Grocery Boot Camp - Phase 3: Where to go

Hey it's 2008 and you've got lots of options of where to find a bargain. Different things will work better for different people. Most of us, don't have the time to go to 4 different stores over a week to get the best values (plus, with gas costing what it does, you'd eat away all your savings). Your best bet is to look at your list and find 1 or 2 stores where you can get your WEEKLY ESSENTIALS from and maybe one more store where you can go occasionally for as needed items.

As I mentioned, you have a lot of choices. As we continue along in the blog, we will cover each one of these choices more in depth, to help you get the best deals and prices wherever you go. The following is a brief overview:

1. Grocery Store - not all grocery stores are created equal. Shop around and find one that has consistently lower prices on the items you actually use. Sometimes journeying outside of your neighborhood to a less affluent area and a less glamorous store will get you better prices. Also, note which stores honor coupons and if they have double or triple coupon days.

2. Gourmet Grocery - Whole Foods, Trader Joe's. They can seem like a higher priced, upscale option, however, if you shop right and stick to their brands you can eat healthy and cheaply.

3. Farmer's Market - Usually have fresher produce at a more reasonable price than your average chain supermarket. The added benefit is that it is usually locally grown and if not organic, certainly with less chemicals used.

4. Fruit/Vegetable Stand - Though they might not carry the same as a Farmer's Market, they do tend to not carry the high mark up of a supermarket chain.

5. Local Specialty store - usually best for AS NEEDED items like spices or baking items. Buying these items at the right places can really save you a bundle. These are the type of items that are usually marked up the max at your average supermarket.

4. Superstore - Walmart, Target, etc. Can be great for AS NEEDED ESSENTIALS.

5. Wholesale Club - Costco, Sam's, BJ's. Great for buying what you need in bulk. You really need to take added care to figure out if what you are buying will actually be used before its expiration date AND if their price in bulk beats buying more of it elsewhere.

6. 99 Cent Store - I know this one takes some getting used to. But I think if you give it a chance and find the right store you will be laughing all the way to the bank.

Now, figure out which stores are options for you. If you live in a rural area maybe you don't really have any specialty stores, Gourmet Grocery or 99cent store. If you are a city dweller without a car you can pretty much rule out the Wholesale clubs and the Superstores. Most people will find that within a reasonable radius from their home they will have multiple choices for most of the above.