Tuesday, November 27, 2012

they call it Save a lot...

A Save-a-Lot has opened in town and I'm wondering how we afforded to eat for the last 2 years.  Sheesh!  So people in town are talking about it and wondering what it's like.  One family I know to be not paying their own grocery bill said they wouldn't go because it was so crowded.  It's been a few weeks and the town has had a chance to see what it's all about.  Today I went twice!  Both times it was very empty with the few shoppers there clearly unsure of this non Publix world.

So here's my defense of Save-a-lot.

They don't sell brand names, mostly just their own high quality brand, for half the price of what you get at the larger grocers.

It looks like a warehouse because they don't have a large staff.  The inventory comes in boxes ready to be sold out of the box, which are just stacked.

If you are living on food stamps you will never exceed the provided amount.

Customer service is very limited.  It's Save-a-Lot, not Publix.

To me Save-a-lot is like a dream.  I don't like having unlimited options, let alone having to search the length of a football field to find it.  Malls are terrible.  So many stores, how will I ever feel like I got a good deal or found what I would like best.  With just one brand of Rasin Bran, being sold for $1.99 a box, I can confidently put 5 in my cart.  I don't have to wait for sales, or buy in pairs to satisfy BOGO requirements.

Bags are not free and the cashier doesn't bag your things.  Are we not living in an eco enough time to recognize that this is good?   The strategy I use is to search for a box while I shop, like the cereal boxes, and put my items in it, in the cart.  At the check out I put my items onto the belt in a way that the cashier can easily put them back in the box as they put them in the cart.  They get rid of a box, Win!

After 2 years of trying to shop the sales and use coupons, I'm glad to just go back to the lazy way of shopping at a store that sells food for the actual price, rather than wildly inflated so it can go on "sale".

One negative about Save-A-Lot is that it's perhaps uncomfortable.  If you say you need to save money, but not that bad, you're pathetic.   If you expect 5 star service as a matter of course when you're paying 2 star prices, that's just crazy.  Service costs money!  I have enjoyed shopping at Publix, it has been a pleasure.  I'm sure I'll still go there for prescriptions and other high end items.  I am so glad to have another option now for Milk, Eggs, Bread, Cereal, etc... you know the things we eat every day.

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