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Best Value Grocery & Other Stores


FULLTIMEWANABE

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Plus, a walk through any Costco will be your exercise for the day, plus lunch as you browse you way through the store. A lot of times you can find someone in the park who will be happy to split a TP bundle, etc. we love Costco, great meat & some good buys on wine.

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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Aldi has all private label goods, and most of their items are as good or better than comparable name brands. They also have very good produce, though they don't waste money on fancy displays. Their meat generally leaves something to be desired.

I find the rental of the cart to be a bit much at a couple of the Aldi stores. I don't know if it's that way everywhere, but having to carry change to get a wagon from a device like the carts at the airport turned me off right away.

 

Rod

White 2000/2010Volvo VNL 770 with 7' Drom box with opposing doors,  JOST slider hitch. 600 HP Cummins Signature 18 Speed three pedal auto shift.

1999 Isuzu VehiCross retired to a sticks and bricks garage. Brought out of storage the summer of 2022

2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Two door hard top.

2007 Honda GL 1800

2013 Space Craft Mfg S420 Custom built Toyhauler

The Gold Volvo is still running and being emptied in July. 

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Rod, Having the carts secured keeps idiots from dinging up the vehicles! Not difficult to keep an Aldi quarter in one of the cubby holes in your car. Remembering which and getting it before leaving the vehicle can be like remembering to take your meds! Lol!

:) Living Life One Day At A Time!

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Safeway (quarters), Stupidstore (Loonie) to unsecure a cart, and we typically have both as tokens size matched on our key rings. Personally we wish Walmart and everywhere else would do it to stop the idiots that leave their carts everywhere not back in the cart parks or back to the store. We've seen so much damage to other vehicles caused by unsecured carts when caught in the winds here or just trucks pushing them out the way to park and then hitting a neighbouring vehicle. We often have to get out in non paid for cart stores car parks and collect orphaned carts to be able to park in a designated spot.

 

Also folks that walk to the store in the summer will take the carts home and abandon them so you see them on the streets, medians and sidewalk areas sometimes. Winter not so much as they can't push them in the snow very far. That latter reason might be a reason as well why some don't return them in the car parks in the winter, so then we blame the store for not clearing the slush etc.

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Safeway (quarters), Stupidstore (Loonie) to unsecure a cart, and we typically have both as tokens size matched on our key rings. Personally we wish Walmart and everywhere else would do it to stop the idiots that leave their carts everywhere not back in the cart parks or back to the store. We've seen so much damage to other vehicles caused by unsecured carts when caught in the winds here or just trucks pushing them out the way to park and then hitting a neighbouring vehicle. We often have to get out in non paid for cart stores car parks and collect orphaned carts to be able to park in a designated spot.

 

Also folks that walk to the store in the summer will take the carts home and abandon them so you see them on the streets, medians and sidewalk areas sometimes. Winter not so much as they can't push them in the snow very far. That latter reason might be a reason as well why some don't return them in the car parks in the winter, so then we blame the store for not clearing the slush etc.

There are some places that still deliver the grocery bags to your car and refuse a tip. They are few and far between. I think the drive up thing was just too easy for someone to wait in the wings while someone was walking to their car to drive up and get a cart full of groceries for nothing. I never heard of it but can imagine it happening.

 

I always take at least one orphan cart in each time I visit the store. Sometimes it's one a person is just emptying. Was going to do that for a female a couple weeks ago but just as I was getting close she proceeded to turn around and just shove the cart toward the cart shelter and walk away. I commented on her laziness and she came back with profanity. As soon as she turned around gravity and a little of the wind from the right direction pushed the cart back to almost where she was. I had to say "see what happens". she accused me of doing it and I just kept walking. Who knows what happened next.

 

Most carts these days have a brake on them that won't allow them off the parking lot. Not sure how it works but have seen people trying to leave the lot and suddenly stop and look all around. Any off topic. Sorry. .

White 2000/2010Volvo VNL 770 with 7' Drom box with opposing doors,  JOST slider hitch. 600 HP Cummins Signature 18 Speed three pedal auto shift.

1999 Isuzu VehiCross retired to a sticks and bricks garage. Brought out of storage the summer of 2022

2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Two door hard top.

2007 Honda GL 1800

2013 Space Craft Mfg S420 Custom built Toyhauler

The Gold Volvo is still running and being emptied in July. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Time for My Two Cents: Doesn't appear anyone posted for the southeast part of the country. Harris Teeter is about the highest chain store with a close runner up being Publix. Bi-Lo is a consistently high-priced store where you only do well with their BOGO (BuyOneGetOneFree). WalMarts are creeping up in price steadily but the most common and convenient around. Someone else mentioned Aldi, and although a bit limited in selection, partic. in the healthcare area (shampoo, bandaids, etc), you can do well in dairy (Ie, Kefir is $2.50 a quart, same in WalMart $3.38) eggs, fresh veggies and fruits, meats, frozen (they have their own brand) only carry lesser/cheaper brands of pet food, good breads/bakery, canned, munchies and decent wines. If you're near state borders, watch taxes, as in SC it is 7.5% and slipping over into NC 2% on everything but wine and junk foods, so a $100 order it pays me to drive a bit further. There are discount food stores scattered in small towns and hard to find. You can get some really great deals, just have to watch dates - it's not all out of date, some close, and some still a year out-takes a bit more time shopping. I got baby beef liver for my pups , in date, $2.49 a pound, ie. I wish I could say I find farmer's markets cheaper down here. Rarely do I find genuine organic foods labelled as such, which is a disappointment. And on a lot of items when I question will tell me it has been trucked in from another state, which is allowable under state laws to say "local" as long as it is within a 200 mile radius, so not always the freshest, nor the cheapest. SC peaches in season from the local growers are way higher than peaches trucked across the country from California and sold in the grocery chains. Same with strawberries. Sometimes when you are traveling it is just a lot of fun to amble around town, try unique items, and patronize the locals. Happy Trails!

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  • 2 weeks later...

We do alot of shopping at Winco once a month. I've found that Dollar General beats Walmart hands down for cleaning and paper products, canned goods, chips/snacks/nuts and coffee/tea. It doesn't hurt that they are all over now. Our closest larger town Ridgecrest, CA has a larger selection of items there than the small Walmart.

Jo

 

Fort Courage

1984 Lazy Daze Class C 22'

High Desert CA

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We have no idea what we spend for food. We do use Quicken and could find out but we spend what we spend. We have not changed our lifestyle at all being on the road except we live in a much smaller space. We do not have a set budget but we are not big spenders. Wall marts are over the USA and is usually easy to find one nearby

.

Here in our part of Florida we shop at Publix which is I think a bit high on prices but the quality is good and the store is 3.2 miles up the road were wall mart is 8.3 miles up the road. Dollar General is within Golf Cart distance from our lot and we shop there for a few items.

 

We do look at our Quicken categories once a year at tax time to see were we are spending our money.We have some left over so we are within our spending limit.

 

We did do budget the first year on the road but found we were spending more time tracking the budget then having a good time.

 

It is a good idea to take a hard look at your finances before you start a Rv adventure as you may find out you can't do it and that is better than finding out two years down the road.

Helen and I are long timers ..08 F-350 Ford,LB,CC,6.4L,4X4, Dually,4:10 diff dragging around a 2013 Montana 3402 Big Sky

SKP 100137. North Ridgeville, Ohio in the summer, sort of and where ever it is warm in the winter.

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I just realized about a week ago, it's been about 5 years since I have been to a store, other than Walmart. Not counting filling stations and the dealer where I got my trailer.. If I can't get it at Walmart, I order on-line.

F-250 SCREW 4X4 Gas, 5th NuWa Premier 35FKTG, Full Time, Engineer Ret.

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I find the rental of the cart to be a bit much at a couple of the Aldi stores. I don't know if it's that way everywhere, but having to carry change to get a wagon from a device like the carts at the airport turned me off right away.

 

Rod

 

Others pay a person to gather all those carts up, Aldi's don't. Furnish your own bags/boxes at Aldi's others have this price built into the price.

 

Some say they don't buy off brand items. I have a friend that drove 18 wheeler and he would go to the Bush Bean canning factory near Dandridge, TN. where he picked up brands of beans for Bush Beans, Kroger and Great Value for Wally World. There is no way each brand have there own canning company. Kind of like batteries, one factory makes batteries for several brands.

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One summer while in college I worked for a frozen food producer. Worked in broccoli, 'A' line was the best, with a brand label, by the time they got to the store labels pretty droopy looking.

Barb

 

Edited because iPhone auto-corrections were awful.

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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  • 3 months later...

My wife and I prefer to buy canned goods and dry goods at Aldis when possible. Their brand of dry goods and canned goods is every bit as good as any store chain. As for Walmart I learned the hard way that shopping there can be a PITA. I do not like to buy meat there and the store is generally at least to me seems to be in a panic mode at all times. Lines to check out never have enough lanes open and the self check outs to me is just another way to rip off the work force.

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My wife and I prefer to buy canned goods and dry goods at Aldis when possible. Their brand of dry goods and canned goods is every bit as good as any store chain. As for Walmart I learned the hard way that shopping there can be a PITA. I do not like to buy meat there and the store is generally at least to me seems to be in a panic mode at all times. Lines to check out never have enough lanes open and the self check outs to me is just another way to rip off the work force.

That's funny you mention Walmart's checkout lanes. We have a Walmart grocery store in our town and it has become that way. Always in panic mode and never enough checkouts open. The self checks are ok most of the time until it says wait for an associate and then you wish you were in a regular line. We go there for convenience for sure. Unfortunately I'm not a fan of grocery outlet or sprouts (other than produce) so the only other stores are Safeway and Lucky's. In Northern California everything is expensive. LOL.

James

2024 GMC 3500HD DRW Denali Diesel

2019 Keystone Avalanche 396BH

USN Retired

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James and Tracy, just saw on the Los Angeles news the other day, that Aldis is on their way to Cali. I refuse to use the self-checkout line anywhere unless they decide to give me 10-15% off my total bill. A year ago we noticed some Sam's Clubs were putting in self-checkout lanes. We were there one day and were in a regular checkout lane. One of the "patrollers" behind the lanes came up and said "the self checkout lanes are open". Told her real quick that I didn't pay my membership to check my self out. Give me 10-15% off my bill and I will go over there. Got the "deer in the headlight look".

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Today we stopped at a wonderful little local store in the White Mountains of Arizona. It's been a long time since we've seen things so fresh. The leaf, butter and romaine lettuce were nicely trimmed and was the freshest we've tasted in ages. The produce displays were a work of art. They smoke/grill various meats right outside and offer them in the deli. The in-store bakery was awesome as was the whole deli dept with many house-made items. The meat dept. was equally fresh-looking with some speciality items. There was a huge wine display from all over the world. The prices were well within the Safeway/Walmart range. It was a great shopping and eating experience. Sometimes the local grocery is much better than chains.

 

On another line of thought - years ago we would stop at city farmers' markets as we traveled. Now when we stop there is very little produce offered. It's all crafty stuff including soaps and homemade 'natural' items for face and body. It's getting to a point that we don't even bother anymore. It's not our idea of a farmer's market. Granted, there are still some good established markets out there but in small to mid-size towns where you would think the local farmers would bring in goods, it's become too comercialized.

Full-timed for 16 Years
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome
and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

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We're still pretty new to this travelling thing. Around home - we've got a combination of stores that we use for groceries. We use either the local Kroger or the local Meijer store - and augment with fresh fruit, produce and butcher meats from a local joint called "Produce Palace" that specializes in that sort of thing. However, "favorite stores" notwithstanding - we find that when we're travelling - where we shop is driven by what happens to be along our route. When we're actually moving - it's whatever "big" supercenter type store we come upon (the fact that their parking lots are usually "big rig" friendly is a huge factor in that regard). Once we're settled into a spot for a few days - it's whatever happens to be closest.

 

We're still getting our heads around how to best pack and provision our mobile pantry. We're still in the "oops - forgot we needed ________" mode way too often. We're getting better in that regard though so our "efficiency" in this facet of RV life is improving.

The Spacenorman

2012 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 43' DFT

2012 Jeep Liberty

Our Travel Website: www.penquinhead.com​

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