Stop & Stop - Worth the Trip (in MA)? Opinions?

[tivaclare]

I've been in MA for about 6 months now. I've done a large portion of my shopping at Shaw's because I've gotten pretty skilled at hitting the meat/dairy/produce/bread markdowns and it's enough to get us by. I was getting the staples there as well and always cried a little at the prices, lol.

I've since learned that Hannaford (right across my Shaws) is MUCH better for things like milk, eggs, bread, etc if I can't find coupons/markdown at Shaw's. Example, I've kind of fallen in love with the organic milk. It is $4.68/gal at Shaws and I got it for Hannaford for 3.30!

Anyhoo...I'm wondering if it's "worth the trip" so to speak to go out to SNS. It is a bit further for me, but I looked at their sale paper for next week and noticed they have some sort of gas discount program.

DH is spending $40-45/week on gas so it is appealing.

Is it easy to get gas points? Shaw's had a gas program, but it was an absolute hassle to use and to get any significant discount you had to spend hundreds in one go. I don't shop that way.

Overall, for meat, I buy what I find on markdown and freeze it. Does SNS have good meat markdowns?

Just trying to stretch my dollar a bit further. We are a family of 4 and I'm looking to get the food down to $250/month, which I know is TOTALLY doable!

[amylynne01]

I'm gonna be real honest - S&S is not blowing me away lately. In 2010, they had a TON of deals, way more than Shaw's. Since then, it's been really meh to me. S&S's gas program is not great for a couponer. You earn a $0.10 discount for every $100 you spend after coupons. I shop there regularly but only earn $0.10 every 4-6 weeks or so. They have special promos on the back page of the ad where you can buy certain items for more points.

Meat markdowns - never found anything good at my S&S. Their meat prices are super high, so a meat markdown is still higher than the price I pay at Market Basket. Do you have a Market Basket in your area? Their prices are the lowest around. They do not double qs, but the prices make up for it. Their milk is cheap - $2.39 a gallon. Chicken breasts regularly go on sale for $1.99 (any size pkg unlike S&S which only puts the big packs on sale that low). Produce is okay quality but low prices (Hannaford's has much better produce but higher prices). Land O Lakes cheese sometimes goes down to $2.99/lb which with a $1/1 q is CHEAP. S&S gets to $5.99/lb at its lowest. AND MB has a ton of tearpads in store.

If S&S is not too far out of the way, there are a few good deals to be had. I really hope that the sales start picking up for summer. Between Market Basket, S&S, and Rite Aid, I get by, and I spend around $250 a month.

[SFShopper]

Arghhhh - milk is $2.39 a GALLON for you!?!?! It's $3.29 here in San Francisco and ughhhh - at Safeway or Lucky's ~ wyb (2), it's 2.99 . Uh I don't neeeeeeeeeed a 2-(1) gallon of milk, 1/2 a gallon is more than enough right now...

And lastly, hi PP! ...

[tivaclare]

Thanks for all the info! I did now the gas was AFTER coupons. Lousy. I will not hold my breath for that then!

I've noticed meat prices seem a bit high out here. I got a bit spoiled when I was still able to shop on military bases. Well, technically, I still can, but it's a hassle to get out there as they are both 25 to 50 miles away (one way). I try to shop markdowns locally so I can save the gas $$.

At Shaws I think I get lucky. I can almost always find a good markdown at least once a week. It is usually chicken thighs/drums and pork, but it's food, lol. I was able to get a 10 pound turkey breast for Easter for $8!! I bought it in March and froze it. Had I had a bit more $$, I probably would have bought some more. That seems to be the rule, when I find excellent prices, my budget is strapped.

I have NOT checked out a Market Basket although I know there is one somewhere close. It is not in a part of town I venture to. I have to admit, I'm a bit of a homebody. Shaw's gets me because it like a mile from my house and I don't have to hit like 12 Dunkin donuts and 20 stop likes to get to it. I keep hearing about it though, so I need to look in on it. I'm sure DH would like to get a bit of red meat every now and then. Poor guy. You should have seen his face when I came home with ribeyes (markdown of course).

I have a SuperWalmart 10ish miles away, but I've never been impressed with their meat pricing, even on markdown.

I also have a BJs Wholesale very close by, but have not checked out their prices.

Thanks again!!

[RoleModel]

Stop & Shop is never a destination store. Even down on LI, where their only widespread major grocery competition is a company that's failing everywhere else and has been for decades, they still manage to maintain parity with everyone else's mediocrity. If you have better alternatives - and it sounds like you do, don't bother with Stop & Shop.

[amylynne01]

MB does not typically have meat markdowns, but that's because their prices are just better. I was there yesterday, and the lady in front of my had a huge cart of stuff - lots of produce and meat and other stuff. She spent $250 but said it was totally worth the drive there from wherever she lived because of the prices. Definitely try it out - it's worth the drive.

[Nidoba]

Just to let you know I do all my "real" shopping at MB and find meat markdowns every week. I've gotten some great deals on beef, chicken and really great deals on pork. I would suggest that you check the one near you. It may just be the one I go to but if yours does have markdowns it'll be worth it.

[tivaclare]

Just to let you know I do all my "real" shopping at MB and find meat markdowns every week. I've gotten some great deals on beef, chicken and really great deals on pork. I would suggest that you check the one near you. It may just be the one I go to but if yours does have markdowns it'll be worth it.

Thanks for the tip. It's hard for me to get out there, but I agree it is worth the effort.

Have you noticed a time that's good for markdowns?

At my closest Shaw's they seem to have them here, there and everywhere, but I am almost always finding a lot on Sunday afternoon/evenings. Sometimes midweek too. Sundays are biggies for meat and produce for me.

Oh, and are they in with the regular meat still? How can you tell they are markdown?

I've been to MB twice and both times it was packed, hectic and I had my monsters will me, lol, so I haven't gotten a feel for the store.

[ari'smom]

I live in Portsmouth NH and the MB's around here are always packed. But if you go early in the morning it usually isn't too bad. The cashiers are super fast and they usually have lots of them on so while it sometimes gets a little stressful shopping, you don't wind up waiting forever in line.

If you get the flyers (or you can find a way to get them) they always have good weekly specials on meats. So what you can do is run in, get your meats, and be on your way. They usually run on a monthly cycle so get enough for a month, two if you want to go less often. Their store brand chicken is really good, no salt, and their beef can't be beat and has been consistently great for as long as I've shopped with them. Even my grandparents used to shop with them so it is definitely one of those family stores that made good but stayed good.

I found out from one of the butchers here that when they have a surplus of meat they will put it on special in the store. I asked after recently find some sirloin strip steak for $3.99 per pound. Usually it is $7.99 and regularly goes on sale for $5.99 (one of our favorite cuts lol.) The New York sirloin is also good, a lot cheaper, and also goes on sale regularly. They also had an instore special of their thick cut bacon (that we also love) for $1.99 per pound, usually it is like $4.99 and goes on sale for $2.99 occasionally. When you can find it lol. The roasts are really good too and go on special for as low as $2.49 depending on the cut and the time of year. Chicken goes on sale $1.99 for the boneless skinless, $.89 for a small chicken and $.99 for the roasters. They are all natural and not preserved with salt, so it actually tastes like chicken lol. Salting the meats (like at Walmart) is one of my pet peeves - yuck!)

I think the only time I remember them having mark downs in the meat dept was years ago when we lived further north. Before the ground beef would get ready to expire they would freeze it and keep it in a freezer bin at the end of the meat counter and sell it for half the regular price, so we used to take good advantage since we froze most of ours anyway. I don't see that any more but the butchers are usually nice and maybe you can ask how they do it at the store near you?

[ari'smom]

BTW, I actually found this thread because I've been looking high and low for any stores that double. None around here do but I live close to the MA border so there is a Stop and Shop around a 10 mile drive from here. If only they doubled up to a dollar it would definitely be worth the drive! I have so many stores around me, even the Walmart is less than a mile away. Still Imy mother lives not far from there. And since I also used to live in the same town (before the Stop and Shop, though) my doctors are there and also some other stores I don't normally get to go to. So if I plan it right I might be able to make it worth the while if they have some good deals. So I am definitely putting it on my list to get one of their cards and start looking at their circulars. DD loves to coupon so when I told her there was a store that doubled she got all excited. So if nothing else it will be cheap entertainment and something to do to go burn a few coupons I might not normally bother to use otherwise.