not a grocery store. I don't' buy groceries at TJ's. I buy their specialty items, which are way cheaper than most gourmet shops (i.e. Williams and Sonoma, A Southern Season, Dean and DeLucca, etc.) I buy certain items that are under their own label. I buy some of their wine (but admit that Costco often has better prices.)
I also love their flower selection, which is nearly always very fresh and cheaper than most others. Small cuts of the cheeses are great for tasting something new or those who don't eat a lot of cheese.
I never buy meat or toilet paper or soap at TJ's. THAT stuff is cheaper everyplace (except maybe Whole Foods, but I don't buy ANYTHING there.) And I don't give a rat's behind if it's organic.
Exactly - it is a SPECIALTY store. I do like TJ's, it has it's place. I went there today in fact. Mostly bought some special goodies that I don't get elsewhere. Definitely NOT a place to buy produce - most of it is marginal-to-bad. Great candy, cheese, wine and frozen foods. I get my basics and meats elsewhere.
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