Food Prices and Other Things

Heard on the news last week that food costs have increased 29% since a year ago.  I was at Walmart recently to buy a few things and was appalled that Yoplait yogurt had increased in price by 8 cents a container in two weeks.  This happened has happened before; several months ago I realized other extreme price increases there.  They have also changed some of their products by having smaller package weights with the same prices that were charged perhaps six to eight months ago. 

There was another issue at Walmart, I a great commercial for “Cuties” (you know those yummy little tangerines that come in a box, or for us single folks a bag with a lesser weight amount); I picked up a bag and my fingers went through the bag and through the fruit!  YUK!  I quickly dropped that bag and reached for another and the same thing happened.  I decided not to purchase the “Cuties” at Walmart and found one of the produce stocking people; who quickly agreed to take care of the mess.  When I had completed my shopping on my way to the checkout stand I noticed that there was still a mess there; however, the two bags that I had touched were gone (hopefully to the trash bin).  I noticed a woman in the produce department who had on a badge that stated her name and that she was a department manager.  I asked her if she managed the produce department, she did so I told her of the issue.  She went to the area, saw the mess and thanked me for telling her.

On that same shopping trip I purchased a package of small euro cucumbers, the seedless variety.  They are usually very good.  Walmart had them packaged as “pickling cucumbers”.  The packaging is incorrect, these cucumbers are similar to the hot house cucumbers but are smaller; often referred to as Persian or Euro cucumbers they are seedless.  I was looking forward to including some in my salad that evening.  When I opened the package all six were soft, and had started rotting on the bottom. 

I have made my last trip to Walmart for groceries; perhaps everything.  I have learned that if you shop the standard super markets you can save much more than what you might pay at Walmart when taking advantage of the “rewards” cards and using coupons.  I have created a spreadsheet that includes all of the markets, the food and household products that I need then enter the price of the items in the appropriate column.  If the items are not on sale I don’t purchase on that shopping trip; however, I often find that these items are on sale, just not advertised.  My largest savings on a shopping trip thus far is $48.XX.  I am sure that there are many people that do something similar – I never have but am excited that I have learned something new in my old age.