What did you do to save $ today?

[Cinebar]

Oh, and Cinebar, that is MY VV you are describing in CC.

It's a good one! Lucky you.

Do you shop at Winco, too?

Also, you have a really nice selection of Goodwills, too. When I lived there, I think there were three (one right near VV); I thought I had heard there was another one now, too.

 

[savingdogs]

Yes, we have several Goodwill stores within driving distance, that is very lucky.

We do also shop at Winco. Their prices seem to be the best for groceries around here.

 

[Cinebar]

Winco rocks!

I go to the one in Longview once a month. It's about 56 miles each way for me but well worth it, I think.

 

[savingdogs]

Are you in Lewis County? I'm probably 56 miles from Longview too. We are near Lake Merwin.

I love Winco, but not all their products. I do the bulk of my grocery shopping there, but buy a few things at Safeway, like produce. The produce at Winco has just not been fresh. My husband argued that we should buy it anyways (for several shopping trips) but after throwing away a good deal of it or giving it to the chickens, I decided fresh produce is worth paying a little bit more for.

I do like a lot of their other deals too, but some of their prices are actually higher than Safeway, so I make a lot of mental notes about what to buy where. We generally buy several of a product when we see that it is on sale.

I don't know that we necessarily save a lot of money at the grocery store though, I'd love to hear more good tips about that.

 

[Cinebar]

I'm very familiar with Lake Merwin, Amboy (and Nick's Tavern , Ariel (and D.B. Cooper Days - do they still do that?). I used to go to the Thursday morning livestock auction all the time in Woodland.

I haven't found the same true about some prices at Safeway being cheaper than Winco, although I never buy meat at Winco (except for hot dogs and maybe the occasional sale on chicken or something). I get most of my meat in the marked down bin at Safeway, except for my extra lean ground beef, which I get at a local (yes, I'm in Lewis) meat market ($2.39 a pound if I buy five pounds).

What do you think of the bulk food section at Winco? I love it and get all my beans, oatmeal, etc. there. Also, in the bulk, they have whole wheat spaghetti, egg, and macaroni noodles - once I switched over to whole wheat noodles, I never looked back. You can get spices from the bulk at a much cheaper cost than in the little jars.

 

[savingdogs]

I do love those bins and I used to sell tupperware so I have things at home to put them in.
But sometimes if you price-compare the stuff in bins is not cheaper. Often it is though. We spend a lot of time there comparing prices.

For those of you out there not lucky enough to know what Winco is about....they have open bins where you package your own food, and they don't bag your groceries for you, you bag-it-yourself, so everything is a little cheaper.

The meat is actually a good deal at Winco, but I was referring to their fruits and veggies when I said produce.
Cinebar, I'm right by Campers Hideaway if you know where that is.

 

[Cinebar]

Yes, I know exactly where Camper's Hideaway is. I used to date a guy who lived their pretty much full time so I did spend a few nights there.

I agree with the prices on some of the things in the bulk. I think some of the baking items, like brown sugar, are cheaper or comparable in the already bagged form.

I have a lot of gallon glass jars that I store my bulk items in - one of the things I'm always on the lookout for at Goodwill and VV.

 

[savingdogs]

We find if we shop at Winco we spend a lot each time but don't need to go back very soon. We like to buy in bulk so it adds up quickly!

 

[murphysranch]

I love Winco! I first saw one when I moved my daughter up to Vancouver, WA. Then they recently opened one in Tracy CA. So everytime I go to the Bay Area to visit my mother, I have to stop at Winco on the way home. I LOVE LOVE their whole wheat bagels - no lactose, so hearty, so good. Their onion and potato and fruit prices are better than Safeway or SaveMart. Winco stands for Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California, Oregon, where their stores are located.

Never heard of Value Village tho. We don't have a Goodwill within 70 miles of here, but there is a Salvation Army in Sonora (20 min away).

 

[savingdogs]

Yes, they have a great bakery I have to resist..........

I didn't know that is what Winco stands for!