Monday, March 23, 2009

You're Shopping Where?

I have a confession. I've recently turned into a grocery store snob. Now that I have a house, and don't shop for just myself, I'm starting to understand the importance of a well stocked pantry. But I DETEST grocery shopping at most major grocery stores.

Enter my new love, Busch's. Or, even more scandalous....Westborne. Both are higher end grocery stores, with Bush's being a more traditional grocery store, and Westborne is more of a meat and produce market. Both are clean, well stocked, and are actually enjoyable to shop at. Until you reach checkout.

I've been trying to tell myself that the extra money is worth it because I am more willing to go to actually go and shop for fresh groceries, rather than putting off the trip and having to grab fast food or go to a restaurant. But, how much am I really costing myself in the end?



I'm obviously not the only person to analyze my grocery spending habits, and found one woman's 'study' enlightening. She found wrote a list of the top 20-30 items she purchased most often, then comparison shopped any nearby grocery stores she was willing to to tolerate. She discovered that one store was notably less expensive than the rest, and that since she could save $10/visit, she was saving herself about $520 a year!

I plan to do a similar test soon, and see if I think the savings is worth making the switch. While I hate long lines and crowded meat counters, I'm wondering if $500 or more may be enough to make me change my mind!

Mrs. Thrifty

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