Relocating to Rochester...any tips?

[mfaust]

There were two in my ad this week...

[pixie1080]

Thanks for all the info guys, I really appreciate it....if you think of anything else, I can use all the info I can get beforehand.
It seems I'm really going to miss my Publix and Super Target...after stockpiling for 2 years, I'm accustomed to paying nearly nothing for my weekly groceries. Maybe I'll just stay where I am and let hubby fly home on the weekends.

[jis]

Originally Posted by pixie1080 It seems I'm really going to miss my Publix and Super Target...after stockpiling for 2 years, I'm accustomed to paying nearly nothing for my weekly groceries.

i often hear people say this. but is produce and meat included in groceries? anything that comes in a box is attainable cheaply, i feel, but unless you are using x/xx$ coupons where do the cheap tomatoes come from? lol. for example: green peppers are .99 or 1.29/lb at price rite (fair enough). i pay that. anyone with ideas as to how to lower that and other assorted produce/chicken breast prices (1.88-1.99/lb is cheapest I've seen here), please pm me lol.

moving was really tough for us with our "stockpile" (not nearly what others have). such a pain moving it ourselves. it probably would have cost us more to move it than it would have to just buy it when we got up here. so we gave it to family, etc. maybe that's why my bills are higher than they were before, seeing as i don't have all the staples i did before. who knows. good luck with the move.

[pixie1080]

Regarding meat and produce....I'm not a huge meat eater, but my husband is. Most of the meat I buy has come from Super Target when they've put out their coupons for chicken, beef, ham, etc...oftentimes there are MFQs to go along with those. When I find free or close to free meat, I buy it up and freeze it. There are also usually coupons available for "buy X, get $$ off meat." I never pay for meat unless there's some kind of last minute thing where we want to fix something in particular. My freezer is full of meat (chicken, steaks, roasts, ribs, ham steaks).
As for produce, those are usually filler items in my Publix runs, as Publix puts out many store coupons that can be combined with MFQs...they also take competitor's coupons (and mine honor the Target Qs). They also do giftcard MIRs a few times a year, and most of the time you can get the qualifiers for nearly nothing.
It's pretty easy most of the time to get fresh items with overage at either Target or Publix--mostly from the benefit of combining store and MFQs.
Seems I've been spoiled.
BUT I am looking forward to doing LOTS of NBPR rebates!!!!!!

[MrsAlias]

I only really go to Tops for things on sale, I find my too expensive.

Wegmans has great sales on meat, 90/10 goes on sale for 1.99 lb about every 2 months and I will buy 30 lbs ish and freeze. Same with boneless skinless chicken breasts.

I still shop at Aldi's, although my Wegmans matches their prices on bread, eggs and milk all the time ,which is great!

We have a Super Walmart (and someday a brand new one!!) but lately I find them way more then other stores, and its a pain to drive over, shop, and have a stack of 5 or 7 ads to price match.

I find some great deals at Target... and we do have a KMart, but they only doubled once, and have never done it since.

My BIL lives in Rochester... I am pretty sure I have seen all those stores over there. We are about an hour away in Amherst.

[bakerbaker999]

Thank you for asking that! I'm moving to Rochester soon too!! We have Publix here and I LOVE them. I am from Rochester (although 13 years ago and prior to couponing!) and love Wegmans..but now that I'm couponing...I'm dreading it! lol Not to mention the ...cold...ugh..we're moving from Orlando, FL....kind of a change...jk!

[Giggles]

While I'm from south of Buffalo, stores are basically the same.
Aldi's for basics.
Tops for meat sales & FREE's only
Hate Wegman's prices! While they may have a really nice store & some "zingers" to get you in the store, overall, they tack you on all other things!
Super Walmart out-does everyone on MOST items.

I have a farmers market/auction here every Wed & I know Rochester does... don't you guys go??????????????? :shrug7: WHY NOT??? I think it's Friday or Sat there???

Since I sell stuff at mine, I know many of the vendors who also sell in Rochester. FRESH produce for CHEAP! I pay $1.50-$2 for a DOZEN ears of local corn! $1 for a qt basket (4-5) tomatoes. $7-8 for 50lbs of potatoes.

If they also have an auction like mine, I go in the barn & when things are "in" season, get bushels of stuff for 10% of store prices. We're very fortunate in this area to have a great selection of local produce. Plus, hubby waits til near the end of the day & picks up flats of strawberries, 8qt baskets of beans, 1/2 bushels of squash/ cantelopes etc for DIRT cheap. The vendors don't want to carry it to the next place.

There are several vendors who buy-then-sell close-outs from BJ's, RiteAid, etc. I just bought a GALLON of olive oil for $20, a 3pk of those new feminine pads forget the name (reg $9+ per box) for $5 for all 3, 90ct box of Playtex tampons $5! The HUGE cans of Hunts tomato sauce - $2, dent on side, 30pk 100 calorie snacks $4. No telling WHAT you'll find!

We also have meat & poultry butchering places that save us ALOT. I'm pretty sure Rochester does too. Many of the smaller grocery stores offer "package-deals" you can't beat!

I spent 8 yrs outside Atlanta & really missed these opportunities! Get your freebies, but expand your horizons up here!

PLUS, it's FUN!

[mfaust]

My grocery bill tends to be a little more expensive because I try to buy organic foods when I can. The way I get my organic produce cheaply is I join a CSA (farm share) during the spring/summer/fall. These are cropping up all over the place in WNY (including Rochester). The one I joined I pick up organic fruit and veggies weekly once a week right down the street from me. Costs me about $15/wk for veggies and $10/wk for fruit, and we get more that we normally would buy. Plus it is as fresh as you can get it, often picked that morning or the day before. not free, but great value for your $ for top quality produce. Plus you are supporting the local farmers. I know there are some found in the Rochester area, as I have relatives that do the farm share in Lockport, and those farm shares service the Rochester area too.

[ferrisweb]

I split my shopping between Walmart, Tops, Wegmans, Target, & Big M.

[allisonmenz]

Shop at the Public Market! I am surprised no one else shops there. It's open every Sat from 6am to 1pm and on Thursdays but there are a lot less vendors there on Thurs. You can't find cheaper produce anywhere. I also buy my specialty cheese there and breads. I do pretty well with shopping at the public market and then going to tops for the sale items.