Why do so many think Wal Mart is cheaper than regualr Grocery store?

[Tam1067]

I find Wal-mart disgusting and won't go there.

On the other hand, SuperTarget is within a few minutes of my house, and it's clean and very nice. Produce is good. I generally think their regular prices are cheaper than the grocery stores, but if a grocery store has a sale, the grocery store is sometimes cheaper than Target.

There's also a danger of going to Target for apples and spending $200 on clothes, toys, toiletries, etc., all those great things you realize you "need" when you're walking through the store.

I've also begun shopping at Costco at least weekly for many groceries. Their produce is excellent, and their prices are generally cheaper than either the grocery store or SuperTarget.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I don't think WM is really cheaper, but it's ALL we have except for Aldi, unless I want to drive 30 or more miles. The nearest Kroger is 45 miles away. I went to our Aldi once, but they didn't have several things I was looking for and I ended up at WM anyway, not to mention Aldi was dirty. The dirty part might have just been a bad day, I don't know.

I had DH buy meat at a small grocery store 30 miles away in the county where he works, but I can't justify driving that far to shop for higher prices. That store did have better meat than WM, but it was about the same price.

 

[Snow Shoe]

I refuse to shop for ANYTHING at Wal Mart! I do not care for their stores period! I do not like their business practices! They may be cheaper, but it's usually at the cost of some supplier down the line as well as communities. I think if Sam were to see what his store has turned into, he would fire every exec and family member.

 

[digman6]

I first shop at ALDI for my alot of things~ cereal, pudding ,milk, alot of items.

then I shop Walmart for other things that I know are not as good at ALDI

I buy my meat alot of through a local butcher or else from my Dh work- food sales rep we buy in bulk

Walmart is far cheaper then my grocery store , its based on Location I am sure.

I know ALDI sells things with a very low cost BUT I also know the produce tehy have is very costly. I saw strawberries once for like 4-5$ and then went to walmart and they were like 2.50 for same size container. its like that with all the produce there right now thought with the weather out west and south.

 

[ksumn1]

I tried the Super Walmart in our town twice after it opened. Both times it was higher than both Food Lion and Kroger. We're not too picky, and we buy the Kroger brand cereal, cookies, etc. I also shop at another grocery store as weel. Our grocery list doesn't very too much, so I look up Kroger's sale circular on line and dompare to Food Lion's and the other grocery store, and break my list down that way. All the stores are close together (maybe 5 minutes apart) so it's not really any additional cost to do so, other than the aggravation factor. I guess it really does depend on where you live.

Our old store seemed bigger before it was a Super Walmart. I was very escited before it opened because of the convenience. You can get your prescriptions, a birthday gift and groceries in one place. But IMHO Target has better quality clothing, Publiz's pharmace is the best I've ever used, and I only go to Wal Mart for housewares, get my memory cards put on CD's, and for birthday gifts.

 

[Microcell]

I don't think that walmart is cheaper on anything, at all, because they do not do doorbusters like the others do!

I grocery game, and Walmart is a thing of the past!

www.grocerygame.com!!!

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

I haven't really found Walmart to be cheaper than our local grocery store. As it is, we go between the regular supermarket, the butcher, Costco and BJ's...so we do a lot of running around.

 

[lpandorf]

Some of Wal-Mart's items are cheaper but others are cheaper at Biggs or Meijers. I find the quality of the meat and produce lacking at Wal-Mart. Along with that there is always a 20 minute wait in line so I've stopped shopping there. I used to pick up some clothes periodically for the kids there but having done a few returns and standing around in line for 30 minutes to return got me to stop doing that. I go to Target a lot now. Easy returns and nice selection and never no more then 5 minutes in line. Also, when I'd buy clothes at Wal-Mart they always fell apart. I'd rather spend a little extra and have them last the school year. Have not been to Wal-Mart in over 6 months now.

 

[hazeyc]

I don't think that walmart is cheaper on anything, at all, because they do not do doorbusters like the others do!

I grocery game, and Walmart is a thing of the past!

www.grocerygame.com!!!

Microcell,

I do the grocery game too!

From the posts above it sounds like these people do not use coupons. Because of the grocery game and Sunday coupons I have all kinds of items that I do not pay for, i.e. shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes, or pay < $1 and that includes OTC meds, and all kinds of other groceries.

I refuse to go to Wal-mart due to issues posted by others. And I used to buy bulk at the clubs until I found this service that helps to pair up my coupons with the sales prices. Then I get to choose what grocery items I want to purchase, usually at rock-bottom prices.
My pantry and freezer are stocked, I get to try new health & beauty items for very low prices, even cleaners I get cheaper that you'll ever find in Wal-mart or Target.

Of course the catch is the service is not free and you do have to cut coupons. But, the saving are enormous!

 

[kydisneyfans]

I buy very little at Wal Mart beyond motor oil and furnace filters.

All grocery items are cheaper elsewhere on sale at Meijer, CVS, Kroger, etc. Kroger and meijer double coupons. Meijer's produce is much fresher than Wal Mart. Lunch meats and cheeses are half the price at Kroger than they are at Wal Mart. Meijer falls in between. Most meat is bought at a local grocer or Meijer.

For a person who buys what they need for the week and that's it, Wal Mart may be the place for them. For those who coupon, stock up when an item is on sale, or wants something that resembles customer service, stay away from Wal Mart like the plague.

 

[MousekeMommy]

Hi there!
I'm in the Cincy OH market area--and I agree that each WalMart is different here depending on the exact neighborhood (you couldn't pay me to walk into the Price Hill location again!), but I have consistently found WalMalmart $50 cheaper per week than Kroger over the past 10 years, moving around the city with a young family. (Currently our grocery bill is consistently $180 at Kroger in Whitewater Township per week for a family of 4 vs. $130 at WalMart per family of 4 for a week of staples in Lawrenceburg.) That's $200 per month difference!!! I'll take it!!! I do coupons, as well, and I'll swing by Kroger/WalGreens/CVS for a wonderful deal, but it just doesn't pay in gas $$$ to shop at 3-7 different stores per week. No sale or amount of "stocking up" will take care of the weekly milk. But perhaps that's because we don't have all stores on the same road . . . And I have found our area WalMart has good service, but our Bigg's stores are the dirtiest and poorest-serviced, so I do think that it is your particular area that makes the largest difference in stores.
For heaven's sake, do what is best for your budget (if you've done your homework and watched your wallet, you'll know) and peace of mind (I could never purchase produce again at Biggs after watching multiple birds swoop in and perch and "do their business" in the open vegetable displays at the Muddy Creek Road Bigg's store!!!! And our nearest Meier is higher priced than either Kroger or WalMart, so I think it just depends!!!)
Good Luck on your budget!!!

 

[Ally_DeVille]

Where I live, Boston, the closest Walmart is 45 minute drive away, the closest Super Walmart is in another state and takes about 1.5 hours to get there. We don't have a Super Target anywhere either though Targets are practically on every corner where I live.

The other day we went to a Super Walmart; I couldn't believe how cheap the groceries were!

Milk-- name brand $3.35 a gallon at the store near my house $4.99 (hood milk)

Walmart brand was $2.85!

Organic free range eggs, 1 dozen $1.74 ( I pay over $4.00 for the same eggs at Stop n Shop, Shaws or Whole Foods) Yeah, I stocked up!

Shredded cheese, ice cream (Blue Bunny, I can't get that brand in our local stores) and a lot of other stuff for a lot less than what I pay at the local grocery stores.

It's a shame we don't have a Super Walmart near us, I know i''d save but driving an hour and half to grocery shop is out of the question

 

[Barbers2005]

In our area, Walmart beats the grocery stores hands down- it's ridiculous how much I save by shopping there. I buy everything but meat and produce at Wal-mart (produce isn't very fresh and you can get meat cheaper elsewhere). Each week I check the sales flyer for Price Chopper b/c they do a lot of bogo on meats (sometimes it's bog2). I stock up on the sale items there, then buy staples at Wal-Mart. Finally I pick up produce at Wegman's, because it's the best in town. A few times I skipped Wal-mart and shopped at just one store b/c I was crunched for time- I went $25 over budget the week I shopped at Price Chopper and $40 over when I shopped Wegman's. Luckily for me the farthest of these stores is only 15 minutes away- usually I put a cooler in the trunk and go right down the line from farthest to nearest.

 

[Befferk]

Other than my beef (which I purchase a 1/2 at a time from Amish near us), and some organic snacks I buy through a buying club, I get everything we use at Walmart. No kidding that most of the groceries cost twice as much at our local grocery store compared to Walmart. I drive 35 miles to shop at Walmart every 2 weeks.

Beth