Re: Groceries
 

I've flagged the mods that DBD's account has been hacked. Suggest we ignore his/her posts until it's sorted.

Re: Groceries
 

On Wednesday the flyers arrived. As a Thanksgiving alternative to Turkey, Prime Rib Roast was there.

$5.99lb in Sobeys, $5.77 in Superstore.

"You wait" says I, "Tomorrow's paper will have a Sobeys ad with the price reduced to $5.77.

Thursday arrived and the Walmart flyer has the same Roast for $4.77lb. But I was wrong about Sobeys having an ad in the paper, it was Superstore with the price reduced to $4.66. :thumbup:

But wait...Friday arrives and Sobeys does have an ad after all. They are matching the $4.66 Superstore price. :rofl:

I don't know whether they have spies in each other's camp, bug pricing meetings or whether someone at the printers leaks the information, but there are times when they change or set a price in response to competitors when the other's price isn't yet in the public domain. :nod:

Re: Groceries
 

Seems 0.97/lb is the lowest for a normal turkey and 0.77/lb for a utility turkey.

Not buying one this year due to lack of freezer space, but doesn't seem like too bad of a deal.

Organic (but didn't say free range or psychologically healthy) turkey I saw in the grocery was 4.99/lb.

Re: Groceries
 

[QUOTE=Jsmth321;1207093} Organic (but didn't say free range or psychologically healthy) turkey.[/QUOTE]

Psychologically healthy? They are arguably the stupidest animals in the barnyard. The Wild Turkey is America's bird and a fantastic creature, but domestication didn't do it any favours.

Re: Groceries
 

I meant it in a jokingly way because of oinks comment in a previous post in the thread...

http://britishexpats.com/forum/maple...857019/page72/

Re: Groceries
 

I have to pick the bastard up tomorrow. I don't mind the expense so much but HID's family is like a pack of frenzied hyenas. And irc, last year her mum insisted on taking the leftovers home because "there's really only one of you as ******'s a vegetarian." Which is strange because she isn't, and her mum just watched her eat a plate of turkey only an hour or so before. :lol:

Re: Groceries
 

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Re: Groceries
 

I was never a fan of Big Bird but that's too much. :rofl:

Re: Groceries
 

I'm visiting my sister and she was planning on steaks. Steaks! Fir thanksgiving! Not on my watch. And not considering that I just spent 36 hours getting here. I went and bought us a Butterball yesterday and that bird is being eaten in Sunday.

Re: Groceries
 

Uh huh :nod:

Re: Groceries
 

They can do whatever they fancy! Our NB Liquor has recently 'lowered its beer prices' to encourage the desperate New Brunswickers to not drive pell mell over the Quebec border and buy heaps of the stuff! They even tried to take some poor sod to court, for beer buying in another Province :blink:and after a, costly to tax payers, legal battle they lost. So they gave a 'holiday' of low tax on beer...but of course now the weathers going to go dodgy, the price has been hiked up again to its previously exorbitant level....these organizations can only continue this farce because Canadians are apathetic and don't complain.

Re: Groceries
 

You hit the nail squarely on the head. It an appalling indictment of their culture. "The world needs more Canada." :rofl:

Re: Groceries
 

I imagine we all heard the news report that said we can expect to pay about $400 extra per year on groceries. It doesn't seem that dramatic, for lead headline news to be honest - although it obviously makes a difference for those at welfare type levels.

Mostly believed to be related to illegal farm workers in the US if Trump kicks them out.

That's quite a big 'if' there, given the softening on other issues but I'm not sure enough fruit and veg (in terms of quantity bought up here) actually comes from there to make that big a difference. :unsure:

Re: Groceries
 

I didn't see/hear that report. However, I'd guesstimate my grocery bill has gone up close to that over the last year already.

Re: Groceries
 

Families could pay up to $420 more for food in 2017, report finds - Business - CBC News
Funny thing, this is from the CBC website and it mentions a variety of causes including - On CBC radio yesterday they were using "mostly" to describe this.

I think the last year or so has seen significant increases but I find there are still a few things that we pay the same for as when we moved here 11 years ago to help make up for it.

Re: Groceries
 

They should just cut back on cheese.

Re: Groceries
 

Funny (haha) you should mention that: What used to be jumbo block of basic cheese at a very enticing price is now the same price but actual QUANTITY (by weight) has been reduced by nearly 50%. Same packaging :(.

Re: Groceries
 

It is dramatic Bristol especially when adding it to everything else that increase to total more than any increase folks have in income

it affects all of us, doesn't matter what our diets are & there isn't anything any of us can do about it because government & big business are all in it together.

So tighten your belts, cut back on the 'eating out & takeaways', no more posh cuts of meat (prime ribs gone), cut back on nuts, cereals, cheese, dairy & those fruit and veggies - after all some of you are likely overweight, BP & Cholesterol higher than it should be, so cut back at least 300 calories/day & do not buy cookies, candy, potato chips, soda pop, beer, wine or liquor ... OMG :eek: we couldn't do that

You also need to be more green, lower the thermostat, don't use the AC (if you have it), walk more.

Put off the holidays, buying the latest toys, replacement gadgets or consider that replacement vehicle

If you figure the grocery bill next year will increase $400/yr ($35/mth) per person & should you not want to change anything in the grocery basket - wouldn't it be easy to find $35/mth from other things that you spend on?

Don't get me going on utility bills or property taxes, because those will increase faster than the Grocery bill for sure.



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Re: Groceries
 

Groceries going up is bad news, at this rate, may just unplug the fridge....:rofl:

Food is something we don't buy much of these days.

We have cut back everywhere possible but rent and other costs rise and eat up the small cut backs resulting in being in the same boat with no real net benefit.

We got rid of the cell phone for example so $25/month less there, however because of cold weather we are getting now and even with the thermostat set at 65F which is cold and not a comfortable indoor temp, the electric bill for this month is expected to to be $30-$35 higher vs last month, so the savings from the phone goes to hydro.

Re: Groceries
 

But then the 'story' isn't about a price increase added to other price increases, it's just the one increase.

If they'd said "more misery heaped upon families" or something then I'd not have picked up on it.

$35 a month. That's really only dramatic if you're struggling already or that's your spare cash gone.

I've been close to that and worse for at least half my time in Canada and in all honesty it would have made little difference to our quality of life with our ingrained habit of shopping wisely and flexibly.

Families, I believe. Not per person.

Re: Groceries
 

For those interested, here's a link to the full report that news article (thanks for the posting about it Bristol) was based on/quoting:
https://www.dal.ca/faculty/managemen...ce-report.html

I'm not sure whether N2O is being facetious, sarcastic, or sincerely concerned in his latest post. So I'll not respond (yet).

Re: Groceries
 

I believe you are correct.

Re: Groceries
 

sure, why not respond to this

Am I seriously concerned when it affects me & mine, as well as see how it affects others - so you decide

Wife & I are seniors. Across 12 months our total combined Government hand outs in 2016 increased by a total of $108 for the year - $9/mth combined or $4.50/mth for each of us

Our fixed cost/expenses (things we need, have to use & pay for before anything else) - hydro, gas, water & property tax combined for 2016 increased $776/year ($64.67/mth) over 2015. Property insurance remained the same year over year

Add to the expenses, groceries, Healthcare necessities (dental/medical/prescriptions that are not covered) & whatever else you can think of.

Do we need phones or internet (likely not), TV is one free thing we have (OTA), could we do without a vehicle & all associated expenses & whatever else - sure we can, then again we could also live off the grid

Do we need to be concerned or not about all of the other costs or expenses - go figure the simple maths?

How do we or other seniors or those on low income to expenses manage, well thats a discussion for another time.


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Re: Groceries
 

Yes, but in Ontario if you cut down on hydro consumption then the powers that be at Queens Park and Hydro 1 will increase the price per kwh to recoup the decline in demand on the provincial grid as people changed their ways as was suggested by the provincial government.

Re: Groceries
 

sounds like the water company where my dad is in California. Cut back use. We need to conserve and people did, and yes water needs to be conserved, but due to the conservation efforts revenue dropped, so prices had to rise to offset the lost revenue.

Re: Groceries
 

I am absolutely ruthless when I go grocery shopping. I go to the The Bulk Barn for non-perishables such as rolled oats and brown sugar and stock up there on the day of the week when there's a discount for seniors. At Superstore,I max out on real bargains and buy the limit when, for example, unsweetened juice (not from concentrate) is less than $1 each with a limit of 6. Sometimes bargains are right on the bottom or top shelves where most people don't look. I avoid things where you have to buy in a group of two or three to get some small discount. Prepackaged and precooked stuff is a waste of money. It's a lot cheaper to buy the basics and cook them yourself. Watch for big bags of misshapen apples - nothing wrong with them and a lot cheaper than any other fruit.
Other things that are bad buys: produce marked down because it's starting to go rotten; packages of prepared salad greens (they're usually bits salvaged from things starting to go bad); anything that seems to be bargain but actually isn't when you check it by unit pricing (how much per hundred grams, per pound etc.); medium sized eggs (weigh and compare); most baked goods -expensive globs of sugar and fat.
Watch out for days when the store is bringing in more stock and is trying to clear its shelves and offering bargains. Just ask when the trucks usually arrive and time your shopping accordingly.

Re: Groceries
 

Shopping trip to Sobeys yesterday. No products reduced because best before date is imminent.
Dozen 2L bottles of Pepsi
Popcorn
Bacon
Cereal
Cook-in sauces: curry x1, pasta x2
Crisps
Crispbread packs
Dried pasta packs
5 choc bars
5 'interesting' microwave lunches (smart ones)
Frozen fries
Various fresh fruit and veg
Huge joint of pork to split into two
Lamb - leg and chops
Yogurt
4 cakes
Toothpaste
Cost including tax $130.74
Savings $74.15. 37%
The only full price items were crisps, yogurt 4x fruit 1 x Veg and toothpaste.

Also this week from more local shops, 10lb spuds $2.99; 2L milk $3.20; D'Italiano loaves $2 each; Campbells Chunky tins $1.88; Mushrooms 1.97; 2lb carrots/onions 99c each pack.

This does not represent a week's groceries

Re: Groceries
 

Do how did you get savings then? Or was there a typo? No products reduced?

is Friday a good day for reductions or did you just strike lucky?

At the moment I can't be arsed with much cooking and am not inspired with ant cheep eats meal ideas

Re: Groceries
 

I otoh went to Costco, less than $400. Then to Loblaws, $117. I didn't look at the price of things because I'm going to buy them anyway.

Re: Groceries
 

"No products reduced because best before date is imminent."

Aside from the ones mentioned as full price they were all reduced, just not from being close to the date.

They were the usual offers listed in the flyer, plus one or two 'this store only' surprises like the lamb or just surprises.

Re: Groceries
 

Since you mention lamb, I was slightly surprised to see that Costco now sells whole lambs, hung but not formatted. I suspect this indicates an increasing population of middle eastern origin; people who know how to butcher a lamb at home.

Re: Groceries
 

I think I posted about this a while back. Our local Costco had frozen whole lambs. Quite how one goes about formatting a whole frozen lamb is rather beyond me. Presumably power tools are required. Research on the interweb indicated concern that the frozen lamb was already pretty old by the time it got sold at Costco which rather put me off. (if the formatting challenge hadn't already.) Shame really as I like lamb and it's stupidly expensive here.

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You're made of money though. :p

These are all things I buy anyway too. I just tend to buy them when they cost less than usual.

I could, for example have bought the loaves for $3.50 last week, but for the last week we were using the ones in the freezer that were $1.88 instead.

I only bought two loaves yesterday. The local shop has them for $1.99 for the coming week so I don't even need to put any in the freezer.

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I think Millie mentioned it a few days ago. :thumbup:

Re: Groceries
 

Ah well, anyone who hasn't already mentioned it can do so now.

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Ooh wait, I am a penny pincher. Irish Breakfast Tea was discounted so I bought the maximum allowed. Not sure exactly how much it was or what it usually costs but, since I've economized, I'm going to open a Mondavi cab instead of the Coppola.

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800g of M&S Welsh (Christmas) cheddar - £2. That's my deal of the week.

Re: Groceries
 

Both Sobeys and Superstore have Top Sirloin (steaks and roasts) @ $3.99 lb all week. Not to be missed.

Had some tonight and I regret only buying 2 x 4 steaks and one roast (more slab like than ball) from Sobeys. Stepdaughter will nip in to Superstore near her workplace at the earliest opportunity for more.

Hopefully the roast might look a bit like this when done.

Re: Groceries
 

I spotted the british section in the walmart near the new work site; local one doesn't have.

I now have a pack of choccy hobnobs.

As a kind and generous parent, I have declared that if the ankle biters are good, eat all their veg, clear up and don't go obnoxious over the electronics, they will be permitted to touch the packet.

Re: Groceries
 

:cry_smile:

My local Walmart doesn't sell them and Walmart don't stock them online anymore... I'm so jealous of you!