How are you handling rising food and energy costs?

[Pea-n-Me]

I go all over the place for groceries. I feel like I haven’t been going to regular supermarkets too much because they seem to be the most expensive. I went in Big Lots for something else and saw they have a lot of the canned goods, pasta, snacks and drinks, etc., there that I normally buy at the supermarket, for much less, so I stocked up. Also found some things at a couple of other discount stores that were a nice bargain, too.

I go to Aldi’s about once a month or so but I started buying our dogs’ food there so I’m there more often now. I wanted to share the prices of things I bought there the other day which I thought were really great (because even there, for a while, they’d been higher).

Sorry @Imzadi you might want to look away now!

Produce - All VERY fresh
Red Cherries 2.15lb @ $2.99/lb = $6.43 (Got same size bag at regular supermarket recently was almost $12!)
Strawberries $1.49 - regular size pkg
Blueberries $2.49 - regular size pkg, large
Bananas 1.83lb @ .41/lb = $0.75
Whole Pineapple $1.95
Organic Baby Spinach - $2.49 (tub)
Organic Mixed Greens - $2.89 (tub)

Dairy
1% Milk 1/2 gallon $1.54
Flavored Greek yogurts $0.59 each
Dozen Cage Free Eggs $1.86
Spreadable Butter Olive Oil and Sea Salt $3.59

Deli
Feta Crumble $1.79/small container
American Singles Cheese $1.89
Deli Sliced Pepper Jack $1.89
Deli Sliced Provolone $1.89

Random
Diet Green Tea $4.89 for pkg of six bottles
Pita Bread $2.99
Dry Dog Food, Salmon $6.99/bag (Just realized on slip it’s Cat food, lol, DH must’ve grabbed the wrong one - but they loved it!)

Meat
Thin Sliced Chicken Breast $6.22 and $6.86

We made some nice Greek Salad with grilled chicken pita pockets today with our haul!

If you’ve never been to Aldi’s, and you’re lucky enough to have one nearby, and you want to save some money, give it a try!

 

[TwoMisfits]

I go all over the place for groceries. I feel like I haven’t been going to regular supermarkets too much because they seem to be the most expensive. I went in Big Lots for something else and saw they have a lot of the canned goods, pasta, snacks and drinks, etc., there that I normally buy at the supermarket, for much less, so I stocked up. Also found some things at a couple of other discount stores that were a nice bargain, too.

I go to Aldi’s about once a month or so but I started buying our dogs’ food there so I’m there more often now. I wanted to share the prices of things I bought there the other day which I thought were really great (because even there, for a while, they’d been higher).

Sorry @Imzadi you might want to look away now!

Produce - All VERY fresh
Red Cherries 2.15lb @ $2.99/lb = $6.43 (Got same size bag at regular supermarket recently was almost $12!)
Strawberries $1.49 - regular size pkg
Blueberries $2.49 - regular size pkg, large
Bananas 1.83lb @ .41/lb = $0.75
Whole Pineapple $1.95
Organic Baby Spinach - $2.49 (tub)
Organic Mixed Greens - $2.89 (tub)

Dairy
1% Milk 1/2 gallon $1.54
Flavored Greek yogurts $0.59 each
Dozen Cage Free Eggs $1.86
Spreadable Butter Olive Oil and Sea Salt $3.59

Deli
Feta Crumble $1.79/small container
American Singles Cheese $1.89
Deli Sliced Pepper Jack $1.89
Deli Sliced Provolone $1.89

Random
Diet Green Tea $4.89 for pkg of six bottles
Pita Bread $2.99
Dry Dog Food, Salmon $6.99/bag (Just realized on slip it’s Cat food, lol, DH must’ve grabbed the wrong one - but they loved it!)

Meat
Thin Sliced Chicken Breast $6.22 and $6.86

We made some nice Greek Salad with grilled chicken pita pockets today with our haul!

If you’ve never been to Aldi’s, and you’re lucky enough to have one nearby, and you want to save some money, give it a try!

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I shop Aldi's too, but their produce is the lowest end quality wise in my area. Just today, I also went in for the on sale strawberries. And when I shopped today. 3/4 of the packages already had white rot growth on the berries. That said, I found 2 that didn't, but we'll be eating them in 48 hours, b/c of all the places I buy produce, Aldi's always goes bad the fastest for same-for-same products. I always shop Aldi's b/c I need to for budget, but I'd love to get all my produce at my local HMart or even Safeway b/c both have produce that lasts longer in a fresher state. When it comes to Aldi's produce, I only buy the weekly loss leaders and the "can't be beat" regular monthly loss leaders for produce. When it's "close enough" on price, I go elsewhere.

So, I bought strawberries, bananas, mini avocadoes, fresh corn on the cob, gala apples, sweet onions, and red grapes today, all for admittedly the best area prices. But I did the rest of my produce shopping yesterday at HMart (where I bought about double and nearly all my veg)...

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I shop Aldi's too, but their produce is the lowest end quality wise in my area. Just today, I also went in for the on sale strawberries. And when I shopped today. 3/4 of the packages already had white rot growth on the berries. That said, I found 2 that didn't, but we'll be eating them in 48 hours, b/c of all the places I buy produce, Aldi's always goes bad the fastest for same-for-same products. I always shop Aldi's b/c I need to for budget, but I'd love to get all my produce at my local HMart or even Safeway b/c both have produce that lasts longer in a fresher state. When it comes to Aldi's produce, I only buy the weekly loss leaders and the "can't be beat" regular monthly loss leaders for produce. When it's "close enough" on price, I go elsewhere.

So, I bought strawberries, bananas, mini avocadoes, fresh corn on the cob, gala apples, sweet onions, and red grapes today, all for admittedly the best area prices. But I did the rest of my produce shopping yesterday at HMart (where I bought about double and nearly all my veg)...

I know what you mean. I’ve had that experience with some of Aldi’s produce before, too. But not always. And that’s why I said “fresh”, because this time it is all super fresh, including the strawberries. Maybe because it’s summer and fruit is in abundance? Idk. But I have also had bad experiences with strawberries from other places, too, so I don’t think it’s unique to Aldi’s. Admittedly I don’t always use them all as quickly as I probably should, so whenever I have strawberries, I usually wind up throwing a few out. The tubs of salad are the exact same as you’d get at the supermarket for a lot more. I always try to look at the dates. And salad’s another thing I may wind up throwing out if it gets slimy. That happens from everywhere. All I’m saying is that right now, they had very fresh produce for a very good price, I thought. Sounds like you got a good haul, too. Happy shopping!

 

[luv2cheer92]

See this is where I'm stumped at prices across the country. I live in a high COL area so food prices tend to match that. I *always* buy Eggland's Best XL eggs Grade AA. Wegman's seems to be the only place that carries the Grade AA but no matter. I've been paying $3.99 at Wegman's for them for months. Other stores have the Large Grade A for about $4.20. Last week, I noticed both the XL and the Large in this brand had dropped down almost 50 cents per dozen. Then to see someone else paying $6.39???? It doesn't make sense.

Not EB, but the store brand at my grocery store is .99 for a dozen large eggs. $1.09 for XL. Has been that for at least a few weeks now.

 

[Christine]

Not EB, but the store brand at my grocery store is .99 for a dozen large eggs. $1.09 for XL. Has been that for at least a few weeks now.

That is a price we *never* see here. I mean, maybe at Easter 5 years ago.

 

[luv2cheer92]

That is a price we *never* see here. I mean, maybe at Easter 5 years ago.

What's crazier is that I'm really not too terribly far from you. (northwestern VA)

 

[Christine]

What's crazier is that I'm really not too terribly far from you. (northwestern VA)

I probably have the "you live near DC" surcharge on mine, even though I'm in a suburb.

 

[ronandannette]

This has happened more than a few times for us. Now at grocery stores, I always go through the self-scan so I can see each item as it's rung up. Sometimes items on sale have two barcodes the regular price and the sale price. If you scan the wrong one then you're overcharged. I honestly think stores are hoping you don't catch it.

Here's something that occurred to me yesterday while I was self-scanning. I often double-scan items and have to have the clerk come over to correct it. It's a pain, but I do usually catch it. Once in a while I'll be going quickly and something will not get scanned. The machine immediately tells me audibly "unexpected item in the bagging area". Why doesn't the machine tell you the same way when something is double-scanned? Obviously the weight sensor in the bagging area knows the weight is not correct for the number of items scanned. It seems like a game played in their favor.

 

[shh]

Here's something that occurred to me yesterday while I was self-scanning. I often double-scan items and have to have the clerk come over to correct it. It's a pain, but I do usually catch it. Once in a while I'll be going quickly and something will not get scanned. The machine immediately tells me audibly "unexpected item in the bagging area". Why doesn't the machine tell you the same way when something is double-scanned? Obviously the weight sensor in the bagging area knows the weight is not correct for the number of items scanned. It seems like a game played in their favor.

Watch those weight scales at self checkout too. They can be way off -in the store's favor. I purchased a small bag of grapes last week - was trying to get through quickly and didn't realize until after I got home and examined receipt that their scale registered and charged me for 1.75 lbs. I thought "no way" - and sure enough, weighed on my own kitchen scale - 3/4 of a lb!

I sent an email to customer service , but they just fwded it to the store and the store just tells me I have to come in with the product and receipt to get a refund.

It's not my regular store location - not worth driving out of my way to get a $1-1.50 refund - but SO annoying. How many other customers are they overcharging?