As mentioned in an earlier post, I used to go more often to Superstore for my weekly groceries, but have found the Superstore nearest my house had gone down in quality of their products especially fresh produce and meats, customer service has always been the worst of the major grocery stores, and the discounts weren't as good as they used to be. But, after looking at the last flyer, there were some deals there that could not be beat; so we did our most recent grocery stint there.
An article from Pennysaverblog.com:
I like to shop at Superstore for the majority of my groceries. Although shopping at Superstore can at times be inconvenient due to large crowds, if I go on weekday evenings I find it much more relaxing and simple to shop there. I have saved hundreds of dollars each year by shopping there and I highly recommend it if you are looking for ways to decrease your grocery bill without having to buy less.
Below are a few of the major reasons why I choose to shop at Superstore:
*They have cheaper food prices than most grocery stores. I have compared grocery prices with Sobey’s, Safeway, and a few smaller grocery store chains and have found that for the most part, Superstore is the cheapest. Costco’s prices are similar to Superstore’s, but Superstore has the advantage of offering different types of brands rather than just one or two brands for each item.
*They have a wide variety of products and a nice selection of produce that is usually fresh. We like to eat a lot of different types of ethnic foods. Superstore often has a whole aisle devoted to imported foods that can’t be found at most regular grocery stores.
*You can earn points every time you shop at Superstore if you use a President’s Choice Mastercard or debit card. After earning 20,000 points, you can redeem the points to get $20 off your grocery bill. You can earn extra points by bringing your own bags and bins instead of using disposable plastic bags. Just be sure to remind the clerks when they ring through your groceries. You need to be proactive at Superstore.
*If you buy your gas at Superstore, you get Superbucks that you can use towards your groceries. If you have a PC Mastercard or debit card, you will get more points than if you use another form of payment. My husband and I use a lot of gas, so we usually end up getting about $10.00 off our grocery bill every time we shop by using Superbucks. If you fill your prescriptions at the Superstore pharmacy, they will also give you Superbucks that you can use towards your groceries.
So, by shopping at Superstore you can take advantage of points, Superbucks, and inexpensive food costs. If you live near a Superstore, I would definitely encourage you to check it out the next time you go grocery shopping.
When it comes to everyday shopping value, Costco truly is the cream of the crop and it is very hard for them to be beat in regards to value because they have great prices on above average quality products. Most people have shopped at Costco at one time or another, so I may be preaching to the choir here, but there has to be at least one person out there that still hasn’t given them a chance!
What do I mean when I say it is the lazy way to save money? Well, you definitely aren’t going to get the absolute lowest price when shopping at Costco. If you look out for amazing loss leader sales, you will often be able to beat Costco’s prices just by doing that. Then, if you combine a good manufacturer’s coupon with said sales, you are practically guaranteed to get a better deal elsewhere. However, finding cheap prices that way requires vigilance and dedication as well as potential trips to several stores with a lot of time wasted and money spent on gas!
When you shop at Costco, you are almost always guaranteed a more than competitive price and a selection of products that is heavily screened for quality. It is very rare to find an inferiour product at Costco as it seems every product has been hand picked to the highest quality and even products you see in other stores often come with an added feature or bonus to make them just a little bit better. But more importantly you will save yourself a whole lot of research and time making Costco the perfect choice for busy people focused on advancing their career (i.e. making more money) and their family or even those just looking to maximize their efficiency and free time while still saving money.
Shopping at Costco is actually almost too easy as you always find so many great products that you never knew existed before, so you may end up spending much more than you originally intended to. To stay on budget, it is important to go in with a list of things you need and then stick to it religiously. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Not everything at Costco is a fantastic buy, but most things are at least decent. Here is a collection of a few things that I think provide exceptional value when bought at Costco:
Mattresses – These are always cheap at Costco and you don’t have to wade through the overpriced jungle that is your local mattress gallery or department store. At Costco you are bound to get a great mattress at a fantastic price without needing an 80% off sale or doing a lot of intense haggling; No high pressure sales tactics either!
Furniture – The selection is limited but you can find a variety of furniture at Costco ranging from dining rooms tables and living room furniture to computer desks and bookshelves. The quality is usually far superiour and the price is often much cheaper than you will find at your local department or office store.
Food – This is one of the best things you can buy at Costco as long as you have a family large enough to eat it all or the means to store it or freeze it until it can be eaten. Some grocery items that are much cheaper than elsewhere include meat (great cuts, good selection, and convenient packaging), cheese (so much cheaper, it isn’t funny), bread (traditional loafs as well as other varieties), and spices (containers 5 or 10 times the size for the same price).
Entertainment / Restaurant Certificates – Costco sells a variety of gift cards and certificates for various local entertainment and restaurants. For instance, my store has a night out movie package that I think costs just over $20 and includes two admissions, two large popcorns, and 2 large soft drinks. That would cost you at least $40 on the weekend if you were to buy everything directly at the cinema. Restaurant gift cards are also typically sold at a 20% discount, which is a significant savings.
Driveway Salt – This is a necessity for Canadian winters and I’ve noticed that the 20kg bags typically sell at about half the price of other stores.
Kitchen Stuff – Great selection of knives, dinnerware, cookware, tupperware, small appliances, and various other useful kitchen items at great prices.
Car Stuff – Car batteries and winter rims are both priced very well.
Clothes – They may not have all the latest styles, but it is hard to argue with $15 for a good pair of quality name brand jeans or full baby outfits for less than $10 each.
Electronics – The extended warranty, free concierge technical support, and the lengthy return period that is six times longer than the standard 14 days are all compelling reasons to shop at Costco for electronics.. The prices are also quite good, but you will almost always do better on electronics price-wise when shopping online.
Office Supplies – They offer a great selection of quality name brands and the prices are always less. Hanging file folders is one of my favourite office products to buy at Costco.
Digital Prints – Getting your home photos developed at Costco is usually cheaper than elsewhere unless there is a good sale happening somewhere else. The quality of the prints and photo paper is only average by my estimation, but it will still save you some money and gets the job done.
There are a few somewhat lesser known tips for shopping at Costco that I would like to share with you to help you save a bit more money.
