Roy - We buy meat at Von's and they always have specials (for von's card holders) that are awesome.  Hubby got two (in one package) steaks for $4.00.  Just have to hit at the right time!!!

I tried WinCo.  Prices are good but bought Beef Ribs and some steaks.  Meats not very good.  Will still have to pay Von's high prices for meat.  It's much better.

I went into the 99 cent store on Mt Vernon about a year ago    I thought what the heck    I bought all there allergy pills 25 boxes for $ 25    these thing would've cost me $ 9/15     a pack of 24   I was hooked    the big bag of  Lemon cookies .99

The can chili .99    Ice cream .99   eggs .99    toys for great grand son .99    yep I'm hooked

woof, I was not endorsing Arco, but they do accept my BP UKcard which has no charges applied worldwide at all BP companies, much better than the Shell card, plus the exchange rate lowers the price for me.

Woof, when I buy at Arco I always use cash.  I only use my ATM card where they don't have a surcharge.   When I was on the trip, Valero had gas about the same price at Arco and some small neighborhood stores are cheaper too.

The one thing I really hate is paying the .45 FEE on ARCO gas, Maggiepoo.

RF..we've just GOT to agree on something today.  :-)   I like Winco's Pizza if I can get it when it's fresh.   I buy the BIG slice and it comes with a soft drink for about 2.50 and munch on it while shopping.  When it gets really messy, I found the pet food aisle is a good place to hide out to poilsh it off and wipe the pizza grease from my chin.  We do agree about how nice the store is though. 

I looked at the price of Reynolds foil in the store the other day and it was over two bucks.  The 99 cent store and Dollartree sell it for 99 cents.    I've quit shopping the big stores for anything I can get at the dollar stores.  Unfortunately TP still has to come from a name manufacturer.  Meat, ice cream, and some products still require a visit to Vons or one of those.

Don't forget day old bakery outlets for lots of things.  The one on District Blvd has a country peppered gravy mix that will knock your sox off.  In fact, a lot of restaurants use either the same mix or one very similar. Extra, extra...getchur Ding Dongs here.  Having a big barbeque?  Hot dog and hamburger buns are a steal there too.

Dollar stores are good for:

Aspirins and other OTC medications,  toiletries etc. that are name brand.

Small cheap rust & bust type tools

Paper goods, sunglasses, reading glasses, etc.I loose em all the time........

Some canned goods. Check where they come from though

4200 Coffee.  I think they're building a second store but not in my area, dammit.  Panama & Ashe, not open yet.

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Don't bother with the pizza there.  Yuk.  But the store's nice.

I think I saw it down there on Coffee about where Hageman crosses?

Can someone tell me where the WinCo is in Bakersfield.  I have never been there and thought I would check it out. I looked in the phone book but could not find it...

Maggie.  All oil companies import.  It's a matter of WHERE they import from and how much. Random, Grocery Outlet canned goods are consistantly 50 cents or under if you are careful what you buy. The large packages of bacon are also a really good deal and is good as expensive bacon.

My key to low-priced food is cooking in bulk and making good use of the freezer. For example, I can get two large cans of tomato sauce for $3, 1.5 to 2 pounds of boneless chicken breasts for $5-10 (depending on brand) and a bag of rice for a couple bucks. From that and the spices in the kitchen, I can make a dozen servings of chicken caccitore at around a buck a serving. Since it's just me in the house, that little investment goes a long way. I'll also do the same thing with soups. It's healthy too because instead of being motivated to "grab a quick meal on the way home" when I've been at work late, I know I can just grab something out of the freezer and pop it in the microwave. 

"Don't forget ARCO for gas.  Always as cheap as you can find and they don't import from Hugo or the middle east."

Arco is owned by BP Helios ( British Petroleum), yes they do import

In the 1980s ARCO’s international arm made the first commercial natural gas discovery off China’s coast and built a 700-kilometre subsea pipeline to pump the gas to Hong Kong. In 1996 ARCO announced a joint venture with LUKOIL, Russia’s largest oil company, to produce gas and oil in Russia and elsewhere.

In 2000, ARCO joined the BP group. All of the group’s US stations west of the Rocky Mountains took on ARCO branding, and the number of ampm outlets grew to more than 900.

Mindful also of the more immediate demands of the world economy, BP people watched as the presidents of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey inaugurated the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which would transport one million barrels of oil a day from the Caspian. Projects in Angola, Russia and the Gulf of Mexico also came on stream.

From that first, uncertain search for oil in Persia, BP had grown to become a global energy company, providing large quantities of oil while also making strides along a promising path towards oil’s alternatives.

Awww RF.  You caught me.  It was a slip of the fingers a-cause you KNOW I would never try to mislead... cough

You can do better at low-price chain supermarkets on the canned goods, unless it's some closeout item.  I shop Grocery Outlet (we call it the "Used Food Store") but seldom find really good values there except maybe some cheese.  I could shop for everything at Winco and come out ahead, I think.

99 Cent store for canned goods, condiments, paper goods.  Grocery Outlet for frozen foods, canned fruit, deli, cheese, milk, candy, nuts. Food Max for produce. Still have to pay Von's high prices for meat.  The best in town.  Don't forget ARCO for gas.  Always as cheap as you can find and they don't import from Hugo or the middle east.

I buy produce at the Maxx all the time...seems better than many of the more upscale stores, etoo.

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I buy foodstuffs sometimes at the dollar store, but Woof's right--lots of times it's better at FoodMaxx.

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Nancy, trying to divert attention away from the shiny new 99cents store on OLIVE DRIVE?  You wouldn't be that sneaky, would you?

 I love the local Food Maxx (Niles)....especially after going to Albertson's and seeing how much more stuff costs there compared to what I save at Food Maxx.

Dollar stores can  be great, but you can still get some things cheaper at other stores....you gotta be careful, you think you're getting it cheaper because it's a buck, but I know I can get those Farmer John sausages for 89 cents at FM.

 Don't forget the 99 Cent Plus stores for groceries.  They have a huge section of canned food and a pretty good little produce section.  They have butter for a dollar for a half pound (two bucks a pound for the math challanged. LOL) and most always have Framer John link sausage for a buck a package.  They have day old bread and Shasta soda.   I buy my potatoes there for 5 lbs @ .99 also.  They aren't always the smooth ones you get at albertson for for the money, I can peel in hills and valleys.   Sandwich bags, trash bags, foil and plastic wrap.  Why go anywhere else?  BUT...please stay away from the one on Norris Road.  It's new,  clean and sparkly, and uncrowded.....and MINE.

 Niceboots-we go to Mannys often.  It is limited on the items they carry but you can't beat a basket full of groceries for $40-50.00.  We also go to Winco as it's close to home and the prices are really low.

 Agreed!  Gotta love Winco.  You can try Manny's too but its pretty limited, but the deals are amazing.  But yeah, Winco is probably the best, especially if you can manage some of your items out of the bulk bins.  And the store is kept clean, too.  I want to check out Ranch Market, too. 

 What a bunch of dumb bunnies,,,,Go to WinCo,They have the best prices far none meat, produce, and what ever... Pack your own food and off you go...Cash Or Atm

pinto beans, potatos, jerky. That's all you need!

 we are also shopping at the farmer market for veggies and fruit, nuts..which are at a lower price. We can buy a week's supply of fruit, nuts, veggies that cost less than 30 dollars.

 Winco is nice for produce; fruits and veggies [yum].

Then again, money is really no object when i've got a craving for something...

You only live once, so why not go to Trader Joe's and let your tastebuds run wild!

 here are some simple healthy foods.

Dry Beans, Potatoes, rice, lintels are health and a good price. Mix in a little fish, chicken, beef and you got a great meal.

Where do you find cheap, quality food?  

You can't. It's impossible.