Re: How not to lose the whole paycheck when shopping, was okinawan purple sweet potatoes

[Guest guest]

Arturo: thank you for changing the subject line. Actually this is an entirely different topic and somewhat off topic.

A U.S. chain of stores called “Trader Joe’s” has many lower prices on items than Whole Foods. If you happen to have a Trader Joe’s near you, it’s worth visiting. To my surprise, I’ve found that “Baker’s” bread products (a delicious line of wholesome whole wheat breads) are found at considerably lower cost at Whole Foods – lower than the regular supermarket chains (such as Safeway for example) in this area.

So it all depends.

From: Arturo Veve <volae@...>

Reply-< >

Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2007 07:25:47 -0700 (GMT-07:00)

< >

Subject: [ ] How not to lose the whole paycheck when shopping, was " okinawan purple sweet potatoes "

All

I wrote the following entry into my blog regarding how to not lose all of your paycheck while shopping at WholeFoods. Since writing that piece I learned that what gets me off kilter from the budget is buying supplements at the store. So now I consider supplements as part of a different budget. I think Whole Foods is a wonderful store and I continue shopping there, more wisely now.

Cheers,

Arturo

" Putting my grocery shopping on CRON "

I love Whole Foods Market, but since it has a reputation for being called, " Whole Paycheck " I've put my weekly shopping there on CRON mode. I originally wrote this as a comment on Sara's blog. I bought a calculator ($3.25 at Walgreens!) and enter everything spent. This requires weighing fruits and vegetables and items from the bulk section. By using the calculator, I have become more attentive to my choices. For example, when before I did not care what I grabbed from the stalls, now I typically select the Whole Foods brand, because it can be about 75% of the price of the regular brands. I set my weekly budget and have been able to stay close to it. Sometimes I have to put an item back and wait a week for it if I exceeded my budget for that week. The store has a card where they punch in every $5 spent on a Whole Foods brand supplement. When you fill up the card, you get $10 towards a supplement. I like that if you bring your own bags, you get a bag credit, or a token ! you can use to give to a charity. Employees notice my use of the calculator and are sympathetic. I have heard patrons who have seen me crunching on my calculator turn to their spouses and say, " put that down, it's too expensive. " So, being aware of what you are spending is a wise thing to do. I don't want to delve too much more into it, but I feel that this company is very kind to its employees as well. I just thought I would share that.

[Guest guest]

> A U.S. chain of stores called ³Trader Joe¹s² has

> many lower prices on items

> than Whole Foods. If you happen to have a Trader

> Joe¹s near you, it¹s worth

> visiting.

In addition, many " regular " food stores are getting in

on the action and offering the same Brand Name

products and/or carrying their own private label

branded products at much lower pricing.

Publix here in the south east has not only been doing

a great job at it for some time, they are about to

open their own stores called " Green Wise " markets,

which will be very competively priced.

http://www.publix.com/greenwisemarketstores/

I know other companies are joining in the process (ie

, Schnucks in the midwest, and Walmart nationally)

I find it difficult to spend my money at Whole Foods

(unless its a rare item I cant find anywhere else),

when their products are so much higher priced than the

same products at Publix next door.

Regards

Jeff

[Guest guest]

Fortunately, we have Vitamin Cottage here to compete with Whole

Foods. They sell mainly food, actually, and their prices are much

lower. They also sell all organic produce at very nice prices -- not

to mention their excellent bulk foods section. So for me, the best

way to save money is to avoid Whole Foods altogether, I have since

learned.

>

> Re: Okinawan purple sweet potatoes

> Posted by: " orb85750 " orb85750@...

>

> Fri Aug 31, 2007 5:31 am (PST)

> <snip> I've seen yams labeled as sweet potatoes in many

> stores, including Whole Foods (a.k.a. " whole paycheck " ).

>

> -Dave

> ----------------------

> All

> I wrote the following entry into my blog regarding how to not lose

all of your paycheck while shopping at WholeFoods. Since writing

that piece I learned that what gets me off kilter from the budget is

buying supplements at the store. So now I consider supplements as

part of a different budget. I think Whole Foods is a wonderful store

and I continue shopping there, more wisely now.

> Cheers,

> Arturo

>

> " Putting my grocery shopping on CRON "

> I love Whole Foods Market, but since it has a reputation for being

called, " Whole Paycheck " I've put my weekly shopping there on CRON

mode. I originally wrote this as a comment on Sara's blog. I bought a

calculator ($3.25 at Walgreens!) and enter everything spent. This

requires weighing fruits and vegetables and items from the bulk

section. By using the calculator, I have become more attentive to my

choices. For example, when before I did not care what I grabbed from

the stalls, now I typically select the Whole Foods brand, because it

can be about 75% of the price of the regular brands. I set my weekly

budget and have been able to stay close to it. Sometimes I have to

put an item back and wait a week for it if I exceeded my budget for

that week. The store has a card where they punch in every $5 spent on

a Whole Foods brand supplement. When you fill up the card, you get

$10 towards a supplement. I like that if you bring your own bags, you

get a bag credit, or a token you can use to give to a charity.

Employees notice my use of the calculator and are sympathetic. I have

heard patrons who have seen me crunching on my calculator turn to

their spouses and say, " put that down, it's too expensive. " So, being

aware of what you are spending is a wise thing to do. I don't want to

delve too much more into it, but I feel that this company is very

kind to its employees as well. I just thought I would share that.

>