Food & Product News/Discussion/Help/Advice

[Junkyard Dog]

Here I want to discuss and share any food/product related news in regards to gouging/shrinkflation/etc on top of advice and help you can give your fellow Canadians to help save money during difficult times. 
 

This is not meant to be an extension of the Politics thread though I wouldn’t mind minor debate. Anything that gets too heated I would recommend bringing that conversation over to the politics thread. 
 

My advice first and foremost would be getting any app that shows you local flyers and deals like the Flipp app. Shopping at areas that price match and shopping at local marts. Getting store brand items instead of regular brand(ex. Great Value over polysporin). Going fruit picking at farms may help save money and be a good trip for families although it is not for everyone. 
 

Even sharing great deals you see this week on here may go a long way. 
 

Hopefully boycotts like the one happening with Loblaws continue. 
 

Anyways feel free to share any advice, deals in your area news or opinions on the matter. 

Edited May 6 by Junkyard Dog

[King Heffy]

Some of my favourites:

 

Save on foods price matches everywhere.  The more rewards points also really add up if you use the online deals; sometimes you can load 10k points for every $100.  I've personally gotten over $500 value worth of vouchers over the last year.  Canuck games also give really good value for reward redemption.

 

Don't pay bank fees unless you have to.  Credit unions have no fee chequing accounts that are more than sufficient for many.

 

Credit card rewards are great if you pay the balance off every month.  Amex Cobalt earns a minimum of 5% cashback on groceries and restaurants.  It's got a monthly fee, but it pays for itself if you're paying more than $500 a month for food.

 

[Rook]

5 minutes ago, King Heffy said:

Some of my favourites:

 

Save on foods price matches everywhere.  The more rewards points also really add up if you use the online deals; sometimes you can load 10k points for every $100.  I've personally gotten over $500 value worth of vouchers over the last year.  Canuck games also give really good value for reward redemption.

 

Don't pay bank fees unless you have to.  Credit unions have no fee chequing accounts that are more than sufficient for many.

 

Credit card rewards are great if you pay the balance off every month.  Amex Cobalt earns a minimum of 5% cashback on groceries and restaurants.  It's got a monthly fee, but it pays for itself if you're paying more than $500 a month for food.

 

To add, I highly suggest if you value your mom and pop shop, don’t beat them up too bad with your points card.  Some are aware but a lot aren’t, that it’s the business who pays those percentages back.  Debit is a minimal flat fee whereas the points cards can be from 3-5%.  Makes a big difference to their bottom line.. on the reverse, I hammer the big box stores as we all should. 

[Junkyard Dog]

Recurring Sales I capitalize on often. 

 

 

Walmart has a good sale atm for toilet paper. Purex 30 rolls(62 double) is on sale for like 14$ 44% off the regular price. Its usually a recurring sale that lasts a week and happens every 4 weeks or so. 
 

Save-On has frozen chicken breast for sale around 30$ for 3kgs recurring as well every month or so. If you can get chicken breast at or under 10$ per Kg that’s not bad. The 3KG box of frozen chicken thighs also have the same sort of recurring sale and I have seen them a few bucks cheaper than the chicken breast sale. 

Save-On also have those tubes of lean ground beef that sometimes go on really good sales. I try to load up on ground beef then. They do put a limit on how many you can purchase at a single time and they tend to fly off the shelf. 

 

[King Heffy]

21 minutes ago, Rook said:

To add, I highly suggest if you value your mom and pop shop, don’t beat them up too bad with your points card.  Some are aware but a lot aren’t, that it’s the business who pays those percentages back.  Debit is a minimal flat fee whereas the points cards can be from 3-5%.  Makes a big difference to their bottom line.. on the reverse, I hammer the big box stores as we all should. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/credit-card-surcharge-faq-1.6610356

 

It's legal to add up to a 2.4% surcharge on credit cards to offset this now.  If it's not in there, I'll assume that it's already baked into the cost of doing business.

[Master Mind]

The loblaws boycott will ultimately just hurt the employees, while benefiting the higher ups at competitors.

 

I get that people want to feel like they're fighting back in some way but this won't be helpful.

[Canuck You]

Sleep all day and night on the weekends, You will save a ton and be refreshed as F!

[brilac]

I look at the grocery store ads and coupons before I shop and make a list. Many of the grocery stores are nearby and within walking distance. 

 

I walk everywhere and take the bus - that saves a lot of money. 

 

I am really into skincare and have been doing with what I have and have gone for cheaper options when in need. That saves money too. 

 

I also make a monthly budget (which I get a thrill out of doing!). I like to compare the current month to last month. 

 

I don't clothes shop as much. I have a closet full of clothes, handbags, and shoes. And when I have the urge, I just drink champagne and shop my closet. And for the champagne, I like to drink Andre. I can get a bottle between $5.99-$7.99 depending if it is on sale. 

 

Alright, that is enough of the I's. 

 

[Miss Korea]

If you live in the Lower Mainland, just go to ethnic supermarkets.  Fruits and veggies will be cheaper there.  If you're good with non-Western food, find some tasty-looking, easy dishes on YouTube and try making them yourself.

 

T&T is Loblaws - keep that in mind.

[Bob Long]

5 hours ago, Miss Korea said:

If you live in the Lower Mainland, just go to ethnic supermarkets.  Fruits and veggies will be cheaper there.  If you're good with non-Western food, find some tasty-looking, easy dishes on YouTube and try making them yourself.

 

This is it. There's so many good ones, and they all seem to have a great deal or two to get people in the door. 

 

It's one of the things I love about living in Vancouver. 

 

5 hours ago, Miss Korea said:

T&T is Loblaws - keep that in mind.

 

T&T is great, I think it would be really unfortunate if people stopped supporting them over a misguided attempt to hurt Loblaws.

[Gurn]

I save up my credit card, and food card points till my birthday month, then redeem them all.

It's nice to have a little extra money for a toy, or two.

 

"How will you be paying?"

"Mastercard, unfortunately, my Mastercard; but on the plus side, I could die before I have to pay it off"

[Miss Korea]

54 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

This is it. There's so many good ones, and they all seem to have a great deal or two to get people in the door. 

 

It's one of the things I love about living in Vancouver. 

 

 

T&T is great, I think it would be really unfortunate if people stopped supporting them over a misguided attempt to hurt Loblaws.

 

I think out of all the Loblaws stores, T&T's customer loyalty will remain almost 100% intact during the boycott.  We should let someone else take a wild guess why.

[Bob Long]

Just now, Miss Korea said:

 

I think out of all the Loblaws stores, T&T's customer loyalty will remain almost 100% intact during the boycott.  We should let someone else take a wild guess why.

 

T&T is a great local success story, and they know what they are doing. 

[Miss Korea]

6 hours ago, brilac said:

I look at the grocery store ads and coupons before I shop and make a list. Many of the grocery stores are nearby and within walking distance. 

 

I walk everywhere and take the bus - that saves a lot of money. 

 

I am really into skincare and have been doing with what I have and have gone for cheaper options when in need. That saves money too. 

 

I also make a monthly budget (which I get a thrill out of doing!). I like to compare the current month to last month. 

 

I don't clothes shop as much. I have a closet full of clothes, handbags, and shoes. And when I have the urge, I just drink champagne and shop my closet. And for the champagne, I like to drink Andre. I can get a bottle between $5.99-$7.99 depending if it is on sale. 

 

Alright, that is enough of the I's. 

 

Goddamn Yankees.

 

A second option for any Lower Mainlanders looking to squeeze out their cash could consider going to Bellingham and shopping at Walmart/Winco.  Know what's cheaper (after conversion) and what's not.  Dairy (including cheese) and poultry are micj cheaper and you can bring back the same day.  Gas is a given.  After that, if you're down for cooking Mexican, it's a no-brainer to go border hopping.

 

Edited May 6 by Miss Korea

[Miss Korea]

One last grocery shopping tip: if you are a true penny-pincher, just eat everything off FlashFood.  It's an app that sells expiring grocery food, not unlike TooGoodToGo (which focuses on surplus restaurant food).  You can get a box of slightly deformed fruits/veggies for five bucks.  If you do not have kids at home, you can just grab whatever's on the app and eat healthy, random food.

 

The catch?  Majority of participants are Loblaws.

[brilac]

Coffee too.
 

Making a pot of coffee is so much cheaper than going out of coffee. 

[Rook]

23 hours ago, King Heffy said:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/credit-card-surcharge-faq-1.6610356

 

It's legal to add up to a 2.4% surcharge on credit cards to offset this now.  If it's not in there, I'll assume that it's already baked into the cost of doing business.

Exactly!! The big companies have either just rolled it in, or as in my case when I’m going to charge for it, I openly let my client know. 

[brilac]

WhatsApp is very beneficial, and free! 

 

 

[King Heffy]

Rententions plans from your phone company are good.  Once you're not in a contract, give them a call and say you're going to cancel.  It works better if you quote a competitor's rate if you see something advertised that you'd like.  Half hour call will easily save you $20/mo minimum.

[flat land fish]

Maybe I just watch too many sporting events on TV but does the whole world have toe nail fungus?  Is there incredible money to be made on fungus treatment.  Are the add slots in daytime sporting worth nothing?