Shopping for the best grocery prices requires a bit of research

Groceries are not cheap, but they are a necessity. How and where to shop is important to all students.
“Not planning can cost you plenty,” said Grace Beery, a recent UM graduate who’s taking a semester off before nursing school.
Getting the best deals is not just in the price. It’s in knowing the ropes. That includes knowing the sales, the ads, the lowest everyday prices, and what to buy where.
Of course, it helps to have an actual dollar amount comparison.

University of Montana students have several shopping options, everything from convenience stores (Walgreens), discount stores (Wal-Mart, Costco) to typical grocery stores (Albertsons, Safeway, Rosauers, Orange Street Food Farm). Yet, in a town the size of Missoula, the nearest place with food is not far away. How do you decide where to go?
The best way is to do your research, compare prices, and determine if convenience is more important than price. Sometimes you pay more for convenience. Surprisingly, the sales in some grocery stores make shopping there versus Costco or Wal-Mart a better buy on some items. Eggs this week at Safeway were $1.28, cheaper than Wal-Mart’s everyday low price of $1.54. Pepsis on sale at Albertsons were $1.33 each, while Wal-Mart’s everyday price is $1.25. That could matter if convenience is important, or if Albertsons is closer and time is of the essence.
It’s also good to know that places like Walgreens that are easy to get in and out of in a hurry sell almost every kind of food except produce, meat and beer. They carry 32 kinds of cereals. This week, most cereals at Walgreens were $4.49 for two, or $2.24 each. Rice Chex was cheaper than Wal-Mart’s everyday price of $3.18.
Food Farm has the cheapest beer. A six-pack of Bud Light is $4.39, but their lunchmeat was more than $4.00, the second-most expensive store price.
Some stores, like Albertsons and Safeway, allow for special prices for those who have membership cards, and prices are good for members every day. For example, Red Delicious apples at Safeway were $1 per pound with a card, cheaper than Food Farm ($1.29) and Wal-Mart ($1.28). The labeling can be a bit confusing, so take a calculator if you have trouble with the per-item price of 10 yogurts for $7.68.
Grocery ads come out in the Missoulian on Tuesdays, with grocery sales beginning on Wednesdays. That’s good to know if you are making a list for a menu plan.
Of course, some things will always be cheaper at Wal-Mart, like Top Ramen noodles for $.16 each versus $.29 at Albertsons or Safeway. That’s not much of a difference, but some items can be quite costly at other stores, which is when it pays to shop at a discount store and drive a bit farther. Classico spaghetti sauce is $2.08 per jar at Wal-Mart, but $3.69 at Safeway. That can save you $1.61 for one item.
Some stores mark down their meats, even daily, but these prices aren’t advertised. The Wal-Mart meat department employees calls it “yellow-tagging,” and you can save as much as $3 per item. Wal-Mart matches the published price of any store’s ad. Just take it through the checkout line.
Numbers never lie, but they do add up.