I have watched other people who are on budgets lose themselves in the brand name craze. I wonder what they are thinking when they overpay, just for a name. I asked one person that once and she told me that it is her husband won't eat off-brand names. She said that since he goes with her grocery shopping she doesn't get a chance to choose other brands. In this instance, I suppose that she has no choice. I suggested that he better get a better paying job. hahaha!
For myself and my roommate, I know that we are not picky eaters. We enjoy the off-brand or store brand items just as much as the brand names. We pay much less for our groceries each month. WOW!! Cheaper Groceries!
Cheaper groceries is why I will shop at the Dollar Tree, Dollar King and 99cent Only Stores. When you can buy off-brand cream soups at a 2 for $1, a large bottle of soy sauce for $.99, and my all time favorite 2 lbs of frozen cauliflower for .99, then life is good.
I have priced these items in the chain grocery stores and even in the discount stores and the prices are as much as doubled, sometimes even triple the amount that I pay.
So, as this blog suggests:
Shop Smarter and Save
Friday, February 16, 2007
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Public Service Announcement: Check Your Pantries!
I was searching blogs yesterday morning and found an announcement about: "The makers of Peter Pan Peanut Butter and Great Value Peanut Butter have announced a recall of their product do to salmonella." Please visit Mom's Fridge to read the all additional information.
Shop Smarter and Save
Shop Smarter and Save
Discount vs. Overrun
Boy, do I hate to go shopping for groceries, especially on Saturday and Sunday afternoons due to the crowds (maybe you do to?). But lucky for me I live in Las Vegas where most of the big chain grocery stores are open late (1 a.m.) or they open early (6 a.m.). Although I use most of the chain stores for emergencies. The other stores that I shop at are usually open 8am until 9pm.
I don't think that I've told you that I do my grocery shopping by bus, so I do have to plan several days in advance to do all my shopping. The reason? Well, I always need something somewhere. When you live on a budget like my roommate and I do, you're always looking for bargains.
I just found out that there is a difference between Wal-Mart, Save-A-Lot or Food4Less and my 99cent Only Stores, Dollar Tree, etc.. Do you know what that is? Ok, don't feel left out. The difference between these is that Wal-Mart, Save-A-Lot, Food4Less, etc. are discount stores and the 99cent Only and Dollar stores are known as over-run stores. We all know what a discount store is, but an over-run store needs some explaining (I think).
If you grocery shop at your 99cent Only stores (or Dollar Tree, Dollar King, or similar stores) they are the over-run stores. You probably noticed that sometimes they don't always have your favorite snacks, veggies, etc. every time you go there. They receive the "over-runs" from the manufacturers. Sometimes the manufacturers don't have an over-run of that product that week.
These over-run stores are used by suppliers to relieve their inventories of excess merchandise. The benefit to you is that you can get groceries and other items at a much lower price, sometimes as much as 80% less.
Shop Smarter and Save
I don't think that I've told you that I do my grocery shopping by bus, so I do have to plan several days in advance to do all my shopping. The reason? Well, I always need something somewhere. When you live on a budget like my roommate and I do, you're always looking for bargains.
I just found out that there is a difference between Wal-Mart, Save-A-Lot or Food4Less and my 99cent Only Stores, Dollar Tree, etc.. Do you know what that is? Ok, don't feel left out. The difference between these is that Wal-Mart, Save-A-Lot, Food4Less, etc. are discount stores and the 99cent Only and Dollar stores are known as over-run stores. We all know what a discount store is, but an over-run store needs some explaining (I think).
If you grocery shop at your 99cent Only stores (or Dollar Tree, Dollar King, or similar stores) they are the over-run stores. You probably noticed that sometimes they don't always have your favorite snacks, veggies, etc. every time you go there. They receive the "over-runs" from the manufacturers. Sometimes the manufacturers don't have an over-run of that product that week.
These over-run stores are used by suppliers to relieve their inventories of excess merchandise. The benefit to you is that you can get groceries and other items at a much lower price, sometimes as much as 80% less.
Shop Smarter and Save
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Olive Oil -- Extra Virgin or Spanish?
As I was watching the cooking channel last month I noticed that many of the cooks were recommending the use of extra virgin olive oil. This made me wonder about how beneficial this stuff really is. So I did a little research and found that it is extremely good for you.
The problem is that it is so darned expensive. So I went to my local Save-A-Lot grocery store and found a large bottle of naturally pressed Spanish olive oil for less than $4.00. A little more looking around told me that it is just as good for cooking as the more expensive oil.
The extra virgin oil is what you need for salad dressing and light marinades but the naturally pressed oil is better for cooking because the smoke point is higher. As I went to other large chain stores I noticed that the prices they were asking were still quite a bit higher than what I had paid.
Shop Smarter and Save
The problem is that it is so darned expensive. So I went to my local Save-A-Lot grocery store and found a large bottle of naturally pressed Spanish olive oil for less than $4.00. A little more looking around told me that it is just as good for cooking as the more expensive oil.
The extra virgin oil is what you need for salad dressing and light marinades but the naturally pressed oil is better for cooking because the smoke point is higher. As I went to other large chain stores I noticed that the prices they were asking were still quite a bit higher than what I had paid.
Shop Smarter and Save
Sweeter or Sweetner?
Well, I can't use sugar because I'm a diabetic. I use a sugar substitute. Do you know how expensive the blue brand name is? I do, that's why I don't buy it. I can't stand the taste of the pink brand name (can you?) besides the threat of cancer scares the heck out of me. So now the question is if I don't use the blue brand nor the pink brand what do I use? Not the yellow brand, its getting as expensive as the blue brand, though it does taste good.
Now you know what I don't use. Let me tell you what I do use. I use the "Great Values" sweetner that I get from my local Wal-Mart. I figure that inexpensive Aspartame is just as good as the expensive aspartame. The only difference I find is the actual price. The Great Values brand is half of the cost of the blue brand product.
If I actually used the pink brand product, I know I can go to my supercenter and find an off brand product there as well.
Feel free to comment!
Shop Smarter and Save.
Now you know what I don't use. Let me tell you what I do use. I use the "Great Values" sweetner that I get from my local Wal-Mart. I figure that inexpensive Aspartame is just as good as the expensive aspartame. The only difference I find is the actual price. The Great Values brand is half of the cost of the blue brand product.
If I actually used the pink brand product, I know I can go to my supercenter and find an off brand product there as well.
Feel free to comment!
Shop Smarter and Save.
Do You Shop Smart?
I used to think I did until a couple of months ago. I checked my ads in the mailbox and found a new grocery store opening in my neighborhood (called Save-A-Lot).
I looked at the ads side-by-side and found that the new grocery store was advertising the same items as the other store, but they were A LOT less expensive (although different brand names). I bought a few of my favorite items and left the store with a lot of change. I cooked up some of the items for dinner and even my roommate couldn't tell the difference between the brand named items and the off brand items.
WOW!! Cheaper groceries!
I'll be filling you in later.
Shop Smarter and Save.
I looked at the ads side-by-side and found that the new grocery store was advertising the same items as the other store, but they were A LOT less expensive (although different brand names). I bought a few of my favorite items and left the store with a lot of change. I cooked up some of the items for dinner and even my roommate couldn't tell the difference between the brand named items and the off brand items.
WOW!! Cheaper groceries!
I'll be filling you in later.
Shop Smarter and Save.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
