What is a good price for everyday things? How do you know what is too much to spend

[Amanda83]

I've always found myself to be a pretty thrifty shopper and have become one more so since joining SC and clipping and collecting coupons to use on my grocery bill. Of course I can get all the toiletries and cleaning products and such free or near free from LD.

However, I've become more confused over the days reading over our local flyers. How do you know what a good price for something is? These are some examples of whats in the flyer

Strawberries $3.69/2lbs
Spartan Apples $0.89/lb
Cantaloupe $0.88/lb
Grape Cherry Tomatoes $1.97/1 pint basket
Bell Peppers $2.49/lb
Fresh BC Halibut Fillets $2.99/100g

I am just confused by what is really considered "a good price"...please feel free to let me know your thoughts...really looking at dairy, fresh produce and proteins but it's all good to know.

[Natalka]

For strawberries and apples, those are okay prices. For the cantaloupe, I'm not sure by the pound, but here you can get a big one for less than $2 each. All tomato prices are currently crazy, but that price for the little ones seems okay. I will buy tomatoes when they are $1/pound - field or romas.
I don't buy peppers until they are $1/pound.
For the halibut, I only buy frozen fillets and pay about $4 for 400g, when they go on sale.
With those fresh ones being $29.99/kg - well, I just wouldn't pay that price, not even for anything! - but depends on how much you want them.

We had this thread going for a while - for food basics
http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/124702-...u-live-canada/

[Grey]

It helps to know the regular (and sale) prices of items you usually buy at maybe 3 grocery stores so you can make a comparison.

Let's say, bananas.
No Frills sells it at 0.69/lb. Metro at 0.79/lb. Asian store sells it at 0.49/lb.
Right now, it's on sale at Loblaws at 0.49/lb.

Of course, you need to remember to take down the prices.

[lecale]

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[babygonnermann]

It all depends on where you live, too. I understand that those of you on the east and west coasts tend to pay a little more for produce than those of us in Ontario. Is this true?

[kris10]

well for fruit and that you can look up online whats in season when somewhere i am sure and when they are in season everything is usually cheaper. or big deals are usually on the front of the flyers or just in there somewhere. I have seen strawberries under 2$ was the best price as well. At farmers markets i believe they are suppose to be cheap there to. It helps if you sorta keep an eye on the price of certain things in the flyers and just sorta remember how much it goes for. I have a bad memory here to but somehow i can spot deals here and there.

[Amanda83]

For strawberries and apples, those are okay prices. For the cantaloupe, I'm not sure by the pound, but here you can get a big one for less than $2 each. All tomato prices are currently crazy, but that price for the little ones seems okay. I will buy tomatoes when they are $1/pound - field or romas.
I don't buy peppers until they are $1/pound.
For the halibut, I only buy frozen fillets and pay about $4 for 400g, when they go on sale.
With those fresh ones being $29.99/kg - well, I just wouldn't pay that price, not even for anything! - but depends on how much you want them.

We had this thread going for a while - for food basics
http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/124702-...u-live-canada/

Thanks for all the tips I too usually buy my fish frozen as I said these were just some examples. I am more just curious to have kind of a guideline to go on for produce, dairy's and meats.

I saw this link before I posted this thread but didn't find it to have what I was looking for in it. I am more interested in the best sale prices or what I should be looking to spend on a certain things.

Example I was told to never spend more then $1 for cereal (which I've been able to follow unless it's pretty darn close and the box has coupons on it that I'll use)

It helps to know the regular (and sale) prices of items you usually buy at maybe 3 grocery stores so you can make a comparison.

Let's say, bananas.
No Frills sells it at 0.69/lb. Metro at 0.79/lb. Asian store sells it at 0.49/lb.
Right now, it's on sale at Loblaws at 0.49/lb.

Of course, you need to remember to take down the prices.

That's a really good idea, I have three grocery stores here in our area too or I guess 4 but 2 are the same. None of the stores you've listed above but I will have to start taking notes and finding out the best buys for fruits & veg

In my area (Cambridge) I would be looking at:

Strawberries - definitely, under $3 for 2 lb anywhere, and half that price in season.

Wow, that's really cheap!!! Even in season strawberries don't seem to be that cheap here

Spartan Apples - would not buy because they are not a nice "eating" apple (better, I think, for cooking) and are grown in Canada meaning they have been in storage since fall. I would buy Braeburn apples at that price though.

I too don't overly care for the taste of these apples but was more curious of the price and that's good to know that it's a decent price for them Thanks!

Cantaloupe - you would be paying $3.50-$7 for the thing (4-8 lbs) and a good price would be $1-$1.50 (less than $0.25/lb) depending on the season. Check Asian markets - melons are often dirt cheap there, as well as at Food Basics, where a small (4lb) flavourful one will often run you $1.

Wow, thanks for the breakdown That makes a lot of sense, I don't have any Asian markets around here but I can check the other local markets and their prices on melon.

Grape Cherry Tomatoes - sounds like a standard sale price for this type, good but not great. I would buy them if i was in the mood for them. (Did you know most seed companies want $5 for a packet of this type of seeds???) $1.49 would be a deal and I might find them for $0.99 on the "decomposing vegetables" sale rack.

I really like the grape tomatoes for snacking sure helps to keep me on track to eat healthy. No I did not know that, that's CRAZY!!! I don't think that two of the 3 stores have the "decomposing veg", I've never seen it anyhow

Bell Peppers - not a deal at $2.49. Can often find these for $0.99 at Food Basics, though the *red* peppers they carry there are a different variety than what you would find in other stores and have thinner walls. $1.99 if I want a thick-walled red pepper.

Thanks! Good to know.

That was fun, let's play again!

Thanks so much, any other average or good prices for certain things is good to know. These were just a few items I picked at random out of the flyers, so any tips or an amount I should be paying for produce, dairy and meats is good to know

It all depends on where you live, too. I understand that those of you on the east and west coasts tend to pay a little more for produce than those of us in Ontario. Is this true?

I am on Vancouver Island I am not sure how true it is as I've never lived in ON before but it seems to be that way from brags that I've read and things people have said.

[lecale]

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[abbasgirl]

The best way is to keep a price book. As you go to the store, write down prices of things that you see. It will take awhile to do but it will give you a really good idea of what regular prices are and what a good sale price is. It will also allow you to compare prices between stores to see objectively which ones tend to offer the best deals.

[Amanda83]

Here's a general veggie price list for my area. If you can figure out where the Italian or Asian communities shop, you'll probably find the freshest and cheapest produce, as these groups seem to use more produce than others.

Things under $1, on sale:

3lb carrots
10lb potatoes - don't buy these loose, you will pay a fortune!
Celery (not hearts, the whole thing)
Romaine lettuce
Spanish/Red onions (loose)
3lb Cooking onions (bag)
Cauliflower
Frozen spinach
3/4lb Baby carrots
1/2lb Mushrooms (loose, most types except King)
Broccoli
Kale
Dandelions
1lb Bell peppers
Beets with greens attached
Beets (bag)
Swiss Chard
Red/White/Savoy cabbage
...all of those will last 3+ weeks in a cold fridge.

These ones spoil more quickly/you need to more closely plan the quantity you buy:
Bean sprouts (must use within days)
English Cucumbers
Bag spinach
Green onions, 2 bunches
Fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, dill, etc.)
Roma/Paste/Plum tomatoes (room temperature 3 weeks)
Avocados 2/$1.50 or 5/$2.50 or less (tend to ripen within a week of each other)
5 Corn on the cob (in season; refrigerate; goes "starchy" (less sweet) within days)
Bunch Asparagus (spring)
1lb Zucchini

Fruit for the fridge:
Apples
Grapes
Navel oranges

Fruit for the counter (lose flavour when chilled or need to ripen at room temperature):
Plums
Small citrus (tangerines, mandarins...usually better prices in the winter)
Peaches in season
Nectarines in season
Pears
1/2lb kiwis
Mangoes
2lbs bananas
4oz Berries (rasp-, blue-, black-, etc.)
Cantaloupe
Honeydew melon
Apricots (for a very short time in season)

Generally pricier unless you're near an ethnic market:
Chinese Lettuce (Napa Cabbage) $1/lb
Bok Choy $1/lb
Squash (when sold by weight $1/lb = $2-3 small; $4-5 large)
Turnips/Rutabaga (when sold by weight)
Leeks (usually around $3 and anything under is a deal)
Fennel (see Leeks)
Eggplant

Concord (slipskin) grapes $2/basket
Cherries (as low as $1 in peak season, but usually $3 on sale)
Papaya (sold by weight therefore pricey!)
Fresh dates
Whole watermelon (traditional large - aim for $3; keeps 1 month easily at room temperature...refrigerate after opening)

And then there are FREE vegetables, some just coming into season here in Ontario:
Dandelion (before flowerheads appear or they are more bitter)
Stinging nettle (stir fry with oil + balsamic vinegar and poach an egg on top, don't use stems)
Morel Mushrooms (early April)
Wild leeks (appear just after Morels)
Lamb's Quarters (relative of spinach but better, don't use stems, summer)
Chanterelle mushrooms (summer)
Red/Black raspberries (summer)
Apples (fall)
Crabapples (good for setting jams/jellies and for those who like tart apples!)
Saskatoon berries (summer)
Mulberries (summer, naturalized some places)

I've found farmer's markets to be generally more pricey because farmers have to pay for a stand and recoup that cost, but roadside stands far less so.

Universities often have a crop research unit that may include groves of things like peaches and other good stuff...in my experience it is given away, pick your own...just have to make the right contact and show up when you're told. They just grow things to see how they tolerate the weather/what kind of yield a given variety of tree gives.

Pick your own apples can be a good deal for the better varieties like Honeycrisp. Pick your own berries are not as good a deal because soft fruits tend to go bad so you don't really want them in bulk unless you are prepared to freeze them.

Abandoned apple orchards can be a good source of free apples but always pick from the tree (the ones on the ground will go bad quickly and probably have some damage you may not be able to see from the fall) and always taste-test the tree you're going to pick from (apples don't grow "true" from seed, so the seed of a good tasting apple may grow into a tree that makes mealy/flat/tasteless fruit.)

Wow!!! This is totally what I was looking for and thinking I need thanks so much for posting this. When you say "Things under $1, on sale:" does that mean that that's per/pound or whatever it was that you wrote for the amount so I shouldn't be paying more then $1...just want to make sure I understand Thanks so much for posting this its BRILLIANT!!!

The best way is to keep a price book. As you go to the store, write down prices of things that you see. It will take awhile to do but it will give you a really good idea of what regular prices are and what a good sale price is. It will also allow you to compare prices between stores to see objectively which ones tend to offer the best deals.

Thanks, I am going to start doing that. I am going to make a list of what I normally eat and buy and go from there

[Sandra4]

Amanda, thx for starting this thread! great idea
i also wanted to mention Navel organges (or the sunkist ones)...Price Smart had good deals last few weeks..$5.99 for 13 pounds, which worked out to about 46 cents/pound....but i have found them before for 44 or 45 cents a pound
we go thru lots of oranges LOL and the great thing about Oranges is if you keep them in a garage, but a cold on they can stay for 1-2 months..or the fridge

[Amanda83]

Thanks Sandra!!! I thought it was, as it seems we are all here for a deal And these are things I just don't know....may seem kinda silly but I just don't. I always buy what I want and I think that's silly and should start being a better shopper.

Wow that's a great deal on the oranges. I don't have a Price Smart here but good to know a good price for them Thanks!!!

[Amanda83]

Very excited about the cantaloupe that's on sale at RCSS they are $1.67/each must be a good deal from what I've learned above!!! And iceberg lettuce is $0.97/each!!!

[Amanda83]

Very excited about the cantaloupe that's on sale at RCSS they are $1.67/each must be a good deal from what I've learned above!!! And iceberg lettuce is $0.97/each!!!

[Litesandsirens911]

well, I buy most of my produce from the farmers market (You have one at Coombs market, for example)..There is an overabundance of strawberries world wide right now, I bought some last week at 1.00 per pound from Country grocer, but today, I got 2lbs for 1.69 at the farmers market...yummy!

I only buy melon if it's 2.00 per melon or under
I never buy peppers for more than 1.49lb...sometimes I get 3 colored peppers in a tray for 3.49
Apples I never pay more than .89cents a lb for, and yes I sometimes get them at Walmart.
Bananas are usually .49-.89 a lb here in my area...
Halibut here is very expensive and 29.99 a kg (2.99 100gr) is WAY too much...I usually buy it as a treat, and 2lb costs me 20.00 on sale, so 1.99lb...I only ever get it from a proper fish market, so I know how fresh it is, but Thrifty's has fresh fish too ...