Walmart to save grocery $?

[mamiof5]

No, I only shop at Walmart for specific items, but not my entire grocery list. I just can't stand them, I dread going there. I know they do price match, and once in a great blue moon I use it, but it's not worth the hassle.

[Guest2]

We have a store pickup free function. I can order from their pretty surprising organic section online and drive up the next day , so they can load it into my trunk. It was so easy and the prices were some of the best in town. I still like AlDi and Sprouts , but this is easiest(and I stick to my list).

[Scarlett]

<p>As Pawz4me pointed out, you don't need to check sale fliers for many items if you use Walmart's Savings Catcher app or website. I've been using it for less than 2 years and have received back almost $140 so far for our small family. From their website:If a local competitor offers a lower advertised price on an eligible item you purchased at Walmart, Savings Catcher allows you to get back the difference on a Walmart Rewards eGift Card or a Bluebird by American Express Card. Amounts credited to these Cards can be used to make purchases exclusively in-store at Walmart or online at Walmart.com.Savings Catcher currently applies to:

• Groceries such as pantry staples including cereal, chips, rice, yogurt, milk, and frozen foods (must be identical and match UPC to UPC)
• Consumable items such as paper towels, bleach, and trash bags
• Health and beauty items such as shampoo and makeup

Savings Catcher currently does NOT apply to:

• Any food, consumables, or health & wellness items that do not meet the eligibility criteria above
• Items purchased and paid for with WIC benefits
• Produce
• Items sold in the Bakery department
• Fresh or variable weight meat
• Items sold in the Deli department
• Seafood
• General merchandise items
• Non-branded items
• Tobacco, alcohol, firearms, gasoline, tires, prescription drugs, optical and photo products and services, or products that require a service agreement such as wireless, automotive or financial products

I just started using it. Through the wal mart pay ap which is so simple!

[Scarlett]

I could write a paper on my study of various Wal Marts. They definitely mirror the community they are located in. Back in AR there was a lovely small super center in my little town...an elitist community with great schools and high income. Here.....this super center....although the same size is just covered up with very rough looking people. But the town is totally different than my home town back in AR. So I go up the road a bit to a suburb near a large city and the Very Large Super Center there is lovely and full of lovely people. If I go on into the city...a big Super center there is full of very rough people.

 

I can definitely attest to the fact not all WMs are created equal.

[Slartibartfast]

I dunno I think if one is using coupons they save more since some stores have double coupons or some places like Target allow you to use a store coupon and the manufacturer coupon.

[KrissiK]

I hate Walmart. But I shop there because...

1) their prices are better,especially canned goods and milk. Although Costco is still better than Walmart, but Costco is 45 minutes away, Walmart is 10.

2) I need a 1-stop shop. I often need shampoo, batteries, Sudafed (much cheaper at Walmart than at CVS or other pharmacies), and all sorts of other things.

[Seasider]

I save enough at Aldi on basics and produce that I can buy quality meats at a higher-end grocery.

 

WM is not my first choice for groceries and I am working towards not shopping there at all.

 

I find Tradee Joe's to be competitive for certain items, but not for everything.

Edited October 13, 2016 by Seasider

[Slartibartfast]

I don't shop at Walmart at all. I shop at Costco and various other places depending on sales. I also go to Trader Joes and Aldis on occasion. I go to Whole Foods but I really only go there to get my food allergy subs.

[Zinnia]

We have a 24 hour Walmart 1.5miles from my front door. It's super convenient, and it has saved me a few times.

 

But for day to day, I shop elsewhere. I just don't find their prices are competitive. We have that pull list here, so you could make a list and compare the prices to what you normally pay.

Edited October 13, 2016 by Zinnia

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Like a pp, we boycotted Walmart for years and went to the more expensive grocery store. Not anymore. Walmart has the lowest prices on many items and since our budget is tighter due to college tuition payments, we try to economize every chance we can. 

 

We do not get deli items from our Walmart, though. We go to the other grocery store for those items.

 

Costco, Sam's, and other warehouse stores are all over an hour away so that isn't an option for us.

[Cecropia]

The majority of our diet is vegetables/meat/nuts/dairy.  In my experience, Walmart's meat and produce is usually on the low-quality end.  I don't remember ever going to a Walmart where the produce was great. Aldi and Kroger (and the farmstands!) are the best places to go for produce in this area.  I do most of my shopping at Aldi, and I'll stock up a lot when they are marking down old inventory to make room for new (which seems to happen constantly).  It seems like some Aldi stores mark down ruthlessly and others don't mark down much at all.  I will shop at Walmart for specialty items I can't find anywhere else and their day-old bakery goods that are marked half price every morning, or if convenient one-stop shopping is necessary that day.  We have one local grocery chain that marks down the meat that's getting closer to expiration; sometimes it coincides with a sale price, making a really good deal.

 

Edit: Can I just add that I miss Super Target and Trader Joes so very much :(

Edited October 13, 2016 by Cecropia

[Beebug123]

I used to shop regularly at one before we moved. I liked the savings catcher and I liked that the prices were pretty consistent week to week. I get annoyed trying to play the "sales" game. Produce selection was always great and they had a lot of local produce and nicely priced large organic selection. I remember going to Whole Foods and there being a sign about some special for the week on local grapes and it was the exact same ones that were at Walmart only they were $2 a lb more!

[Zinnia]

I should add that I think that this is very area dependent.  When we visit my in-laws in Florida, Walmart seems very competitive, usually cheaper even.

 

I live within 5 miles of 9 Kroger stores, a huge independent store that has crazy good prices, many, many Publixes, Trader Joes, Sprouts, a couple of Aldi's, and another 2 local stores that are a bit sketchy but I sometimes shop at anyway.  Costco is really, really far away at 7.5 miles, and it takes a special trip to go there (lol).  

We are also close to many ethnic markets, are getting a Whole Foods 365 and a Sprouts within 1.5 miles of my house, and pretty much, I have the pick of grocery shopping.  Walmart here sells on convenience, not really price.  

Edited October 13, 2016 by Zinnia

[G5052]

I shop some at Wal-Mart for their store brands and name-brand things like frozen pizzas, cake mixes, etc.

 

Sometimes another grocery in town beats them for that sort of thing when they have a 2-for-1 sale, but Wal-Mart's prices on those sorts of things are always low.

 

Their french bread is a staple in our house. I don't think I could make it for that given my time and electricity costs.

 

Their produce and meat is very low quality. I don't know if it's just that store, but it's BAAAD. 

[Lanny]

We do not have Wal-Mart here, but our experience, switching supermarkets, years ago, may be applicable to your area.  We always shopped in the same supermarket in the mall. We knew many of the employees by name and were "at home" there. Then, about a mile from there, another chain (2nd to Wal-Mart  in the world at that time)  built a huge Superstore.  At first, we continued to be faithful to the old store. Then, we began shopping at the new store, maybe every 3rd or 4th time.  After awhile, my wife noticed how much money we were saving, every time she did major grocery shopping.  You will probably find that most prices are comparable, but with time, you will probably find that your total bill is typically lower, in one store than in another store.  We switched our loyalty to the new Superstore, for many reasons, including their (usually) lower prices, better Customer Service policies, cleanliness, etc.  I actually saw them cleaning the insides of the trash cans, which impressed me so much that I haven't forgotten that, 16+ years later...

[Sk8ermaiden]

Everyone using savings catcher, be aware. I had someone hack into my account and steal the money. I'm not sure exactly how it worked, because I got an email that the password was changed and the number to call if I had not changed it. I IMMEDIATELY called, only to get CS representative after CS representative who didn't understand anything about anything. Nothing was resolved, and I assume the thief changed out the address or something and took the GC money for themselves. 

I googled when it happened, and it is a really common occurrence, which makes me even more amazed that no one in customer service knew what to do about it. 

 

So I guess the only remedy is to always cash out as soon as they'll let you, as opposed to letting the $$ build up.

[kiana]

I am so jealous of all you guys with all the groceries. My choices here are Kroger, Walmart, and Food Giant. I actually find the best sales at the Food Giant and the other two are pretty similar for daily purchases. 

[G5052]

I am so jealous of all you guys with all the groceries. My choices here are Kroger, Walmart, and Food Giant. I actually find the best sales at the Food Giant and the other two are pretty similar for daily purchases. 

 

I know what you mean. When I moved to a major metropolitan area and lived in a high rise, the choices overwhelmed me. I had six stores where I could buy food within just a few miles of my apartment, and there was a small grocery store just the next building over with the basics.

 

Where I grew up, there was a small independent grocery store, a chain grocery, and health food store. When I was back there this summer, the chain store had expanded significantly. The independent and the health food store were long gone. There was a co-op for natural foods, but relatives told me that it was poorly stocked and nearly bankrupt. So one pretty much one place to buy groceries, no Wal-Mart, Target, etc. 

Edited October 14, 2016 by G5052

[Forget-Me-Not]

Walmart is 5 min from my house and my other options are Safeway, which is pricier (and always always has checkout lines that go on forever) or a local chain that is even pricier, esp because they cater to the natural/organic/fair trade crowd. So Walmart is my cheapest option unless I drive the 25 minutes to go to Winco (which I often do since Costco is there too).

 

I hate Walmart's business practices, but when I need a gallon of milk and a package of socks it's so nice to just have one stop. And I've become a big fan of Savings Catcher and the electronic pay. No more paper receipts to keep track of. If I return an item, I look up the receipt on my phone.

[Miss Peregrine]

Everyone using savings catcher, be aware. I had someone hack into my account and steal the money. I'm not sure exactly how it worked, because I got an email that the password was changed and the number to call if I had not changed it. I IMMEDIATELY called, only to get CS representative after CS representative who didn't understand anything about anything. Nothing was resolved, and I assume the thief changed out the address or something and took the GC money for themselves.

 

I googled when it happened, and it is a really common occurrence, which makes me even more amazed that no one in customer service knew what to do about it.

 

So I guess the only remedy is to always cash out as soon as they'll let you, as opposed to letting the $$ build up.

WTHeckis wrong with people?!

[creekland]

I found out our local independent store has sold out to a local chain.   :sad:   I haven't shopped in this local chain for decades so I suppose I don't really have an opinion about them other than missing my locally owned option.  I guess I'll try it to see what I think, but I'll freely admit I wish we had a Wegman's moving in instead.  That's my all time favorite grocery store - the one that would be 5 or 15 minutes away in my dreams.

 

Today it's off to Wally World - because of my local store selling out and their shelves being really bare when I went there yesterday.  Apparently I missed the news when it happened (as did many others according to the cashier - he's had to tell many of us the same thing).

[Seasider]

Everyone using savings catcher, be aware. I had someone hack into my account and steal the money. I'm not sure exactly how it worked, because I got an email that the password was changed and the number to call if I had not changed it. I IMMEDIATELY called, only to get CS representative after CS representative who didn't understand anything about anything. Nothing was resolved, and I assume the thief changed out the address or something and took the GC money for themselves.

 

I googled when it happened, and it is a really common occurrence, which makes me even more amazed that no one in customer service knew what to do about it.

 

So I guess the only remedy is to always cash out as soon as they'll let you, as opposed to letting the $$ build up.

Oh! I've got over $20 now, been letting it build a while, I'd better request a gift card today. Thanks for the warning. Edited October 14, 2016 by Seasider

[creekland]

Oh! I've got over $20 now, been letting it build a while, I'd better request a gift card today. Thanks for the warning.

 

I just used mine today ($20+).  I figured, why not?  It's there, and if hackers might be inclined...  It's not like it's earning interest or anything.  It was super simple to use and brought my bill down to about half of what it would have been.  Then I entered the receipt for next time - just in case anything was less expensive elsewhere.   :coolgleamA:

 

No signs at all anywhere about them discontinuing this in our area.

[Mergath]

Our Walmart runs fairly average for prices. I only buy a few very specific things there, like cat litter and bagged kale. I buy most of our groceries and paper products at Aldi and it saves me a fortune.