madscots

thanks again folks

Cdnshaz

I am not in a city so it is more money, near had a coronary when I seen how much things had went up in the 10 yrs I was gone
Milk
Bread,
Eggs, veg, fruit, meat, toothpaste(5.99 give me a break) ALL MORE MONEY IN ONTARIO then Essex........even Toilet paper is more....don't kid yourself groceries are expensive.......and that foxing tax they put on everything....geeesh
tax junk food but for pete's sake reduce price of fruit and veg, how can people eat healthy if they get chocolate at half the price........(oh chocolate isn't as nice here either)

yes this has been a pet peeve of mine since I moved back in March..........price of food!!!

dbd33

Yes, food is expensive, operating a vehicle is expensive, taxes are high but houses are cheap so, in the end, the cost of living in Canada is not much different from that in the UK. So long as one can earn more in Canada then one's material quality of life improves with the move. It's generally a good move for people who value consumer durables.

Cookie

You should check out the weekly flyers. You can save lots by buying up what's on offer that week. Our supermarkets are very close together so it doesn't cost any extra on fuel.

Superstore/Loblaws

Lean ground beef - $1.99 lb (save $1.95)
Raspberries 170g, blueberries 125g - $1.99
D'Italiano bread or buns (our favourite) - $1.67 (save at least $1.02)
Fresh Atlantic salmon - $5.99 lb (save $3)
Ooooohhh new product: Smoked Wiltshire bacon 250g - $4
Deli lean shaved ham 100g - $1.30 (save 59c)
Scallops - $4.99 lb (save $2)
Large cooked shrimp (31-40 shrimp, 454g) - $6.99 (save $4)

Superstore/Loblaws weekly flyer
Sobeys weekly flyer

Cdnshaz

I'm sure they have great sales but I have no superstore/loblaws or sobeys near me..........

yes homes are cheaper, I never sold mine when going to UK so had it when I returned, so housing was not in question but the taxes are sky high...more then we paid in UK...I know it was my choice to return, but Canada is not as cheap as many think....not everyone lives near walmart!!

iaink

But they don't tax everything, in fact they tax hardly anything!

Look at the receipts I linked to, $3.50 tax on a total of $145? Thats hardly crippling.(less than 2.5% anyway)

Some stuff is more expensive (Chicken, Lamb, Dairy, Bread?) some is less, but it does pay to shop around as some stores are a lot more expensive than others.

And what toothpaste are you buying for $5.99? Mines like $2.50 at a guess.

iaink

The "independent" grocers in Trenton and Belleville are effectively Loblaws, but No Frills is the same stuff more or less for maybe 20% less overall. I hear a rumour they are building a superstore on the lot opposite Lowes in Belleville.

Walmart may be cheper, but I try not to shop there.

Cdnshaz

I live in the country closest city Belleville is 40 clicks away, cost me more to drive to city then it would to save 5 cents on a dozen eggs....
so eggs now purchased from friend with chickens
garden going in so have veg this year
buying calf so beef for family in winter
as we are not working right now as he just retired another income is needed, cos babysitting my grand daughters albeit I love them pays NOTHING lol so need job..

iaink

Thats the thing though, Belleville is the nearest place so thats where we shop. Also I happen to work there too....

There is a No Frills in Campbellford, thats not so far away is it? Granted, its not the best no frills around, but for the monthly shop for staple items it would be OK. We have a large freezer and stock up on milk, bread and anything on special offer.

Shopping here is a bit different I guess....stockpiling Toilet Paper when its on half price etc...I guess thats why homes have basements eh

I await the posts about the goddamned racoons and rabbits decimating your veggy garden with trepidation....plus they wont let you even buy rotenone now anyway, so chances are the bugs will eat most of it before the vermin have a chance

BristolUK

I've known for some time it's not just me.

Ice cream is almost always half price somewhere.

Sobeys has buy one get two free offers as well as the usual BOGOF deals. The base price goes up but still a bargain.

I bought 3 packs of 4 pork steaks for $9 two weeks ago. Just one "$3" pack provided the meat for two Sweet and Sour Porks and four Pork Curries. And it was a lot of meat. Very tender too.

BristolUK

You mean your bathroom doesn't look like this?

Steve_P

Oh so many choices.

Siouxie

I shop at Food Basics - they are the owned by Metro Canada so the food is the same (most of the time) but the prices are considerably cheaper, particularly if you buy their "family size" packs.

They also have, from time to time, Pork Loin roasts at ridiculously cheap prices - I can get 10 x 1 to 1 and a 1/2" thick loin chops and a roast out of one that costs $8 - and it's good!

I particularly like the fact that they stock "foreign" brands - Ribena, Ovaltine, Marmite, Ambrosia Rice pudding etc., and have a good range of "ethnic" foods from around the world. (You can even buy goat there!) I dislike that they don't have a deli counter nor a proper meat counter, but.... ah well.

http://www.foodbasics.ca/en/circulaire.html for their latest flyer.

I shop every 2 weeks and my food bill is around $200 to $240 for 2-3 people.

I just hate having to pack my bags when there are people waiting in line (it takes me forever) lol.

Cdnshaz

lol you are probably right, hubby is already trying to figure out how to keep forest creatures out of garden.....as they will think some one set up a free forest grocery store for critters! NOTE to self, borrow brothers dog at night!

Campbellford is closer and son lives there so we do go there 3 or 4 times a week, but the no frills is a joke, I do go in but most things are either so full of fat or grease I wouldn't buy it anyway....hmmm getting synical in my old age.

iaink

Wow, and you figured that out from the dreadful canadian labelling... you are one smart cookie!

To be fair to no frills I dont think anyone elses stuff is much better. I try and stick to the PC blue label stuff, its allegedly more healthy than the regular fare. The Campbellford store is one of the smaller ones, and I will confess there are times I curse my way around the Belleville one anyway, some days everything is a frill and the shelves are bare!