$ MoneySmart { Shopping }
Bringing home the grocery bargains
Check out these household shopping options and pick the ones that are best for you and your family
There are many places to shop for food these days, and where you choose to shop can make a substantial difference to your budget.
But one size definitely does not fit all. Every household is different, and there are pros and cons to every venue when it comes to how much money you spend.
We thought we’d cut through some of the confusion, gleaning advice from shopping experts and local shoppers themselves. We hereby present a collection of descriptions and information gathered from the people on the front lines.
See how you can incorporate them into your particular lifestyle.
Bakery outlet stores
Worthwhile if: You make a lot of sandwiches and lunches. (Baked goods freeze well.)
Avoid if: If it involves a lot of driving or a special trip.
There are several in the area (check the phone book), specializing in discounted baked goods that are sometimes fresh but also sometimes a day or so old.
Dates are clearly marked so you know what you’re getting. Variety in these stores is extensive.
At the Wonder Thrift Stores, for instance, you can find many styles of bread or rolls; Entenmann’s offers coffee cakes. Obviously this is good for people who are unafraid of carbs, also for large families or for people who pack a lot of lunches.
Of course, unless they are located on your way home from work, patronizing these outlets requires a special trip, though it’s true that most baked goods freeze well.
Also, supplies may not be consistent. The special coffee cake you want may not be available on the day of your visit. Stay flexible.
Discount grocery stores
Worthwhile if: You have a large family and are definitely interested in saving money.
Avoid if: You want a lot of personal service and prefer nationally known brands or exciting new foods.
Some people call them “no-frills stores,” but the Food Marketing Institute calls them “a limited assortment store,” describing them like this: “Food stores restricted in size, services, fixtures and variety in order to reduce operating costs and sell goods at the lowest possible prices.”
Think Aldi. Think Save A Lot.
These are stripped-down operations — you often take the packaged food right from cartons piled roughly on the floor. But they do offer produce, meat and dairy foods, so all your food shopping can be done on one trip, and prices are very clearly indicated.
Phil Lempert — a shopping expert who operates a consumer Web site called supermarketguru.com and who often appears on the “Today” show, says you can save money by patronizing the discount markets, as long as you’re OK with giving up some amenities.
“It’s all about feeding your belly,” Lempert says.
These very basic stores have limited choice and not many national brands or innovative foods. They do not accept manufacturer’s coupons and many have limited hours.
Bring your own bags or buy them there and be prepared to pack them yourself — tables are provided for that purpose. (Of course, some full-service supermarkets have self-checkout lines as well, and they’ve been very popular.)
Warehouse clubs
Worthwhile if: You have a lot of storage space, a large family or can share with friends.
Avoid if: You are in a one-or two-person household in a small living space.
You pay an annual membership fee and have access to a full line of perishable and nationally branded goods, often sold in very large packages and at low prices.
Tracy Dankanich of Tonawanda, who has a family of five, says she saves a lot of money shopping at BJ’s Wholesale Club on Young Road in Tonawanda. And, she says, it’s not only food that’s cheap at warehouse stores.
“Laundry soap is a special bargain, especially when you use coupons,” she said. (Not all warehouse clubs accept coupons.)
Still, if there aren’t a lot of you, shopping big can pose a storage problem.
“If you happen to be a family of 25 who can really use a 128-ounce package of Heinz ketchup before it spoils, that’s OK,” Lempert says. Otherwise, he recommends the buddy system, i. e., buying in bulk and sharing products with a friend.
Howard Schrutt, the manager of fresh foods at Sam’s Club on Union Road, Cheektowaga, points out that two-or three-person families can take advantage of the favorable prices on perishables like meat or produce, which are often sold in smaller quantities at warehouse stores.
Supercenters
Worthwhile if: You want to save money and tend to eat “mainstream food.”
Avoid if: You don’t like walking or large crowded spaces.
Defined by the Food Marketing Institute as spreading “a minimum of 90,000 square feet and combining many of the merchandise departments of a conventional supermarket and a discount department store,” supercenters are big, big, big.
But does all that walking save you money? Sometimes it does, Lempert says.
“Wal-Mart is the biggest food retailer in the world, so they have buying power,” which keeps prices down, he points out. “But sales at supercenters are down nationwide because people simply don’t want to walk all those square feet.”
Interestingly, Lempert claims that for the first time he’s noticed a trend toward smaller venues overall. “People find the number of square feet overwhelming, causing them to overspend,” he comments.
Farmers’ markets
Worthwhile if: You want fresh food and want to help the local economy.
Avoid if: You don’t have the time or inclination to prepare fresh produce.
Growers bring their products to markets to sell directly to consumers, usually without a middleman. It’s an appealing idea and the number of markets continues to increase all across the nation.
Lempert says there are now over 4,200 farmers’ markets in the country. He patronizes one himself, he says, on weekends.
In Western New York, markets will continue to operate throughout the fall, offering not only apples and root vegetables but sometimes dairy products and poultry, as well. Visit www.agmkt.state.ny . for a full list of them. Because the food is seasonal and sales are direct, prices may be lower than you might find in other venues, but most shoppers don’t go to farmers’ markets primarily to save money. They go because they think the produce is fresher and/or more unusual; they may also want to boost the economy by encouraging local growers.
These customers may also have environmental or safety concerns. Locally raised produce doesn’t travel long distances and is handled by fewer people.
Talking to the growers themselves is also a plus. Growers can often pass on valuable cooking and storage tips.
Take your own bags to a farmers’ market if you can and carry small bills because growers can’t always make change. Sometimes better prices are available at the end of market hours, and most farmers’ markets accept food stamps.
Conventional supermarkets
Worthwhile if: You are really into one-stop shopping, prepared foods or want to try the newest products on the market.
Avoid if: You want special cuts of meat, so-called “gourmet or ethnic ingredients” or unusual produce.
Most of us shop at conventional stores, which can be basic or glitzy and often offer special pastry departments and cafes.
“If you have a family of 12 people, you’ll probably do better at a warehouse store,” says Lempert. “But if you have a normal family and do the right things, a supermarket is probably best for money saving.” And what are the right things? “Take advantage of coupons,” he says. “Give the job of cutting them out to the kids and pass on the savings to them as part of their allowance.
“Take advantage of frequent shopper programs.
“Never follow the path the store lays out for you. Don’t start with produce and the bakery. You’ll be in a better mood and buy more. Instead, hit the center of the store first with all those non-emotional boxes and package.
“Shop the entire store. You can find the same products in different parts of the store at different prices. An example would be cheese.
“The standard of identity for N.Y. sharp cheddar cheese is that it be aged 60 days. If you buy it in a plain package in the dairy case, it costs 20 percent less than in the deli case. And 30 percent less than on the special cheese table.
“Take a look at the fruits and vegetables in the frozen food department. They are good quality and you save a lot over fresh, especially out of season.”
And finally — get out of the store as fast as you can. “The longer you stay there, the more you will spend.”
By the way — that’s true no matter where you do your food shopping.
