1606 replies to this topic

[AllseeingEye]

We tend to be of the mindset "where is most convenient location i.e. what's closest" when shopping.

 

Not a SS fan particularly, and while we certainly do make the odd sojourn out to Costco, we do so far less frequently than in the past - I'm not going to drive 20-25 mins out of my way and deal with that parking lot merely to save pennies on the pound or kilo - but clearly you can't go wrong if buying bulk is your thing. Since the kidlin' moved out in 2019 though we buy a loss less bulk items, hence fewer trips in that direction.

 

Convenience aside it ultimately depends what I'm shopping for that dictates where I go: aside from chicken and very occasionally pork we eat little meat (Mrs ASE eats only chicken); if I want great seafood and/or superior deli then its either the Market on Yates/MIllstream (if I'm out that way) or Thrifty's; if just buying the usual "bread, milk, and pasta" staples then I'll hit Save On which I generally otherwise avoid; both their seafood and deli options are, on their very best day, very average at best, but nothing I would go out of my way to buy. And yes I am a seafood snob

 

That said since we're drastically upping our veggie consumption and cutting down on especially red meat SOF is perfectly fine for veggies and is one area where price-wise they beat Thrifty's and the "Markets" hands down.

Edited by AllseeingEye, 16 January 2022 - 04:50 PM.

[Matt R.]

Oy....not specific to any one grocery chain (ok today it was Thrifty's) but wowza groceries are gettin' 'spensive - two paper bags today = a shade under $145 and the only thing remotely "exotic" and beyond the norm was a package of three halibut cakes.
 
They did have a sale on solid white tinned tuna @ $5/two tins which is a decent deal, long sold out by the time I got there naturally, and a dozen large brown eggs were likewise sale priced @ $6.99. I snagged the last of those otherwise they were sold out too. And the non-special dozen egg brands and types are averaging about $10/dozen. I sure would hate to be a single parent/single income earner in this town.
 
More generally I occasionally put mid-grade fuel in my vehicle but went Regular this morning simply because of the spiraling cost of gas: $40 of Regular got me about, or perhaps slightly less than, 40% of a tank of fuel. Can't imagine what a full tank of Premium must cost these days.....

Sorry, eggs are $7 a dozen for regular eggs? That can’t be right.

I’m doing some costing right now, mostly just spot checking as a barometer, and noticed some alarming increases in things like frozen fruit. A 20kg of AP flour at halloweeen was $20. Today it’s $31.

Some more price increases to come for sure.

[Dexter]

$7 a dozen is organic price…

[AllseeingEye]

Sorry, eggs are $7 a dozen for regular eggs? That can’t be right.

I’m doing some costing right now, mostly just spot checking as a barometer, and noticed some alarming increases in things like frozen fruit. A 20kg of AP flour at halloweeen was $20. Today it’s $31.

Some more price increases to come for sure.

 yep it was a special.....$6.99 for a dozen large brown eggs. I got the last carton.

[Matt R.]

Of just regular brown eggs? Not organic or freerun or whatever? Sheesh.

[Nparker]

I paid $3.19 for a dozen eggs at Walmart last week.

[AllseeingEye]

Of just regular brown eggs? Not organic or freerun or whatever? Sheesh.

 

Correct - just run of the mill regular large eggs. Next time Ill have to ask them, just to satisfy my curiosity, what makes the other eggs worth ten bucks/dozen. 

[Midnightly]

6.99 is quite high for a dozen regular large eggs, the cheapest for eggs i've found is the weekend sale at shoppers drug mart it's usually around $3 or under for a dozen regular large eggs, they are also often the cheapest for a 4L jug of dairyland milk

[Mike K.]

I had my first ever $700 Costco run the other day. It floored me. Mum called to say she did her’s at $850. Neither of us goes often (once every two months, tops) but I normally don’t spend over $500. Crazy.

[Sparky]

I did my last ever trip to Costco last week. The lineup for the checkout went clear back to the meat section.

[Victoria Watcher]

I did my last ever trip to Costco last week. The lineup for the checkout went clear back to the meat section.

 

Same here.

 

I'm hunting, and field dressing deer right in my neighbourhood almost daily now.  I'm on that Jordan Peterson carnivore diet.

[Mike K.]

I did my last ever trip to Costco last week. The lineup for the checkout went clear back to the meat section.

Yes, on both sides when I was there, straight back to the meat section. It did move relatively fast, so I think that’s just the spacing out effect of social distancing.

This region needs store #2 though, that’s for sure.

[Victoria Watcher]

Does anyone online grocery shop?   Still has such low take-up.

 

I suppose that's because we have a tendency to substitute/compare.   It's easy to compare yogurt brands, package sizes, prices when they are all lined up for easy and quick review.

 

I also see extraordinarily few people in the grocery store actively working off a list they have prepared at home.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 17 January 2022 - 08:24 AM.

[Mike K.]

Delays. If you need cream today, or you’re short on something, you’re not going to wait 2-3 days for delivery.

[Victoria Watcher]

Delays. If you need cream today, or you’re short on something, you’re not going to wait 2-3 days for delivery.

 

Most delivery apps will have at most next-day delivery.  Walmart for example.

 

Some of the more sophisticated apps are trying to replicate the in-store experience.   I'm not sure that's the best way, but it's the most understandable.  I think the apps still need to really step it up.

[Nparker]

...Some of the more sophisticated apps are trying to replicate the in-store experience...

Will they let me choose the specific vegetables I want, or check for the freshness of bakery products?

[Mike K.]

They might. Mum stopped ordering online because of delays. What they advertise is no longer what they can physically offer, in some cases.

[AllseeingEye]

I did my last ever trip to Costco last week. The lineup for the checkout went clear back to the meat section.

 

My fav Costco experience (heavy sarcasm) was whenever word got out that Costco gas was a better deal than the major gas station/fuel companies - the lineup for those pumps would typically go all the way back into the main parking lot and then some causing comical traffic issues both coming and going. Always reminded of living in Vancouver in the days when you had to Air Care your vehicle in order to insure it; you'd head down to the AirCare facility off Marine Dr in South Van early on a Saturday thinking you'd get a jump on the lineup. Unfortunately 1000 other drivers would have the same thought at the same time.....

[Mike K.]

Oh yeah, ASE, read your car’s manual about its fuel requirement. Putting mid-grade into your tank if your motor is a low compression motor is not going to make any difference performance wise, and could actually yield lower MPG. Mid-grade and premium require high compression motors to function as intended.

If you hear knocking from your motor at 87, that’s when you need to step it up with a higher octane as your compression is pre-igniting your lower octane fuel.

Hope that makes sense.

[Barrrister]

I dont find Cosco all that bad but we only go once every four months or so, Then we really stock up. One should not assume that everything at Cosco is cheaper.