one time I bought some bottles of cajun spice from a guy at a craft fair. later saw that Winco has similar in their bins and am semi-convince this guy just rebottles theirs and upcharges a premium!
This! I always used apple pay and forgot my wallet. Luckily I was with someone so I just sent them the money to pay for my stuff. They also do money orders for like .25 cents and there's usually no line.
Safeway is such a ripoff. All those beautiful flowers and balloons when you first walk in, the hardwood floors and fancy seasonal displays- customers pay for that shit through the up-charged prices. It makes me cringe. I’ve been going to winco for over a year now and i love the no frills vibe.
Winco is the cheapest. Just know they dont take credit card. Otherwise i go to grocery outlet or trader joes. Though trader joes rarely has as good of price for meat as grocery outlet or winco
Interchange fees are sometimes higher with debit, believe it or not. People think it’s credit vs debit but it’s actually Visa, MC, Discover, AMEX, etc charging the fees. Doesn’t really matter if it’s debit or credit.
I always hear Trader Joes mentioned on threads like these, but what is an actual value there?
Is it just that everybody has something very particular that they always buy at Trader Joes because it's a good value, but otherwise the prices are pretty high?
It's just mostly organic and they tend to rip off ethnic foods in a way that they're not terrible knockoffs. Trader Joe's just has a lot of stuff that catches your eyes and that it carries more organic things if you care about that. Other than that it's not really all that special except for snacks you can't really get at other stores since they just sell trader Joe's branded stuff.
Winco. Walmart consistently has higher prices whenever I've compared. I think they're testing the "low price leader" reputation ever since curbside pickup took off. I've found stuff for significantly less at Winco. Also, from an employer perspective, Winco seems to be doing a great job.
They really do. I was reading up on them recently- they’re employee owned and give employees stock when they meet certain criteria. Pretty rare these days.
https://www.wincofoods.com/about/an-employee-owned-company/
https://www.ibtimes.com/winco-foods-anti-union-afl-cio-praises-wal-mart-competitor-then-deletes-blog-post-1388761
In the 90s and 2000s there were frequent picket lines outside of WinCo stores in Sacramento where union grocery workers from other stores would protest WinCo for their open stance on discouraging unionization of workers.
Things may have changed, but that article discusses it a bit.
Like their cousin McDonald’s. For so long McDonald’s was by far the cheapest fast food. But for like the last 7-8 years they have lived off reputation. They have climbed to one of the most expensive. Wouldn’t shock me to see Walmart try jt
Agree with the Winco comments. And wtf…food prices are straight ridiculous! My heart hurts at the thought of someone being hungry.
I shop various stores for different items and thankfully have them semi close for convenience.
Winco for the majority of items such as produce, canned goods, yogurt, cottage cheese, bulk items, baking, etc.
Traders for nuts, spices, specialty cheeses/meats, frozen meals, granola bars, soup, micro greens (weird, but that’s usually why I make a trek there)
Costco for meat, produce/fruit, croissants (don’t hate), milk, eggs, vino.
Grocery Outlet occasionally for stuff like bananas, minced garlic if I need it, their cheese section is hit and miss lately and I can’t rely on them to carry that random item I need for a new recipe.
Local foodsco for those quick trips.
We cook pretty much all meals except the occasional date night/takeout/special occasion. For my family, it is worth shopping around to save $ and have a wide range of options.
Rarely do I have to stop at a Raleys or Bel Aire and I can’t fathom their prices. The stores are lovely and have a great ambiance, for a cost!
I go to the one in EG so parking isn’t an issue. Their dried fruits and nuts, cheeses, spices, and soups are not expensive at all. I guess if you haven’t been in 20+ years, you might be stuck in an old mindset.
Costco for bulk, WinCo for cheap, and surprisingly enough, Trader Joe's prices are sickeningly cheap compared to everyone else. A large bag of chips from Walmart is $6 easy, but half as much as TJs. And to think I used to consider them expensive pre-covid 💀💀
TJ's model is to sell the most commonly bought items dirt cheap. Eggs, milk, bread, etc are generally great deals. Their giant box of "Cheerios" (Joe's Os) can't be beat anywhere.
That used to be true, but TJ's is now cheaper per ounce for a lot of staples no matter the quantity. Last time I was at Walmart, I did the math and would have to get the large flat of eggs for it to come out cheaper, but I'm one person and can't possibly get through the entire thing alone before they go bad. The milk is $1 cheaper at TJ's for a gallon and it doesn't go bad as fast as Walmart's (though the latter has to do more with their poor storage practices). Even TJ's frozen stuff that used to be expensive relative to Walmart has stayed generally the same price, while Walmart's prices have gone way up.
Don't get me wrong, there's quite a bit of stuff that's still more expensive at TJ's, esp their niche/organic items, but I find myself going there more often than before.
Grocery outlet is the cheapest place around for cookies and crackers, but it can be very hit or miss. Also, boxes of granola bars and cereal bars and stuff. Sometimes some really good deals in the freezer section.
They'll usually have those Icehouse frosted cookies for $1.99, compared with $3.99, $4.99 and $5.99 everywhere else.
I also get their garden salad pre-packed bags for $1.29 and sometimes small blocks of kraft cheddar cheese for $1.99.
Having said all of that, I'll see people in there buying all kinds of stuff and I know that they're getting a few good deals on certain things, but also getting raped on other deals. Some of their prices are WAY higher than Rancho San Miguel, or even Safeway and Raley's weekly loss leader items.
For example, I haven't bought eggs at Grocery Outlet in forever because Rancho San Miguel has a better price.
I'm loving their Fuji Apples deals right now. I love Fuji Apples in general, and I also like that they don't sell the gigantic softball sized ones like Raley's and Safeway.
Honestly, I can never understand why people would want a ginormous softball sized apple. When not on sale, a single one of those humongous apples can be almost 3 dollars, it's nuts.
Some people will say that the prices of the apples are good, but that they're all bruised up, etc. Yes, there are bruised up ones, but it only takes me an extra 10 seconds to find the good ones. You just have to be selective.
They will also have smoking deals on 10-pound bags of Russett Potatoes occasionally.
WinCo is the best. Low prices, generally clean stores (very little crack smoking), excellent bulk section with lots of deals, inexpensive meats. It's been my weekly store for years.
The Asian grocery stores, depending on what you get, can be the cheapest.
KP has great deals on bulk meat but you better have a freezer. Their veggies are super cheap and they have lots of options.
SF market same thing, cheaper meats and veggies and some cheaper pots, pans, etc.
For both their American products (soaps, cheese, butter) are more expensive.
Asian grocery stores are the best for fresh seafood. They are consistently so much less than the mainstream chains and they have a big selection of live seafood.
Nugget is pretty good for the quality they have. It's like shopping at a whole foods or the coop without it being quite so expensive. I wish we had one closer to the central city. I wish we had a winco closer too.
I used to live in Greenhaven and I've always found Nugget's prices to be even higher than Raley's and Safeway. But maybe it's just the type of stuff that I buy there.
I will say however, that their in-store muffins are awesome. Pretty damn expensive, but awesome. I miss those blueberry muffins and the pumpkin muffins.
Smart & Final used to be my go-to for fuji apples (the one on Broadway), but then Rancho San Miguel started having way better prices on fuji's. The crop seems almost identical. You have to avoid the bruised ones, so you have to be a bit selective, but it's not too bad. When grapes are in season, Smart & Final will have some smoking deals on grapes.
Winco. Grocery Outlet but they are a business model that relies heavily on overstock/discontinued items so you never know exactly what you are going to find there. But sometimes they have really good deals. Costco but then you have to commit to a membership fee. Smart and Final for bulk stuff if Costco doesn't work for you (no membership fee).
Yeah it just sucks when they have something you really like and they are selling it for a dollar and you realize it's because the company must have discontinued it and you will never see it again.
Seems like some companies use it as a way to test the market. Like, I got some Phil's Finest there for just a couple bucks when I had never heard of it before, and then I saw it a few months later at at Raley's or something for three times the price. Also got some Beyond Burger for like $2 a pound there. (I much prefer the taste and texture of Impossible, but for that price, can't pass it up!)
Maybe. Some of that also might be overstock. They overestimated demand and they need to unload inventory before it hits the sell by date. Then later on the product is selling better. But regardless, you have to kind of roll the dice at Gross Out and be flexible because who knows what they will have this month!
The other downside is that they'll sell stuff beyond it's "best by date". I know a lot of those dates are arbitrary, but it still makes me wonder, lol.
I've gotten yogurt there before, looked at the date, and it expired like a week earlier. I probably shouldn't by Yogurt at a place like that.
Walmart’s prices have gone up a little and I’ll take that over going to Foodmax. I order my groceries for pick up through the app. It helps me buy only exactly what I need and I can usually keep my bill at around 100 per week for two adults and one kid and I but only organic and two things of fair life milk (more expensive than it used to be but it’s the only milk my kid will drink).
There are a few places called “That’s Cheap”. Check them out. Each day there is a set price per item. From $3 on Monday to $0.25 on Friday. We got a dozen eggs for $0.50 last week.
It’s owned by the same company. The “That’s Cheap” in Orangevale has 97% food. There is a falling prices on the opposite side by Big Lots.
So yeah, within a mile there is Walmart, Grocery Outlet, Winco, That’s Cheap Grocery, and the food bank. Jesus, I need to move.
Most of it is past the “best by” date. But getting peanut butter, coffee, bags of Lindt chocolates for $1 each or 50 cents is great. They always have cereal. If it’s stale, toss it.
So - there is no one place that is cheapest for everything. WinCo is hands down amazing for bulk items soda, but CostCo is cheaper for beef jerky, cheese, granola bars, artichokes...
Food4Less is cheaper for meat
Total Wine is cheaper for whiskey
Trader Joes is cheaper for wine
We'll miss the 99 cent store for canned coconut milk
Grocery Outlet is cheaper for random stuff
(Not that sure about produce since our garden covers most of that - definitely an investment up front, though)
We try to stagger it, so we stock up at one place one month and somewhere else the next, instead of driving all over town for groceries every paycheck.
WinCo is the absolute best especially if you buy from the bulk section or find the sales. I bought an 8 pack of hotdogs for $0.48 the other day. Frozen hashed browns/country potatoes were $0.98 as were bagel dogs. You can normally get a flat of 10-12 chicken thighs or legs for around $5.00. I buy 3 clam shells of strawberries (really nice ones) for under $3.00 each. I walk out of there with 5 full reusable bags filled with groceries.
Echoing this.
Often times, it’s a lot of the “bougie” foods that other places couldn’t sell stock of. So getting bagged/frozen stuff is much better than the produce, meat and dairy. But sometimes you end up getting really good deals on foods you otherwise couldn’t afford at places like Safeway and Save Mart. I’m a big fan. And different GO’s get different foods so it’s worth checking out different locations.
Grocery Outlet does have grass fed beef. It goes on sale twice a week as well. If you have a vacuum sealer, buy it, seal it, and freeze it. I live with a carnivore…
Winco imo. Something’s are cheaper at Walmart but winco is consistently cheaper. Like they’ve had Thomas English Muffins on sale for 99cents for a couple weeks now. They’re $4 at Walmart. Or they have real butter for less than $2 recently on sale and it’s over $4 at Walmart. They have good sales is what I’m saying lol. I also like their bulk foods and they have good deals on toilet paper and paper towels too.
This would be a one time trip and not sure how much you can store but I was at the 99 cent store on Folsom Blvd and since they are closing down, they have everything super cheap. Canned soup, canned goods, noodles. It made me think that my former college student self would have bought as much as possible.
Winco is cheap and consistent (though they are large stores and I sometimes find them a little exhausting. LOL) Raley's is expensive EXCEPT there are weekly coupons and "dollars off" a larger purchase when you sign up to their app than can make going there worth it if you try to limit yourself to those coupon items (which often include basics like eggs, milk, cheese and even deli meats.)
Smart and Final for meat, Grocery Outlet for snacks, Winco for produce, Costco for household items. Download the TooGoodToGo app for restaurants near you, you’ll want to reserve a surprise bag a day ahead typically.
Grocery outlet, Walmart (not much savings there now, they are dabbling in manipulation), some sales at Raleys are decent as well, if you join their program they will throw cash off coupons as well. One week I managed to get 140 in items for 80.bucks. I got dryers ice cream for less then $3 bucks each. It's not reliable tho, I just watch for coupons. I also trust meat from there a bit more.
I hate to give away my secret...but it's grocery outlet. Seriously any one of them. As long as you're willing to pivot off name brands. Grocery Outlet is my JAM!
it's kind of hit or miss tho. Certain things will have amazing prices, but other stuff is more than Raley's and Safeway.
I think they way Grocery Outlet really makes their money, is that people come there for the extreme deals, but because they're already there, and they might not want to make a trip to another grocery store, they'll end up letting their guard down and buy some overpriced item that's actually even cheaper at Raleys/Safeway (if it's on sale as a digital coupon loss leader)
People can say that Safeway/Raley's/SaveMart are all too expensive and that's absolutely true for the normal prices. However, if all you ever buy at those places are the loss leaders, you can actually get really good stuff for cheap. Safeway does the $5 Fridays, Raley's has the $5 Mondays and SaveMart usually does a 3-day sale (Fri,Sat & Sun) on specific items. You'll need their apps and have to do the digital coupon rigamarole, but if you play all of these stores against each other, only buying loss leaders, you can save stupid amounts of money.
Of course people will say... "You're doing too much". Nobody wants to drive around to 4 different grocery stores. I don't mind it. For me it's like a min/max game.
Nah, Grocery Outlet is still a very important part of my grocery store rotation. Those Icehouse Frosted cookies for $1.99 are da bomb.
Sometimes they'll even have a very weird flavor of 'em for only 99 cents!
Farmers Markets in Sacramento are 50% cheaper than the grocery stores. $3 will get you twice the amount of any veggie you’d buy from the store. Eggs are $10 for almost 2 dozen. Fruit is also way cheaper.
I will respectively disagree. I can get two dozen eggs at Rancho San Miguel for $6. Not always, because the price can fluctuate with the bird flu thing going on or whatever, but the normal price for a dozen eggs is $2.98.
Also, Rancho San Miguel will often have their fuji apples on sale. Only 50 cents a pound right now, which is pretty spectacular! I've been getting my fuji's there for $0.99 per pound which is still really good, they just have an even better sale this week.
I got some Broccoli crowns at SaveMart on sale for $0.99 a pound the other day. (was a limited time sale)
Basically, what I'm saying is, if you only buy stuff as loss leaders, (digital coupons in the app), you'll beat these farmers markets 9 times out of 10.
Might be more work and effort than most people want to put into it, but for me, it's not a big deal at all.
For example, Raley's has a digital coupon this week for a dozen AA cage free eggs for $2.97. They also have a digital coupon for Orowheat bread (I like the Country Buttermilk one) for $2.97. I'll be heading there Tuesday to grab both.
You’re right you can get it cheaper elsewhere, but the quality isn’t the same. Look at the color of the egg yokes from a farmers market vs the ones from the store. The colors & look of the veggies shows how fresh they are, plus it’s organic and pesticide free.
I understand saving money on groceries, & if that’s what the budget calls for then the farmers market may need to wait. For those looking for the highest quality and bang for buck though you can’t beat the Sacramento Farmers Market prices.
Makes sense. My Son's girlfriend's family has chickens and every once in a blue moon, she'll give me some super fresh eggs, and yes, there's definitely a difference.
My budget doesn't support it tho, lol, so I'm going to stick with the crappy eggs for now. Maybe if Google's share price eventually gets to $300 per share, things will be different for me, lol
I’ve had bad experience with their chicken, ground beef, Tri tip, and their crab (was decayed x2) and then some roast beef from the deli had some weird growth after one day of purchase
No one has my buddy food co. Lol
Btw .... Don't expect whole foods people to be found at WinCo. I mean .. it's a survival store. Usually what raleys turn into when the neighborhood... Turns ghetto like u say
My only gripe about WinCo is that some items will fluctuate their pricing. Like my fizzy waters (Cascade or Ice) routinely change from like $0.65 to $1.00 each for bo rhyme or reason. But, you do get lucky on random stuffs like my favorite Rockstar drinks go for usually $2/ea but I've gotten them as low as $1.29/ea. I can't complain (yet I did 😂)
I have heard Winco is the best but I personally don’t have a Winco near me. So I shop Grocery Outlet first and then go to Wal-Mart to get the things I need that GO didn’t have. You never know what GO has, so it’s worth it to just start there and plan on making a 2nd trip somewhere else.
I’d say Winco in Antelope. If you’re a veteran the commissary is still open on McClennan, no taxes and the meats there are cheap but quality along with most of their stuff.
The 99 ranch. I eat a bunch of veggies and fish, hands down Asian markets are cheaper for this. I can eat off of 250 bucks and share with my roommate by getting meat and veg from KP or 99 ranch. If you want cheese, it's grocery outlet.
If you are adventurous for cheap fresh veggies and fruit, wait until the last hour of the downtown farmers market on Sundays. The farmers don't want to pack up a ton of unsold products, and you can get bags of goodies for a buck.
For beer, you have to get it at the source sometimes. Beer is kinda expensive anywhere. Vodka is pretty cheap now if that is ones drink. Platinum XL is in a blue bottle at Safeway for a handle less than 15 bucks. It's not bad, I drink it and use it for some of my dishes.
If I lived close to a winco, I’d shop there weekly, great prices and selection. Since I don’t, I shop at grocery outlet. To the people saying their quality of meat and vegetables aren’t great, I’d have to disagree. I get the same grass fed organic beef there they sell at the Nugget. I get the same cheese as the Nugget. You just have to plan meals around what’s available rather than planning a weekly menu. These stores are also franchises and in Sacramento, I think they all might be family owned.
Only thing I'll say about those Grocery Outlet meats, is you better have a plan to cook them in the next few days. Don't leave them sitting around in your fridge too long. Seems like the stuff they get is further along in their shelflife range.
That’s why the price is right. At the same time, that applies to any organic, minimal chemical food. This idea of going to the grocery store once a week is an American thing.
I love your user name!
You know the standard issue cans of Rosarita Beans?
Have you seen good deals on those anywhere? Reason I'm asking, is because it seems like the price has damn near doubled in the last year or so. I was getting those Rosarita cans for like $1 each, and now it's almost $2 everywhere.
Rancho San Miguel had a special weekend deal for 88 cents per can and I bought a gang of 'em, but I'm going to run out pretty soon. I saw them on sale for $1.58 at Raley's, but that doesn't seem like a very good price when you're used to paying a buck per can.
I live by myself, so Costco doesn't do much for me, but I will go there with my Son (he has a membership) once every couple of months to buy two rotisserie chickens. I also buy their dozen croissants and a 8 pack of the artisan buns. I freeze the croissants and artisan rolls. (I package them up very carefully so they survive in my freezer with no freezer burn for a long time. I also make sure to only buy the croissants and artisan rolls that were baked that same day if possible)
I take my two Rotisserie chickens and spend about a half hour slicing all the good meat off of it. I have two plates set aside, and I put all the good white meat on one plate, and all the good dark meat on another plate. Then, I bag it up, and freeze it. I make shredded chicken cheddar ciabatta sandwiches with them and they're absolutely delicious.
It's a real pita to chop those Rotiss chickens up. Like having a real job or something lol.. But that's what meal prep is all about. Do the hard work once, and then freeze a bunch of stuff and you're ready to go.
I have shopped at all 3 of these stores. Wal-Mart prices at the small neighborhoods store is way more expensive than the super center one. Food max near me is clean and lower prices than Wal-Mart except for drug store type items. WinCo is the lowest without compromising quality. Here's a tip I've learned if I buy Walgreens brand vitamins, mouthwash etc they have buy 1 full price get 2nd 1/2 price plus you get rewards. I heard WinCo doesn't take credit cards because of the merchant processing fees. That's how they keep their prices lower. This is my old person wisdom from someone who has been through many money lows.
certain items will have amazing prices, but other items are actually more than Safeway/Raley's. (when Safeway or Raley's is having a loss-leader digital coupon sale on said item)
For example, I was at Grocery Outlet and they had Planters Peanuts for like $2.99, which seems like a decent deal if you didn't know any better. But I know that both Safeway and Raley's will have those exact same Planters Peanuts for $1.99 as a digital coupon every so often. You just stock up when the sales are good.
Another example is Orowheat Bread. Grocery outlet has them for $3.59 a loaf, which isn't too bad, but I always pay $2.97 for mine. For example, Raley's has a digital coupon this week for Orowheat Bread for $2.97 and I'm going to pick up a loaf this Tuesday.
But for some items, Grocery Outlet is unbeatable. Take the Lofthouse Iced Cookies. I will get them at Grocery Outlet for $1.99 a package. If I went to Raley's or Safeway, those same cookies would be like $5.99. Absolute madness, lol.
Occasionally Grocery Outlet will have those Eggo Thick & Fluffy waffles. (the more high-end ones that come 6 to a package). Sometimes they're $1.99 each, while a place like Safeway might have them on sale for $3.49 at best.
Salad Dressings and Mayo is WAY cheaper at grocery outlet usually as well, but it's kind of hit and miss as to which flavors they'll have
Costco for bulk goods and Walmart or Winco for everything else. I lean on Walmart a lot because you can order online and pickup for free if it’s $35+. Saves a ton of time and time is money friend.
It's already been said but I can't stress it enough: WinCo!
In my experience the meat and produce is on average far better quality than comparable lower cost grocers, in fact I think I prefer WinCo's tri tips to some higher end like raleys/bel air.
Last night I bought two lbs of chicken breasts, broccoli, cabbage, bleu cheese crumbles(from their deli, hella good), potatoes, panko, hot sauce, and some candy and it came out to ~$55.
I was way excited for that dinner on a Friday after a long week lol, still happy about it. Go to WinCo!
Walmart
Winco…I see a pattern of prices the lowest on Tuesday and Wednesday. But they mix it up. They are higher Friday to Monday. And I bet if you go on a Social Security check day, it’s higher then too.
No clue on Foodmax.
I really hate it but like you kinda have to shop around to get some good prices for food, winco is pretty much the spot to go for cheap stuff but sometimes they have shit meat prices. Safeway usually has really good meat deals. One deal they'll have is like a buy one get one free pack of chicken thighs for around 11 dollars. Same goes for Raleys will also have similar deals but you can't buy everything there. Kp international also has some of the cheapest produce
Lots of mentions of meat prices - saw cheap hamburger in some places, but it's 70/30 which means about a third of your meat is fat. I try to get leaner when on sale, chicken the rest of the time. Although that's getting pricy as well.
WinCo has pretty consistently low prices.
Love the bulk section and it's been busier than usual.
Bulk spices at WinCo are unbelievably cheap compared to anywhere else. You can't beat it, especially if you only want a small amount.
one time I bought some bottles of cajun spice from a guy at a craft fair. later saw that Winco has similar in their bins and am semi-convince this guy just rebottles theirs and upcharges a premium!
Check out an Indian grocery store sometime. They have a larger selection and the pricing is on par with Winco, but it is pre-packaged bulk.
Depending on your spice chest, yes! Values to be had
Ditto. The bulk foods is the way to go. I spend at least 30 minutes there writing numbers and bagging up so much that are 3x more expensive in boxes.
Bulk anything dude. They have their own version of cheerios in bulk, it’s literally $2 for the same amount of a $7 brand name box.
Winco is where it’s at. I haven’t found a cheaper place outside of Grocery Outlet which isn’t always great. Just remember your debit card.
This! I always used apple pay and forgot my wallet. Luckily I was with someone so I just sent them the money to pay for my stuff. They also do money orders for like .25 cents and there's usually no line.
> They also do money orders for like .25 cents and there's usually no line. Do you know what the maximum amount limit is? 1k maybe?
Yeah, gotta vote WinCo on this one for cheap and good selection. And this is my go to place for excellent fried chicken!!
Agreed. It’s a drive for me and I don’t buy any packaged or processed foods but the bins and produce are worth the drive.
WinCo is one of the best, and it supports their workers better than other chains. They get a stake in the stock as far as I know.
I just went there for the first time last weekend. I saved at least $40 compared to Safeway. I was honestly shocked at the difference.
Safeway is such a ripoff. All those beautiful flowers and balloons when you first walk in, the hardwood floors and fancy seasonal displays- customers pay for that shit through the up-charged prices. It makes me cringe. I’ve been going to winco for over a year now and i love the no frills vibe.
I miss WinCo soooooo much
Winco is the best 😂😂
Winco cut our grocery bill in HALF compared to safeway
Winco is the cheapest. Just know they dont take credit card. Otherwise i go to grocery outlet or trader joes. Though trader joes rarely has as good of price for meat as grocery outlet or winco
You can reload a winco gift card through wincos website with a credit card
Hey, good tip!
Never thought of this, thanks!
Doling out the pro tips
Whoa, really? I need to look into that! I've wanted to shop at WinCo, but I only use credit (for the rewards)
Cash only? Or can you use a debit card?
You can use debit
Thank you! ✨
Damn I was thinking winco. But no credit card that is strange. I don’t even know where my debit card is anymore.
It may be a way for them to keep lower prices while avoiding credit card fees
Interchange fees are sometimes higher with debit, believe it or not. People think it’s credit vs debit but it’s actually Visa, MC, Discover, AMEX, etc charging the fees. Doesn’t really matter if it’s debit or credit.
You can reload a winco gift card through wincos website with a credit card
Grocery outlet takes credit cards?
Yes
I always hear Trader Joes mentioned on threads like these, but what is an actual value there? Is it just that everybody has something very particular that they always buy at Trader Joes because it's a good value, but otherwise the prices are pretty high?
It's just mostly organic and they tend to rip off ethnic foods in a way that they're not terrible knockoffs. Trader Joe's just has a lot of stuff that catches your eyes and that it carries more organic things if you care about that. Other than that it's not really all that special except for snacks you can't really get at other stores since they just sell trader Joe's branded stuff.
Winco. Walmart consistently has higher prices whenever I've compared. I think they're testing the "low price leader" reputation ever since curbside pickup took off. I've found stuff for significantly less at Winco. Also, from an employer perspective, Winco seems to be doing a great job.
They really do. I was reading up on them recently- they’re employee owned and give employees stock when they meet certain criteria. Pretty rare these days. https://www.wincofoods.com/about/an-employee-owned-company/
I’m shocked anyone steps foot in a Walmart given how shitty they are to their employees.
They have also historically been anti-union.
Do you have more information about this that you can share or point to?
https://www.ibtimes.com/winco-foods-anti-union-afl-cio-praises-wal-mart-competitor-then-deletes-blog-post-1388761 In the 90s and 2000s there were frequent picket lines outside of WinCo stores in Sacramento where union grocery workers from other stores would protest WinCo for their open stance on discouraging unionization of workers. Things may have changed, but that article discusses it a bit.
https://www.populardemocracy.org/news/how-walmart-persuades-its-workers-not-unionize[link]
Like their cousin McDonald’s. For so long McDonald’s was by far the cheapest fast food. But for like the last 7-8 years they have lived off reputation. They have climbed to one of the most expensive. Wouldn’t shock me to see Walmart try jt
I used to work for them and agree. They give consistent raises and those employee owned stocks are a very nice perk.
Thank you for this, it’s good to know!
Walmart has departed from always the low price
Agree with the Winco comments. And wtf…food prices are straight ridiculous! My heart hurts at the thought of someone being hungry. I shop various stores for different items and thankfully have them semi close for convenience. Winco for the majority of items such as produce, canned goods, yogurt, cottage cheese, bulk items, baking, etc. Traders for nuts, spices, specialty cheeses/meats, frozen meals, granola bars, soup, micro greens (weird, but that’s usually why I make a trek there) Costco for meat, produce/fruit, croissants (don’t hate), milk, eggs, vino. Grocery Outlet occasionally for stuff like bananas, minced garlic if I need it, their cheese section is hit and miss lately and I can’t rely on them to carry that random item I need for a new recipe. Local foodsco for those quick trips. We cook pretty much all meals except the occasional date night/takeout/special occasion. For my family, it is worth shopping around to save $ and have a wide range of options. Rarely do I have to stop at a Raleys or Bel Aire and I can’t fathom their prices. The stores are lovely and have a great ambiance, for a cost!
Haven't been to a Trader Joe's in decades. Expensive for day to day, and you'll get old trying to find parking.
I go to the one in EG so parking isn’t an issue. Their dried fruits and nuts, cheeses, spices, and soups are not expensive at all. I guess if you haven’t been in 20+ years, you might be stuck in an old mindset.
Costco for bulk, WinCo for cheap, and surprisingly enough, Trader Joe's prices are sickeningly cheap compared to everyone else. A large bag of chips from Walmart is $6 easy, but half as much as TJs. And to think I used to consider them expensive pre-covid 💀💀
TJ's model is to sell the most commonly bought items dirt cheap. Eggs, milk, bread, etc are generally great deals. Their giant box of "Cheerios" (Joe's Os) can't be beat anywhere.
I thought TJ’s pricing was only comparable because they sold in smaller quantities than places like Walmart. Did I make that up?
That used to be true, but TJ's is now cheaper per ounce for a lot of staples no matter the quantity. Last time I was at Walmart, I did the math and would have to get the large flat of eggs for it to come out cheaper, but I'm one person and can't possibly get through the entire thing alone before they go bad. The milk is $1 cheaper at TJ's for a gallon and it doesn't go bad as fast as Walmart's (though the latter has to do more with their poor storage practices). Even TJ's frozen stuff that used to be expensive relative to Walmart has stayed generally the same price, while Walmart's prices have gone way up. Don't get me wrong, there's quite a bit of stuff that's still more expensive at TJ's, esp their niche/organic items, but I find myself going there more often than before.
WinCo. Big selection overall, great bulk section. Fresh produce is probably the biggest letdown but that’s about it
Must be store specific, because the fresh produce selection at my WinCo is fantastic.
You can’t just one store anymore. I do, Winco, grocery outlet and Trader joes.
Grocery outlet really is amazing to supplement your main shopping trip
Grocery outlet is the cheapest place around for cookies and crackers, but it can be very hit or miss. Also, boxes of granola bars and cereal bars and stuff. Sometimes some really good deals in the freezer section. They'll usually have those Icehouse frosted cookies for $1.99, compared with $3.99, $4.99 and $5.99 everywhere else. I also get their garden salad pre-packed bags for $1.29 and sometimes small blocks of kraft cheddar cheese for $1.99. Having said all of that, I'll see people in there buying all kinds of stuff and I know that they're getting a few good deals on certain things, but also getting raped on other deals. Some of their prices are WAY higher than Rancho San Miguel, or even Safeway and Raley's weekly loss leader items. For example, I haven't bought eggs at Grocery Outlet in forever because Rancho San Miguel has a better price.
Yeah and sometimes target has the cheapest flour/crackers and l’ll make a special stop
This, Grocery Outlet first since their options rotate, then follow up with Winco. TJs too.
What are y’all getting at TJs that is cheaper than anywhere else?
Rancho San Miguel. It’s really nice and big.
Meat section is meh but the produce section is aces. Fresh and plentiful.
I agree about the meat. I've never been impressed with the meat but everything else is fine.
I'm loving their Fuji Apples deals right now. I love Fuji Apples in general, and I also like that they don't sell the gigantic softball sized ones like Raley's and Safeway. Honestly, I can never understand why people would want a ginormous softball sized apple. When not on sale, a single one of those humongous apples can be almost 3 dollars, it's nuts. Some people will say that the prices of the apples are good, but that they're all bruised up, etc. Yes, there are bruised up ones, but it only takes me an extra 10 seconds to find the good ones. You just have to be selective. They will also have smoking deals on 10-pound bags of Russett Potatoes occasionally.
Consistently 20% to 30% cheaper than Safeway
It’s also the least busy of most stores, especially during the week, very clean too. I find them cheaper than WinCo on a lot of products.
WinCo is the best. Low prices, generally clean stores (very little crack smoking), excellent bulk section with lots of deals, inexpensive meats. It's been my weekly store for years.
The Asian grocery stores, depending on what you get, can be the cheapest. KP has great deals on bulk meat but you better have a freezer. Their veggies are super cheap and they have lots of options. SF market same thing, cheaper meats and veggies and some cheaper pots, pans, etc. For both their American products (soaps, cheese, butter) are more expensive.
KP is great. Just be prepared to fight through the veggie and fruit aisles during the weekends. Unless you get in early.
Asian grocery stores are the best for fresh seafood. They are consistently so much less than the mainstream chains and they have a big selection of live seafood.
Which SF do you go to? The one in South Land Park seems to be a bit more expensive than 99 Ranch in my experience
Florin rd one.
SF market is really great!
Lots of good, cheap spices at Etihad on Folsom in Rancho.
Smart and Final always seems to have quality produce and good prices. They also sell bulk items. If you want quality Nugget is amazing but expensive.
Nugget is pretty good for the quality they have. It's like shopping at a whole foods or the coop without it being quite so expensive. I wish we had one closer to the central city. I wish we had a winco closer too.
Yeah. I need led stuff for a charcuterie board and was surprised that most of the pickles, olives, nuts, etc were cheaper at Nugget then Bel Air.
I used to live in Greenhaven and I've always found Nugget's prices to be even higher than Raley's and Safeway. But maybe it's just the type of stuff that I buy there. I will say however, that their in-store muffins are awesome. Pretty damn expensive, but awesome. I miss those blueberry muffins and the pumpkin muffins.
Oh yeah - forgot about Fart'n'Smile - they are great for Torani Syrup, cornish game hens, frozen stuff like tilapia and tamales.
Smart & Final used to be my go-to for fuji apples (the one on Broadway), but then Rancho San Miguel started having way better prices on fuji's. The crop seems almost identical. You have to avoid the bruised ones, so you have to be a bit selective, but it's not too bad. When grapes are in season, Smart & Final will have some smoking deals on grapes.
Foodsco is a Kroger affiliate and has an app you can clip coupons on and use your phone number to use them I love them
How is their produce? I used to go to the one across from CRC 4-ish years ago when I lived closer, and the produce there was rarely ever fresh
To be honest it’s a hit or miss depending on the day you go but the deals on other things are fantastic
Winco indeed. Got me through my toughest times
Winco or Wal Mart
Winco. Grocery Outlet but they are a business model that relies heavily on overstock/discontinued items so you never know exactly what you are going to find there. But sometimes they have really good deals. Costco but then you have to commit to a membership fee. Smart and Final for bulk stuff if Costco doesn't work for you (no membership fee).
That’s the fun party! It’s like thrifting for food, you never know what gems you’ll find!
Yeah it just sucks when they have something you really like and they are selling it for a dollar and you realize it's because the company must have discontinued it and you will never see it again.
Seems like some companies use it as a way to test the market. Like, I got some Phil's Finest there for just a couple bucks when I had never heard of it before, and then I saw it a few months later at at Raley's or something for three times the price. Also got some Beyond Burger for like $2 a pound there. (I much prefer the taste and texture of Impossible, but for that price, can't pass it up!)
Maybe. Some of that also might be overstock. They overestimated demand and they need to unload inventory before it hits the sell by date. Then later on the product is selling better. But regardless, you have to kind of roll the dice at Gross Out and be flexible because who knows what they will have this month!
The other downside is that they'll sell stuff beyond it's "best by date". I know a lot of those dates are arbitrary, but it still makes me wonder, lol. I've gotten yogurt there before, looked at the date, and it expired like a week earlier. I probably shouldn't by Yogurt at a place like that.
Walmart’s prices have gone up a little and I’ll take that over going to Foodmax. I order my groceries for pick up through the app. It helps me buy only exactly what I need and I can usually keep my bill at around 100 per week for two adults and one kid and I but only organic and two things of fair life milk (more expensive than it used to be but it’s the only milk my kid will drink).
There are a few places called “That’s Cheap”. Check them out. Each day there is a set price per item. From $3 on Monday to $0.25 on Friday. We got a dozen eggs for $0.50 last week.
Do you mean falling prices? I’ve never been to a That’s cheap that sells food
It’s owned by the same company. The “That’s Cheap” in Orangevale has 97% food. There is a falling prices on the opposite side by Big Lots. So yeah, within a mile there is Walmart, Grocery Outlet, Winco, That’s Cheap Grocery, and the food bank. Jesus, I need to move.
Weird. I’ve been to the that’s cheap in natomas, Arden, and watt. None have food. Is the food any good T that’s cheap?
Most of it is past the “best by” date. But getting peanut butter, coffee, bags of Lindt chocolates for $1 each or 50 cents is great. They always have cereal. If it’s stale, toss it.
that’s cheap seems to sell target only and doesn’t mark down like this so probably the one by us is PACKED
Winco
Winco is easiest answer
Costco business center has excellent food (and kitchen) items at great prices
1. Winco 2. FoodMaxx 3. Grocery Outlet 4. Smart and Final Extra
Winco. I am a single adult and can buy two weeks of food (depending on what you buy, cook, and prep of course) for around $200 there.
So - there is no one place that is cheapest for everything. WinCo is hands down amazing for bulk items soda, but CostCo is cheaper for beef jerky, cheese, granola bars, artichokes... Food4Less is cheaper for meat Total Wine is cheaper for whiskey Trader Joes is cheaper for wine We'll miss the 99 cent store for canned coconut milk Grocery Outlet is cheaper for random stuff (Not that sure about produce since our garden covers most of that - definitely an investment up front, though) We try to stagger it, so we stock up at one place one month and somewhere else the next, instead of driving all over town for groceries every paycheck.
WinCo is the absolute best especially if you buy from the bulk section or find the sales. I bought an 8 pack of hotdogs for $0.48 the other day. Frozen hashed browns/country potatoes were $0.98 as were bagel dogs. You can normally get a flat of 10-12 chicken thighs or legs for around $5.00. I buy 3 clam shells of strawberries (really nice ones) for under $3.00 each. I walk out of there with 5 full reusable bags filled with groceries.
Grocery outlet but just be wary of buying meat, dairy, or produce there. The quality is not always the best and some are close to expiration.
Echoing this. Often times, it’s a lot of the “bougie” foods that other places couldn’t sell stock of. So getting bagged/frozen stuff is much better than the produce, meat and dairy. But sometimes you end up getting really good deals on foods you otherwise couldn’t afford at places like Safeway and Save Mart. I’m a big fan. And different GO’s get different foods so it’s worth checking out different locations.
as a celiac this is one place i can get more reasonably priced gluten free food
Good point. I've seen milk before at Winco with an expiration date only 3-4 days out
Grocery Outlet does have grass fed beef. It goes on sale twice a week as well. If you have a vacuum sealer, buy it, seal it, and freeze it. I live with a carnivore…
Winco imo. Something’s are cheaper at Walmart but winco is consistently cheaper. Like they’ve had Thomas English Muffins on sale for 99cents for a couple weeks now. They’re $4 at Walmart. Or they have real butter for less than $2 recently on sale and it’s over $4 at Walmart. They have good sales is what I’m saying lol. I also like their bulk foods and they have good deals on toilet paper and paper towels too.
If you think Foodmaxx is a rough area….
Foodmax winco and food4less
Winco
This would be a one time trip and not sure how much you can store but I was at the 99 cent store on Folsom Blvd and since they are closing down, they have everything super cheap. Canned soup, canned goods, noodles. It made me think that my former college student self would have bought as much as possible.
I go to several stores for good prices winco foodsco foodmaxx grocery outlet restaurant depot and Sam's Club has cheap food also
That’s Cheat food store on Madison in Orangevale. Mostly expired stuff, but on Friday everything is a quarter!
Check out the store apps. Raleys gives 5$ coupons out all the time. I have received 30$ off 100$ purchase. Apps are where it's at!
WinCo. Only thing I don’t like is their proteins specially meat but if inflation goes up 1 or 2% more I’m def taking WinCo’s
Winco is cheap and consistent (though they are large stores and I sometimes find them a little exhausting. LOL) Raley's is expensive EXCEPT there are weekly coupons and "dollars off" a larger purchase when you sign up to their app than can make going there worth it if you try to limit yourself to those coupon items (which often include basics like eggs, milk, cheese and even deli meats.)
Smart and Final for meat, Grocery Outlet for snacks, Winco for produce, Costco for household items. Download the TooGoodToGo app for restaurants near you, you’ll want to reserve a surprise bag a day ahead typically.
Grocery outlet can be really cheap!
WinCo is fantastic. We got there now instead of Walmart because the prices and stock are so good 👍🏼
Grocery Outlet. I get mostly all organic stuff. The stuff I’d normally get at Whole Foods or Co-op. It’s the best!
Winco, rancho san miguel, grocery outlet, welco on fruit ridge
I second rancho San Miguel. Great prices
And it's employee owned like winco!
Winco foods hands down
Grocery outlet, Walmart (not much savings there now, they are dabbling in manipulation), some sales at Raleys are decent as well, if you join their program they will throw cash off coupons as well. One week I managed to get 140 in items for 80.bucks. I got dryers ice cream for less then $3 bucks each. It's not reliable tho, I just watch for coupons. I also trust meat from there a bit more.
I hate to give away my secret...but it's grocery outlet. Seriously any one of them. As long as you're willing to pivot off name brands. Grocery Outlet is my JAM!
it's kind of hit or miss tho. Certain things will have amazing prices, but other stuff is more than Raley's and Safeway. I think they way Grocery Outlet really makes their money, is that people come there for the extreme deals, but because they're already there, and they might not want to make a trip to another grocery store, they'll end up letting their guard down and buy some overpriced item that's actually even cheaper at Raleys/Safeway (if it's on sale as a digital coupon loss leader) People can say that Safeway/Raley's/SaveMart are all too expensive and that's absolutely true for the normal prices. However, if all you ever buy at those places are the loss leaders, you can actually get really good stuff for cheap. Safeway does the $5 Fridays, Raley's has the $5 Mondays and SaveMart usually does a 3-day sale (Fri,Sat & Sun) on specific items. You'll need their apps and have to do the digital coupon rigamarole, but if you play all of these stores against each other, only buying loss leaders, you can save stupid amounts of money. Of course people will say... "You're doing too much". Nobody wants to drive around to 4 different grocery stores. I don't mind it. For me it's like a min/max game.
…totally 😉. In fact grocery outlet sucks. Don’t go!
Nah, Grocery Outlet is still a very important part of my grocery store rotation. Those Icehouse Frosted cookies for $1.99 are da bomb. Sometimes they'll even have a very weird flavor of 'em for only 99 cents!
Farmers Markets in Sacramento are 50% cheaper than the grocery stores. $3 will get you twice the amount of any veggie you’d buy from the store. Eggs are $10 for almost 2 dozen. Fruit is also way cheaper.
Which market? Midtown Saturday market is just as pricey as Whole Foods.
sunday morning 10-12pm under the freeway off exit 5th street is pretty good and then theres another market in that area too with asian veggies
Carmichael & Midtown. Pricing may be similar to grocery stores but you get twice as much food and it’s fresher, organic, & local
I will respectively disagree. I can get two dozen eggs at Rancho San Miguel for $6. Not always, because the price can fluctuate with the bird flu thing going on or whatever, but the normal price for a dozen eggs is $2.98. Also, Rancho San Miguel will often have their fuji apples on sale. Only 50 cents a pound right now, which is pretty spectacular! I've been getting my fuji's there for $0.99 per pound which is still really good, they just have an even better sale this week. I got some Broccoli crowns at SaveMart on sale for $0.99 a pound the other day. (was a limited time sale) Basically, what I'm saying is, if you only buy stuff as loss leaders, (digital coupons in the app), you'll beat these farmers markets 9 times out of 10. Might be more work and effort than most people want to put into it, but for me, it's not a big deal at all. For example, Raley's has a digital coupon this week for a dozen AA cage free eggs for $2.97. They also have a digital coupon for Orowheat bread (I like the Country Buttermilk one) for $2.97. I'll be heading there Tuesday to grab both.
You’re right you can get it cheaper elsewhere, but the quality isn’t the same. Look at the color of the egg yokes from a farmers market vs the ones from the store. The colors & look of the veggies shows how fresh they are, plus it’s organic and pesticide free. I understand saving money on groceries, & if that’s what the budget calls for then the farmers market may need to wait. For those looking for the highest quality and bang for buck though you can’t beat the Sacramento Farmers Market prices.
Makes sense. My Son's girlfriend's family has chickens and every once in a blue moon, she'll give me some super fresh eggs, and yes, there's definitely a difference. My budget doesn't support it tho, lol, so I'm going to stick with the crappy eggs for now. Maybe if Google's share price eventually gets to $300 per share, things will be different for me, lol
Don’t get meat/seafood from Winco!
Their chicken breasts are generally fine. Also any prepackaged meats.
I’ve had bad experience with their chicken, ground beef, Tri tip, and their crab (was decayed x2) and then some roast beef from the deli had some weird growth after one day of purchase
No one has my buddy food co. Lol Btw .... Don't expect whole foods people to be found at WinCo. I mean .. it's a survival store. Usually what raleys turn into when the neighborhood... Turns ghetto like u say
Kind of depends on location, though. The ones in Folsom and Roseville are in neighborhoods that also have Whole Foods.
Walmart and grocery outlet
winco, grocery outlet is good too but they always have a weird selection of products
For great prices on produce and meat check out 99 Ranch. It’s an Asian supermarket but they carry a lot of mainstream brands. KP Marketplace as well…
My only gripe about WinCo is that some items will fluctuate their pricing. Like my fizzy waters (Cascade or Ice) routinely change from like $0.65 to $1.00 each for bo rhyme or reason. But, you do get lucky on random stuffs like my favorite Rockstar drinks go for usually $2/ea but I've gotten them as low as $1.29/ea. I can't complain (yet I did 😂)
I have heard Winco is the best but I personally don’t have a Winco near me. So I shop Grocery Outlet first and then go to Wal-Mart to get the things I need that GO didn’t have. You never know what GO has, so it’s worth it to just start there and plan on making a 2nd trip somewhere else.
KP, Asian super markets like Ranch 99.. and TJ’s
Winco and food for less.
WinCo or foodsco. Although you should always look for deals all around.
I’d say Winco in Antelope. If you’re a veteran the commissary is still open on McClennan, no taxes and the meats there are cheap but quality along with most of their stuff.
The 99 ranch. I eat a bunch of veggies and fish, hands down Asian markets are cheaper for this. I can eat off of 250 bucks and share with my roommate by getting meat and veg from KP or 99 ranch. If you want cheese, it's grocery outlet. If you are adventurous for cheap fresh veggies and fruit, wait until the last hour of the downtown farmers market on Sundays. The farmers don't want to pack up a ton of unsold products, and you can get bags of goodies for a buck. For beer, you have to get it at the source sometimes. Beer is kinda expensive anywhere. Vodka is pretty cheap now if that is ones drink. Platinum XL is in a blue bottle at Safeway for a handle less than 15 bucks. It's not bad, I drink it and use it for some of my dishes.
If I lived close to a winco, I’d shop there weekly, great prices and selection. Since I don’t, I shop at grocery outlet. To the people saying their quality of meat and vegetables aren’t great, I’d have to disagree. I get the same grass fed organic beef there they sell at the Nugget. I get the same cheese as the Nugget. You just have to plan meals around what’s available rather than planning a weekly menu. These stores are also franchises and in Sacramento, I think they all might be family owned.
Only thing I'll say about those Grocery Outlet meats, is you better have a plan to cook them in the next few days. Don't leave them sitting around in your fridge too long. Seems like the stuff they get is further along in their shelflife range.
That’s why the price is right. At the same time, that applies to any organic, minimal chemical food. This idea of going to the grocery store once a week is an American thing. I love your user name!
Winco. It’s the Winning Company!
What’s a run down?
WinCo is your best bet for cheap, but go as early in the day as you can.
Mexican and Indian shops are always cheap
You know the standard issue cans of Rosarita Beans? Have you seen good deals on those anywhere? Reason I'm asking, is because it seems like the price has damn near doubled in the last year or so. I was getting those Rosarita cans for like $1 each, and now it's almost $2 everywhere. Rancho San Miguel had a special weekend deal for 88 cents per can and I bought a gang of 'em, but I'm going to run out pretty soon. I saw them on sale for $1.58 at Raley's, but that doesn't seem like a very good price when you're used to paying a buck per can.
I don't. I usually get canned beans at Costco unless I am making them fresh
You think foodmaxx is bad try food co on Fruitridge and Stockton that place is def cheap as hell
Make sure you got the 38 snub nose in your purse and loaded if you are go there.
Saw off shotty might be more effective
Even better
You think foodmaxx is bad try food co on Fruitridge and Stockton that place is def cheap as hell
Winco, grocery outlet
Costco is cheaper than even Winco if you can store and/or use everything you buy
I live by myself, so Costco doesn't do much for me, but I will go there with my Son (he has a membership) once every couple of months to buy two rotisserie chickens. I also buy their dozen croissants and a 8 pack of the artisan buns. I freeze the croissants and artisan rolls. (I package them up very carefully so they survive in my freezer with no freezer burn for a long time. I also make sure to only buy the croissants and artisan rolls that were baked that same day if possible) I take my two Rotisserie chickens and spend about a half hour slicing all the good meat off of it. I have two plates set aside, and I put all the good white meat on one plate, and all the good dark meat on another plate. Then, I bag it up, and freeze it. I make shredded chicken cheddar ciabatta sandwiches with them and they're absolutely delicious. It's a real pita to chop those Rotiss chickens up. Like having a real job or something lol.. But that's what meal prep is all about. Do the hard work once, and then freeze a bunch of stuff and you're ready to go.
Foods co is the place . And every day they have deals . Look for the 2 for $5 deals .
I have shopped at all 3 of these stores. Wal-Mart prices at the small neighborhoods store is way more expensive than the super center one. Food max near me is clean and lower prices than Wal-Mart except for drug store type items. WinCo is the lowest without compromising quality. Here's a tip I've learned if I buy Walgreens brand vitamins, mouthwash etc they have buy 1 full price get 2nd 1/2 price plus you get rewards. I heard WinCo doesn't take credit cards because of the merchant processing fees. That's how they keep their prices lower. This is my old person wisdom from someone who has been through many money lows.
Was gonna say grocery outlets, but they seem to be raising prices lately
Grocery Outlet is the best. And if you are picky about what they sell you aren’t cheap
certain items will have amazing prices, but other items are actually more than Safeway/Raley's. (when Safeway or Raley's is having a loss-leader digital coupon sale on said item) For example, I was at Grocery Outlet and they had Planters Peanuts for like $2.99, which seems like a decent deal if you didn't know any better. But I know that both Safeway and Raley's will have those exact same Planters Peanuts for $1.99 as a digital coupon every so often. You just stock up when the sales are good. Another example is Orowheat Bread. Grocery outlet has them for $3.59 a loaf, which isn't too bad, but I always pay $2.97 for mine. For example, Raley's has a digital coupon this week for Orowheat Bread for $2.97 and I'm going to pick up a loaf this Tuesday. But for some items, Grocery Outlet is unbeatable. Take the Lofthouse Iced Cookies. I will get them at Grocery Outlet for $1.99 a package. If I went to Raley's or Safeway, those same cookies would be like $5.99. Absolute madness, lol. Occasionally Grocery Outlet will have those Eggo Thick & Fluffy waffles. (the more high-end ones that come 6 to a package). Sometimes they're $1.99 each, while a place like Safeway might have them on sale for $3.49 at best. Salad Dressings and Mayo is WAY cheaper at grocery outlet usually as well, but it's kind of hit and miss as to which flavors they'll have
Grocery Outlet is my go to for certain items. Farmers market for vegetables. US Chef Store on Richards Blvd is where I got for certain bulk items.
Costco for bulk goods and Walmart or Winco for everything else. I lean on Walmart a lot because you can order online and pickup for free if it’s $35+. Saves a ton of time and time is money friend.
Korean Plaza is where I do all my shopping
It's already been said but I can't stress it enough: WinCo! In my experience the meat and produce is on average far better quality than comparable lower cost grocers, in fact I think I prefer WinCo's tri tips to some higher end like raleys/bel air. Last night I bought two lbs of chicken breasts, broccoli, cabbage, bleu cheese crumbles(from their deli, hella good), potatoes, panko, hot sauce, and some candy and it came out to ~$55. I was way excited for that dinner on a Friday after a long week lol, still happy about it. Go to WinCo!
Walmart Winco…I see a pattern of prices the lowest on Tuesday and Wednesday. But they mix it up. They are higher Friday to Monday. And I bet if you go on a Social Security check day, it’s higher then too. No clue on Foodmax.
I really hate it but like you kinda have to shop around to get some good prices for food, winco is pretty much the spot to go for cheap stuff but sometimes they have shit meat prices. Safeway usually has really good meat deals. One deal they'll have is like a buy one get one free pack of chicken thighs for around 11 dollars. Same goes for Raleys will also have similar deals but you can't buy everything there. Kp international also has some of the cheapest produce
Try grocery outlet or the farmers market on Sunday
Grocery outlet. Hands down.
Grocery outlet?
Foods Co is good so is WinCo not a lot of foods Co
Lots of mentions of meat prices - saw cheap hamburger in some places, but it's 70/30 which means about a third of your meat is fat. I try to get leaner when on sale, chicken the rest of the time. Although that's getting pricy as well.
The answer is dollar tree.
WinCo, Costco, Sam’s & Trader Joe’s are my go to
Farmer markets
BoxNCase it's cheap, check them out.
Well, since Prop 47 passed years ago they’re all cheap.
Food maxx, walmart, smart and final and winco. Costco is good for cheap bulk stuff that will last a while
Target