For buying food check out local salvage food stores. I've worked a tiny bit at one, and my mom uses them a lot. You can save a lot on high quality food.
Don't let the name scare you off, salvage just means that other shipments are better suited to retail. The reasons the retail grocery store sent back the shipment range from cans being dented to one jar being in the same box as a broken jar and getting water damage on the label. Or the food could be nearing its expiration date.
Since the food is being returned to the warehouse, some bad food occasionally slips through. But most stores are very good about checking for expired or bad food, and nearly all problems with food quality are very obvious as long as you check the date.
Food quality can be very good. If it is being run as a health food store, you'll basically be getting some of the food from places like Trader Joe's and Wild Oats for bargain prices. The stores are also good if you want to buy bulk ingredients. Variety is usually good, but selection isn't. Since the stores are at the mercy of other stores for their produce, you can't expect to find a specific brand in a store at a specific time. And you also can't really expect to find a product in the store just because you had previously bought it.
Salvage stores might not be for everyone, but they can save you a lot of money on high quality food. Some food may be selling at or below wholesale. So it is at least worth checking out.
Or you could get involved with an farm coop. I have no idea how it is price wise, but I think it is cheaper than a grocery store. The food is locally grown, and can be organic, so it is usually high quality. How a coop usually works is that you pay them a flat fee every month and they send you seasonal produce as they harvest it.
Don't let the name scare you off, salvage just means that other shipments are better suited to retail. The reasons the retail grocery store sent back the shipment range from cans being dented to one jar being in the same box as a broken jar and getting water damage on the label. Or the food could be nearing its expiration date.
Since the food is being returned to the warehouse, some bad food occasionally slips through. But most stores are very good about checking for expired or bad food, and nearly all problems with food quality are very obvious as long as you check the date.
Food quality can be very good. If it is being run as a health food store, you'll basically be getting some of the food from places like Trader Joe's and Wild Oats for bargain prices. The stores are also good if you want to buy bulk ingredients. Variety is usually good, but selection isn't. Since the stores are at the mercy of other stores for their produce, you can't expect to find a specific brand in a store at a specific time. And you also can't really expect to find a product in the store just because you had previously bought it.
Salvage stores might not be for everyone, but they can save you a lot of money on high quality food. Some food may be selling at or below wholesale. So it is at least worth checking out.
Here's a list of stores by state. I have no idea how accurate the list is, but I recognize about half of the stores in my state.http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97055
Or you could get involved with an farm coop. I have no idea how it is price wise, but I think it is cheaper than a grocery store. The food is locally grown, and can be organic, so it is usually high quality. How a coop usually works is that you pay them a flat fee every month and they send you seasonal produce as they harvest it.