Mar 30 2006
Take it where you can get it
This evening, I was surprised to find a comment to a post I made back on November 9th. Somebody must’ve found us through some random Google search:
Hey Real world, thanks for the wakeup call. I’m well aware that Giant Eagle only runs that program for their benefit. It worked well for us that time because we’d just transferred a prescription to their pharmacy, which gained us an extra buck off their gas. Normally I’d have had to buy another $500 worth of groceries for that credit. So your estimate of overpaying by $80 was off by more than a small amount, at least in that case. That’s what made us happy.
Anyway, there’s not a helluva lot of choice in grocery stores where I live. We don’t have a Super Wal-Mart near us, and we wouldn’t shop there anyway; Wal-Mart is top (or, maybe more appropriately, the bottom) of the heap if you’re looking for scuzzy retailers. The other big chain here (TOPS) sucks ass. And the local chain, Heinen’s, is more overpriced than Giant Eagle and has lousy meat.
You want great grocery stores? Move to Vancouver. Maybe anywhere in Canada, I don’t know. But my wife and I just marvel at the stores in Vancouver.
Back here in Ohio, when Giant Eagle bought out the local food chain, we noticed prices rise 10-20% virtually overnight. I had two choices as a shopper; avoid being tagged and tracked with their Advantage card, paying higher prices for a lot of stuff because I wouldn’t get the “special card holder prices”, and not even getting the marginally cheaper gas to show for it. Or I could choose to savor a small victory and fight my battles elsewhere. Obviously I’ve chosen the latter. With gas costing what it does these days, every dime helps.
Mr. Merno here–
Went to Walgreens a while ago for kids Tylenol or some nonesense. Noticed it was $2 off with their Super Duper Shopper Plus card. Went to the counter, and the 17 yr old register monkey asks me if I have aforementioned card. Nope. So he scans a barcode he has taped to the register, and blamo, $2 off.
And…the point of the shopper card would be? That little transaction seemed to track exactly nothing. I’ve been to Kroger here, spent $180 on groceries, saving $43 with my Plus Card. I’m thinking, what kind of retard shops here regualrly without a card? We get the little coupons printed out right there based on your puchases, and occasionally a $5 off with $50 purchase coupon in the mail. In my private fantasy world, its my little way of sticking it to the Man.
“Real world” seems like the kind of guy to rail against the Establishment at every opportunity, but maybe I’m judging too quickly. Besides, you know me, I’m not a big fan of The Man. Unfortunately, short of going all Ted Kaczynski, we all have to put up with a certain amount of corporate intrusion into our lives and privacy if we want to have some semblance of a comfortable life here in modern ‘Murrica.
Does Kroger still do the double coupons thing? If so, then I really wish they were up here - not only to save a little more on groceries, but also to give Giant Eagle some much-needed competition. Somebody explain to me why a Cincinnati-based chain isn’t in Cleveland, please.
Coupons doubled up to $1 savings……there’s a store in Sandusky, by the way. Put that cheapo gas to good use; just dont buy anything frozen…
You’re welcome to borrow one of my Giant Eagle Super Tracking Advantage Discount Cards… or maye I suggest you get one of your own… Giant Eagle believes mine belongs to Mr. Simon Peters (biblical!) of 101 Saint Mary’s Lane, Culpepper, VA and it works just fine…
And they didn’t even pick up on the fact that you didn’t spell Culpeper correctly. Silly Corporate Overlords!
I’ve decided to really stick it to “The Man”. I hearby vow to quit eating. And calling friends (the few I have). And driving cars. Or like Mr Jim O’Boston, just stop using spellcheck and mispell, wrds like maybe and Culllpeppperr.
And “hereby.”
:D
Damn you people are passionate about coupons.
It’s a joke son, you’re built too low. The fast ones keep going over your head.
Boy’s about as much fun as a sack of wet mice.
Why am i catching so much greif laetly four not useing the spellcheque? Someonne siad my own blogue needes bettre spell checkeing. Pluswhich, I assumed (and dong to makeing an asse of you and of me) that the customer service counter clerk at a Kroger prolly has never heard of Culpepper, VA.
you guys crack me up!
Was that from foghorn leghorn?
please don’t flog me if i spelled something wrong! W R O N G WROOONG! (that was for merno, and any one else who’s heard that comedian)
Yeah, that’s Foghorn talking to Henery Hawk!
Patti- I am dying laughing. I said it just like Dane Cook as I read it.
Biggs people. I shop at Biggs unless I only want to buy a few things. It is worth the drive for THE BIG shopping trip to go to Biggs. And strangely enough Biggs is not big. And since I don’t go to the grocery store to buy flowers, do my banking, or buy an outdoor grill and set of patio furniture I am quite happy shopping at a smaller store. As an example of the price difference, a loaf of Wonder Bread at Kroger $2.79 (with the super duper shopping card) at Biggs $1.49 (no shopping card). Obviously not all the prices differnces are that tremendous but it adds up (especially when you buy 5 loaves at a time). AND the produce is better at Biggs. AND you don’t get a bunch of pimply high school kids talking about the latest and greatest party while you are checked out.
Okay, I’m rambling….I’m just very passionate about my shopping experience:)
If only we had Bigg’s. Or TwinValu.
Marc’s is decent enough for some things. Their produce is hit-and-miss, but boxed or canned food is fine. Just check the dates on stuff.
And…Wonder Bread? Ick!
Wonder whole wheat…yum. AND yeah, you have to check the dates on perishables at Biggs.
Hi! Just peeked in, and found you had a new post.
Love that Foghorn Leghorn quotes!
Biggs, and TwinValu; what kind of store are they? I am wondering if they are anything like Aldi’s.
We have a new Aldi’s in Gates. It’s a deep discount, no frills grocery store. They have a little of everything. Little, if any of the products are name brands. They only take cash, or debit cards. No checks or credit cards. You have to put a quarter in a slot to get a shopping cart….it’s returned to you when you return the cart to the corral. I believe that is their way to be sure they don’t have to pay someone to go out and collect carts. They have no bags for the groceries. It seems like it’s hit or miss, as far as what they carry. But, the prices are great! I’ve only been there a couple of times.
Did you know that when Wonder White bread switched to whole grain goodness, they made sure you could still ball up a slice to throw at people? It’s true. Absolutely. I have no proof. Dave will find me proof, and here it comes, right…….now. Right now. POOF! The Proof. Hmmm. Safari must be slow tonight. Boy is slower than a turtle on the short bus.
Jim
Bigg’s and TwinValu aren’t like Aldi’s. TwinValu (don’t know if that chain even exists anymore) was like a Super Targer or a Super Wal-Mart; it was half discount store/half grocery store. I think Bigg’s may have been like that too, but it’s been 18 years since I lived near one so I don’t remember.
Our Bigg’s is a small grocery store. Or you can find the grocery/discount store combo a few places in town (like Batavia where Dave lived). The store has name brand merchandise…but not every name brand out there.
I would lose my mind at Aldi’s….which I have seen around here (Alsi’s that is, I know where my mind is thank you very much). No bags? Pay for carts…do they even have the kind that will take all three kids? I guess I’m a grocery store snob….not that Bigg’s is all that.
There are Aldi’s all over the place up here, but I’ve only been in a couple of times. Jsutdidn’t really care for it.
We have quite a few local markets in the area that we can hit (at least around Mount Prospect) that have much better prices than the big super markets like Dominick’s and Jewel or super Target. Generally they have better produce and lower prices on everything because they aren’t union run, so they can pay the less than legal aliens 2 bucks an hour to restock stuff. ; )
Our cheap store is Marc’s. They have cheap produce and a bunch of other food but no meat. You have to pay cash, which is a problem for me because i never have cash and always pay with debit.
They don’t bother to pay people to clean the store, so it’s kinda gross. And cluttered, and did i mention gross?