Best and cheap places for grocery shopping? (buy, preschool)

[YAZ]

I noticed something about Fry's and I'm sure other stores do it too.

Big sale on ribs last weekend......buy 1 get 2 free.

They normally cost around $8 a slab.....but for the ad dates.......about $24 per slab.

Wow.

What a deal.

Same damn price but not ifya buy just one or two.


Anyway.....

We shop around. Get the staples like laundry soap, deodorant, etc. at Wally World, fruits & veggies at Sprouts, (when reasonable) and Fry's/Albertson's for everything else.

[BestintheWest]

not sure if anyone has noticed but in the past week Fry's has raised prices on several items we normally buy by 5 to 8%. Going back to WalMart and will see what they have done on similar items.

[Guitarmaan]

I don't think anyone's mentioned it, and most probably wouldn't lower themselves to try, but I consistently save money by shopping for food at the 99c store.

Now there are things you won't be able to get there, so you'll still have to shop elsewhere too. But a lot of foods are the same inside the packaging regardless where you buy them. And the 99c store is great for vegetables and fruit. To give an example I bought some yoghurt bars there, and saw similar ones in Walmart for $3.99! I try to visit the 99c store *before* getting everything else in Walmart or Bashas.

One tip for cheaper foods is the American Discount Food store in Mesa, 1360 on W Southern Ave. Their stock changes a lot, but you can some bulk bargains there for sure.

Overall I'd say food is very expensive in AZ. Coming from England just makes it worse, because healthy foods such as fish are far far cheaper in the UK. In America it seems any healthier foods have a premium price attached. Whole Foods are extortionate IMO.

Bear in mind I obsessively shop for bargains though

[Kimballette]

This is a good option for people near Glendale. Grocery Outlet - Glendale

I only buy produce that's in season and on sale, as often as possible. I buy organic, price checking between Fry's, Sprouts, and Costco. I buy most non-food items at Costco or Walmart, unless on sale for a lot less at Fry's. I buy most frozen things at Costco or Fry's (on sale), cheese at Trader Joe's or Sprouts. Since I'm vegetarian, I don't buy meat unless my dog needs a home cooked meal of chicken and rice to settle his tummy, then I buy cheap chicken thighs at Fry's.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by Guitarmaan

I don't think anyone's mentioned it, and most probably wouldn't lower themselves to try, but I consistently save money by shopping for food at the 99c store.

Now there are things you won't be able to get there, so you'll still have to shop elsewhere too. But a lot of foods are the same inside the packaging regardless where you buy them. And the 99c store is great for vegetables and fruit. To give an example I bought some yoghurt bars there, and saw similar ones in Walmart for $3.99! I try to visit the 99c store *before* getting everything else in Walmart or Bashas.

One tip for cheaper foods is the American Discount Food store in Mesa, 1360 on W Southern Ave. Their stock changes a lot, but you can some bulk bargains there for sure.

Overall I'd say food is very expensive in AZ. Coming from England just makes it worse, because healthy foods such as fish are far far cheaper in the UK. In America it seems any healthier foods have a premium price attached. Whole Foods are extortionate IMO.

Bear in mind I obsessively shop for bargains though

Make sure to read labels at stores like that.. I occasionally buy food at Dollar Tree but make sure it is NOT made in China

[Zeromus-X]

Originally Posted by Kimballette

This is a good option for people near Glendale. Grocery Outlet - Glendale

I only buy produce that's in season and on sale, as often as possible. I buy organic, price checking between Fry's, Sprouts, and Costco. I buy most non-food items at Costco or Walmart, unless on sale for a lot less at Fry's. I buy most frozen things at Costco or Fry's (on sale), cheese at Trader Joe's or Sprouts. Since I'm vegetarian, I don't buy meat unless my dog needs a home cooked meal of chicken and rice to settle his tummy, then I buy cheap chicken thighs at Fry's.

I fully agree with your list of places to buy each item, but I guess I have to ask how you come up with enough hours in a day to actually pull that off? Not including the amount of time it takes to check prices between (Fry's, Sprouts, and Costco), then (Costco, Walmart, or Fry's), then (Costco or Fry's), then (Trader Joe's or Sprouts)... you're talking about potentially going to Sprouts, Walmart, Costco, Trader Joe's, and Fry's to get your shopping done. My assumption would be that these aren't all in the same strip mall wherever you're at.

I generally just purchase everything at a Fry's Marketplace with the exception of meat, since they constantly play with their prices to the point were I just flat out don't trust them, and the meat has never stood out to me. Meat generally comes from Sprouts. Veggies too, since I buy them based on what Sprouts has on sale (cheapest red peppers in town most of the time).

If I need a few things quick and don't feel like cooking I'll just run to Fresh and Easy since they almost always run their $5 off $25 coupons, so it feels like I'm getting a decent deal.

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by Zeromus-X

I fully agree with your list of places to buy each item, but I guess I have to ask how you come up with enough hours in a day to actually pull that off? Not including the amount of time it takes to check prices between (Fry's, Sprouts, and Costco), then (Costco, Walmart, or Fry's), then (Costco or Fry's), then (Trader Joe's or Sprouts)... you're talking about potentially going to Sprouts, Walmart, Costco, Trader Joe's, and Fry's to get your shopping done. My assumption would be that these aren't all in the same strip mall wherever you're at.

I generally just purchase everything at a Fry's Marketplace with the exception of meat, since they constantly play with their prices to the point were I just flat out don't trust them, and the meat has never stood out to me. Meat generally comes from Sprouts. Veggies too, since I buy them based on what Sprouts has on sale (cheapest red peppers in town most of the time).

If I need a few things quick and don't feel like cooking I'll just run to Fresh and Easy since they almost always run their $5 off $25 coupons, so it feels like I'm getting a decent deal.

LOL Yes, I got carried away! I buy most of my produce and dairy at Sprouts, checking the ads for Sprouts and Fry's weekly. I buy at TJ's if I'm in there looking at wines or assorted goodies. When I'm in Costco for staples (paper goods, etc.), I pick up anything else that looks good and is a good price. I buy most of the rest at Fry's. It's not scientific, but I'm pretty familiar with prices for my usual purchase, so it's not a big deal

[S. Chris Webb]

Nobody (at least in the latest incarnation of this thread) has mentioned that Wal-Mart (whether you like them as a company or not) will price-match any advertised items from their competitors. So every week, one can look online at all of the other stores (not just the obvious Fry's/Albertson's/Safeway/Sprouts, but also the Mexican markets such as Food City/Pro's Ranch Markets) and find all the best prices on sale items. You just tell the cashier you want to price match the item, tell them how much it costs, and they punch it in for that amount. You don't even have to bring the flyers. I usually email my shopping list to myself and have it ready on my smart phone, with the prices and name of the stores the items are advertised. You can shop extremely inexpensively this way. Note: whether they have the inventory in stock is another story - they must have a hard time predicting that Food City is selling avocados for 10 cents each.

[AZDesertBrat]

Originally Posted by S. Chris Webb

Nobody (at least in the latest incarnation of this thread) has mentioned that Wal-Mart (whether you like them as a company or not) will price-match any advertised items from their competitors. So every week, one can look online at all of the other stores (not just the obvious Fry's/Albertson's/Safeway/Sprouts, but also the Mexican markets such as Food City/Pro's Ranch Markets) and find all the best prices on sale items. You just tell the cashier you want to price match the item, tell them how much it costs, and they punch it in for that amount. You don't even have to bring the flyers. I usually email my shopping list to myself and have it ready on my smart phone, with the prices and name of the stores the items are advertised. You can shop extremely inexpensively this way. Note: whether they have the inventory in stock is another story - they must have a hard time predicting that Food City is selling avocados for 10 cents each.

You're right. I'm a cashier at Walmart and we do a TON of ad matching. Most people either bring in the ad or have it all written down. We do have all the ads at our registers though, just in case we need to check something. It also pays if you have a handful of coupons to use as well!

This might sound petty but I wish people would stop calling it "price matching" or "comp'd prices". They are neither. In order to take advantage it MUST be a print AD and that's why it's called "Ad Match". Otherwise people could come in and say "I found such and such at this price, can you match it?". No. Not if it isn't an actual printed ad. Also we don't accept ads downloaded to phones, etc. either. Another tip...meats are 'iffy' sometimes. We have different 'grades'. The meats in the BLACK packaging are the 'premium' meats and sometimes they aren't an ad match. If the ad says "boneless" that's what it has to be. So watch that carefully. Also with chicken. It can be boneless/skinless breasts OR it can be breast meat w/rib meat so there's a difference. Sometimes Ad Match can be a pain but I like to see my customers save money and I don't have a problem doing it. And don't forget those coupons!!

[S. Chris Webb]

AZDesertBrat, thanks for the insider clarification. I always feel just a little sorry for the cashiers because many people must be a PITB when "Ad-matching", or "matching prices", or whatever one calls it. But most cashiers seem more than happy and appear to take pride in doing it. I know you have all or most of the grocery competitor flyers at the register, but how on earth do you do it on days like Black Friday when many stores wait until the day before to release the ad?

For either further clarification for others, here's the policy, directly from Wal-mart: "Our Ad Match Guarantee".