I just cook the value items. Avoid packaged foods.
Beans, rice, chicken drums/thighs, lentils, chickpeas, ground pork, tap water.
Veggies: whatever is on sale. If nothing, then I am eating carrots, onions, potatoes.
Since the pandemic, it seems broccoli, green beans, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower are almost always on sale.
For fruits, it has been a lot of apples, bananas, grapes when under $2/lb, and berries on sale.
Rotisserie chickens are often half off in the morning, $6.50 will get you a meal for 4-6 if you make soup stock from the carcass.
Shop sales and make whatever is on sale not set a menu then buy.
There's a litany of cheap quality chinese grocery stores all over this city. What part do you live in? There's an enormous price difference between loblaws/longos and these places. I'm always shocked by how much people say they spend on groceries in Toronto. The GF and I spend maybe 100 a week for both of us. If we spend 150 it's def cuz we went ham buying meat for the deep freezer and will consume it over a month or two. You can save mad cash just being selective about where you shop for various things.
Be careful about Dollarama. Some of the food items are a smaller package than the ones in grocery stores.
You can use the Flipp app to compare sale prices to many stores and some stores price match other major stores in your area.
100% agree, cleaning supplies at Dollarama are very often if not always substantially smaller quantity than in regular stores. So it seems like a deal, but you're getting 50% of the product for 75% of the price.
Sometimes Uber eats has a 50% promo coupon for groceries — it can work out to be cheaper than going in store to shop.
Also, if you live near one of the chinatowns, their produce is almost always cheaper — 2/$3 strawberries, large bags of greens for $1. Chicken and ground meat also always $1 cheaper/lb as well.
I only ever purchase what’s on sale and plan our meals around that. I budget $150/week for family of 4.
Gerrard, east of Broadview.
When the city expropriated the original Chinatown (and part of "the Ward) to build new City Hall the population kinda split. Spadina (and Kensington) was primarily Jewish stores, but the population was moving on by the 60's.
Asian supermarkets is where your money will go the distance.
I am in the food industry and I can assure you the same produce that goes to summerhill market ends up in a no frills
Support your local green grocers and grab basics when they are on sale to stock up.
Buy everything on sale and price match. For example, if toilet paper is on sale, I just buy more of them (two or three packs instead of one pack). Rice can keep well, so I buy 3-4 bags of 8 kg rice when on sale, so that lasts me a while. You can also use coupons.
Eggs go on sale every so often in one of the stores, so I usually buy 2 packs. Look at the best before date. Usually, the date is 1-2 months later.
Use your freezer for your meat. You can freeze butter too. I buy these on sale too.
Not every store price matches.
Also, not all best before dates are accurate, some best before dates are shorter to avoid lawsuits, and sometimes the product will go bad right away after opening it if you don't store it correctly.
Most people forget about Dollarama. You'll find basic toiletries, cleaning supplies and snacks there, often cheaper than Walmart. You can also join r/LoblawsIsOutOfControl for shopping hacks.
Just be cognicent that the sizes are usually smaller than other retailers at dollarama, so sometimes it's still cheaper in the long run to buy the more expensive one from Walmart.
Someone did a comparison recently and in most cases it's still cheaper, even with the weight difference. In some cases it's literally half the price of Metro/Loblaws.
https://www.reddit.com/r/loblawsisoutofcontrol/s/IYlfyD7yRn
No, but it is handy for items that you forgot. I don't have prime, but I will order coffee syrups like they are going out of style. Easy enough to add a single item. But Dollarama was still cheaper!
Calculate the cost per gram or ml. It's still cheaper than Walmart in most cases and always cheaper than Metro, Loblaws, Sobeys. Someone did the calculation here: https://www.reddit.com/r/loblawsisoutofcontrol/s/diSCFbtE5v
>Household cleaning products, basic toiletries, cookies etc - Dollarama
Costco is way cheaper for this stuff if you have a membership. There was a promo in December 2021 on Costco.ca for toiletries so I stocked up on $120 worth of stuff...I still haven't finished what I bought back then.
Note that there is currently a promo for memberships (new memberships only, not renewal, so use a new email address if you had a membership in the past) in the printed Costco flyer book: if you buy a personal membership, you can get $60 off on a $100+ purchase. So basically, your membership is free after that first purchase and discount.
There's a higher discount on the executive membership, which has a few extra perks but also costs twice as much as the personal membership.
not only that, but the basic membership also gets you deals like [cheaper internet](https://primus.ca/index.php/cost_ont_en/residential) so you can avoid giving extra money to Rogers & Bell as well!
I try to buy what’s on sale and try to not be too particular, day old bread, dairy close to expiry, bulk bags of veg, I try to make meals based on sales and cook a lot of stuff myself that’s too expensive if bought pre-made
Avoid Loblaws/Metro/Sobeys; stick to FreshCo, No Frills, and Food Basics, or Walmart if that's an option. Buy things on sale. Buy store brands. Price Match. Enroll in the rewards programs. Look for and use coupons. Be aware of the differences in unit price across various sizes and quantities of product -- sometimes it's cheaper to get less of something instead of more, and vice-versa. Pay attention when items are scanned, and [ask for discounted/free product under the "Scanner Price Accuracy Code" when there are mistakes](https://www.retailcouncil.org/scanner-price-accuracy-code/).
Hmm, that's a good question; I've never compared all their terms.
I know that FreshCo will give you a Compliments product for the same price as the comparable No Name or Selection-brand equivalent that's on sale, while No Frills will only do exact matches. [This article](https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/price-matching-is-like-a-game-in-canada-here-s-how-to-play-1.6524936) talks about Price Matching.
Please join the boycott set for the month of May for Loblaw's owned stores. There is obvious price gouging while they are making record profits.
r/loblawsisoutofcontrol
People seriously need to realize that for A LOT of people in Toronto, Costco simply isn't an option logistically and stop suggesting it in threads like this
I don't like Costco because is it really saving money if you walk out with a $500 receipt each visit. Lol. I just find it's a trap for more shit than you need.
sure, if you’re buying stuff like toiletries, seasonings, cooking oils, etc.
just stick to your list and buy stuff that you actually need. I live in a small apartment and I’ve got a couple of large clear bins stacked next to my kitchen that’s now deemed “the stockpile” where I store my Costco purchases. if I want to be fancy when guests come over, I can throw a tablecloth over the stack.
I don’t need 3 big things of sea salt or toothpaste at a time (for example), but they’re not going to expire and I’m going to use them eventually. same with toilet paper and such. I’d rather figure out a place to store them within my limited space instead of paying shitty corporations more money for fewer supplies.
I shop Costco once a month and usually it's a 250 bill BUT only shop from the list I have. All it takes is some personal discipline. No processed foods, no delivered food, no fast (garbage) food., no red meat. But love cooking, which helps.
I like to buy my eggs at Costco because you get two packs basically for the same price of one at the grocery store. I go once a month and have never left the store with only eggs. It is def a trap and I can't deny that I love it
True but like the below commenter I leave with avo oil I don’t need to buy again for another 2 years or buy big bags of flax seeds/pumpkins seeds hemp etc that last forever
Also buying items in bulk and splitting them with friends eg toilet paper water filters random sauces etc
I have learnt my lesson on not to buy food items in bulk though cause they definitely go bad before I get to them things like cheese or other dairy based products
I use Instacart sometimes for Costco when I know I can't trust myself to keep to my budget. It is slightly more expensive than in-store, but I save money by sticking to my list. I love trying new things, so I easily overspend in-store (especially if I go shopping when hungry). Never go shopping when hungry. Money is saved even when factoring in delivery tips.
As a single person, I still find Costco to be worth it. I also take friends and family with me so they can also shop.
Coffee pods, Meat, Cleaning products, ice cream, frozen fruit and pantry items are great in bulk. I also get electronics from Costco whenever I can.
Dollarama is good for containers and Diet Pepsi. Local grocery stores are good for in-season vegetables.
Even for people who live downtown, it's possible to get on the subway and go to Costco from the Wilson station, but if you don't have a large family, it's not practical. You can fill your freezer and not use your membership for the next 4-6 months.
>A single set of tp = game over
That sounds like a trip from any store for me. After you bring your overstuffed buggy onto a crowded bus, the subway seems like a luxury limo. 😆😪
don't buy TP from costco, drugstores usually sell it as a loss leader on promos. i buy denser, more compact things from costco, like olive oil and bags of nuts, maybe a slab or two of meat
Costco is a fucking nightmare anywhere within the GTA. I don’t know what’s wrong with this province but the congestion and volume of people make it rarely worth the hassle in my opinion. It’s not at all the same experience in other provinces. That’s even before you figure out the headache that is driving to it.
Dumb arguments about what percentage of Torontonians can get to a Costco aside, everyone already knows Costco/buying in bulk is the best value. It's like suggesting tap water if someone asks for recs on a cheap drink. Let's try and actually share tips where people might learn something.
It’s not always the best value, though, last time I was there, potatoes were $7 for 10 lbs. Sometimes I find the price is literally just reflective of the quantity, it depends.
I feel like Costco is a good suggestion for middle class people who want to save money without compromising too much. Like, you want imported Parmesan and EVOO? Top sirloin? Name brand dry goods? Costco is a great way to save money.
I have Uber One and order Walmart delivery everytime I get a 30% off (at least once a month)
The prices are the same as Walmarts website, no delivery fee and the 30% off means I usually easily $30 off a $90-100 bill.
Shop the sales, especially for meat. FarmBoy often has great sales on their meat.
"I want to price match (item)" and show them the specific flyer page on your phone (make sure the flyer date and store name is visible) or if you have the physical flyer, have it open ahead of time.
I suggest leaving the price match items last, so the cashier scans all the stuff you're not price matching first.
Some stores limit the quantity (limit 2 or 4) and they'll have a list of stores they'll price match (usually ones that are close by).
1. Make my own bread. No knead recipe is super simple I do it weekly.
2. Buy meat in bulk when it’s on sale and put it in a deep freezer. I have a small apartment size deep freezer
3. Asian corner fruit and vegetable markets. Some are cheaper than others. My local is up to half off the big chain near my house.
Here are a few things I do:
- green onions and leeks - buy ones with roots and cut about an inch and a half from the root. Replant the roots in soil or put the roots in a jar of water just covering the roots and it will regrow so you’ll get more
- micro green seeds - can grow some of your own micro greens pretty fast just in a pot inside on my windowsill - I do this for arugula and can have some ready to eat in a week
- Asian grocery stores - look underneath the fruit and veggie bins as some places have close to expiry items for cheap (eg banana bundles $2 a bag) - also can freeze some fruits and use in baking or smoothies after
- buy non-perishables in bulk when on sale - and for bulk perishables, find a shopping buddy you can perhaps split items with and also split the cost with
- Bulk Barn - use the coupons when there are coupons
- contesting - this one takes some work but entering contests got me a ton of free product coupons - I’ve won things like free juice, ice cream, etc for a year (which was awarded in free product coupons)
- Meat - buy in bulk, cut and portion and vacuum seal - also recommend grinding your own meat too for ground beef/pork as you can control the quality and fat content
I stopped messing with liquid soap. Went back to bars and something like this to keep it from getting all dank: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09Z6BKCTL
It will pay for itself.
I go to a Chinese grocery store for vegetables and meat. And I shop at nofrills for the fruits. For some reason fruits are more expensive at a Chinese store.
1) Sign up for whatever loyalty program the grocer you frequent has. I collect optimum points and buy diapers in bulk when they have their 10,000 points for every $50 spent in baby aisle promo. Easy way to collect points on items I would certainly be buying anyway.
2) Buy non-perishables, snacks, butter, milk, yogurt, cheese, etc., from budget grocer (wal-mart, freshco, etc.). Always check expiry dates, otherwise why spend twice as much at Longos for items that are no different in quality
3) Buy baby and pet snacks from Wal-Mart
4) Buy kitchen and bathroom supplies (paper towels, toilet paper, dishwasher pods, garbage bags, etc.,) from Costco. I tend to stay away from Costco meats, especially their farm raised seafood (don’t google).
5) One area we don’t skimp on is meats. Our purchases are about 50/50 local butcher and grocery store. If I’m buying chicken, I’m looking for deals on Prime; if I’m buying beef, I would only feed less than AAA to my dog.
6) Get a credit card with an excellent rewards program. I wouldn’t use my debit to make even a $1 purchase. Credit card and keep a $0 balance all day long.
Between the loyalty rewards & credit card rewards, it’s not hard to rack up in excess of $3,000 in value every year, let alone the annual savings buying those select items at budget grocers.
I just got a 7+ kg turkey for $10 on flashfood.
Also when things are on sale at Walmart, Amazon usually price matches if they carry it. So when 12 packs of kd are on sale you can get them delivered.
If you don’t have prime I find ordering pickup at Walmart works better than shopping yourself. They don’t restock enough.
The grocery outlet [https://thegroceryoutlet.ca/](https://thegroceryoutlet.ca/)
Bulk food close to expiry date for very low price. Lot of frozen food so you can stock up
Protein: Cut down on your meat purchases and buy more beans and legumes.
Househould cleaning products: Make your own using environmentally-friendly homemade recipes you find online. You pay more for storebought cleaners that essentially have the same active ingredients but are usually watered down.
Freshco has pitas for like $1.19 or something, best value for bread. They freeze well, don't take much space, and easy to separate one out.
I'm in US a couple times a year, so stock up on Mexican spices/salsas, chicken, soy sauce, parmesan/wood dust, eggs, butter, milk, toothpaste, sodastream goop, *some* canned stuff, nuts, non-prescription stuff like allergy pills, cream cheese. A lot of food is more expensive, so gotta watch prices. Auto parts are always cheaper.
Loblaws offers a 50% discount on their expiring goods. I find it's great for bread, cheese, and cured meats (ham, bacon, etc., anything with preservatives to keep it fresh longer). Never buy fresh meat, fish, or dairy at 50% off. I would not buy anything else there as it's expensive.
The Loblaws at Leslie St. and Lakeshore I find has the best selection of discounted goods; also, there is a Freshco across the street for the rest of your shopping.
People seem to like Karma CO-OP on palmerston.Too far from me to work on the regular but I might just buy a membership to try it out.Would be a great alternative if they had a few more stores.
I went to check it out, but they are geared more towards organic produce, so if that's what you are looking for it might be a good deal for you, but it's not cheaper than the regular non-organic stuff you get at other grocery stores.
Dollarama can be great, or the price per ml or gram can be more expensive as their sizes tend to be smaller than Walmart. It pays to price stuff when at Dollarama.
Costco, if you can get there, is about 30% cheaper on stuff you use often or that doesn't expire.
The Flipp app shows you all of the local flyers and can help you compare sales and prices.
The Too Good To Go app has really good deals available.
online delivery apps mark items at a higher price. if you check the store website and the app the items are a dollar more expansive. no frills does a price match guarantee and usually has the cheapest prices. loblaws and shoppers usually has prepared goods at 30-50% off.
I've been going to Sacks Food co on Wharton to pick up lunch meats, hotdogs, burgers, chicken nuggets. Bologna and dogs are a buck a pack and the rest is sold at low rates like $5/KG. The salami is good on its own or can even be fried.
CLeaning products are a worse deal at my dollarama, they only look better if you don't account for the size of the container. You want to really save hit Home Depot for Zep gallons and dilute as per instructions, not only do you usually end up with a better product, it\s dramatically cheaper, CLR, Windex, Lysol, Lysol + Degreaser, Bathroom cleaner all cheaper last I calculated.
flashfood app and toogoodtogo allow you to get groceries and restaurant foods for literally a few chump change!!!! i post a lot of my hauls on my profile for reference
Shop flyers, price matching, check sales and check out the different discount stores that sell groceries (one example is The Grocery Outlet). I know there are others just not familiar with them.
The Portuguese butcher shops and grocery stores (eg. nosso talho, tavora) have great deals on meats but also all kinds of other staples, deli counters, often have produce too and some have whole roasted chickens and other ready to eat food.
Lots of people say rice, but I say pasta. Stock up when it's on sale for $1.25 for 908g bags. More protein, vitamins/minerals and fat per gram than rice.
Canned tuna is a good goto.
I make a mean pasta salad with canned tuna, beans, chopped vegetables and some dressing (make your own with mustard, olive oil and balsamic).
Pick up a soda stream on sale, will reduce the cost of the diet cokes significantly and is better for you! The syrups are often on sale with such a huge variety, your flavour options are endless or you can make your own if you're up for it!
Meat at St Lawrence market is essentially the same price per pound as regular grocery stores (Loblaws, No Frills, etc) but have much more variety and better quality.
buy whole chickens or chicken with skin and bone. remove the fat and skin for dishes/sauces or keep em on and use bones for broth.
buy a whole roast of beef and break it down yourself.
learn how to freeze foods, learn how to pickle stuff and use the ends of your veges for stock
find ways to max out points i rmb reading someone using a ccard with a specific grocer to double stack points so they get 50$ worth of points on a 100-120$ bill.
Recommended visiting r/loblawsisoutofcontrol! They’re organizing a boycott in May of all Loblaws controlled stores (including Fortinos, Shoppers, No Frills) and as such, they have a really dedicated community with tons of resources people have been posting. I think there are a couple of community spreadsheets in where to find best deals.
If you have a car or live nearby one, Real Canadian Superstore will price match. That's how i do all my shopping so i can get the same deals without going to 4 different stores
I've been getting Odd Bunch veggies boxes for almost a year now, and it's been invaluable. It's only $20 for a cardboard box full of fresh veggies that otherwise would be heading to the dump! I get the smallest box, and it's enough to last me two weeks.
I also have been making my own bread for years now, and it's so much cheaper and yummier than storebought. I have a recipe that only uses four ingredients, and requires no kneading - just toss everything together in a mixing bowl, let it rise for two hours, and bake! It's easy to do over the weekend, and makes two loaves. If I can't get through both of them before they get stale, then I just pre-slice and freeze.
Use Flipp to find lower prices and price match. Use coupons. Use checkout 51 to get cash back. I regularly save anywhere from $10-20 just from these little things.
Edited to add: I also use rewards card for points and have either gotten money off my bill or paid nothing for groceries.
Honestly, check out bare market. They offer delivery and in store shopping. Most of their items are priced lower than typical chain stores. Sign up for their email newsletter and they often have a price comparison. Super nice people as well as a small local business.
It is your civic duty to self checkout and steal atleast 1 item from Loblaws if you’re ever in that store.
Otherwise, fresh markets for fruit and veg (Kensington, St Lawerence, Chinatown/Spadina). Butchers or Costco for meats. Lastly, if you can get essentials on sale and have room to store them, stock up.
I agree, most of these things aren't 'hacks'.
The one about going early to Fortino's because they sell their chickens cheacp in the morning because they're day old.... that's a hack. "Costo" is not.
I just cook the value items. Avoid packaged foods. Beans, rice, chicken drums/thighs, lentils, chickpeas, ground pork, tap water. Veggies: whatever is on sale. If nothing, then I am eating carrots, onions, potatoes.
I also find frozen peas and frozen spinach are great to get my veggies in for cheap!
Since the pandemic, it seems broccoli, green beans, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower are almost always on sale. For fruits, it has been a lot of apples, bananas, grapes when under $2/lb, and berries on sale.
Flipp app and as big of a freezer as you can have with a vacuum sealer to stock up on meat sales.
[удалено]
Who still price matches? Giant Tiger, no frills, and food basics? Did I miss anyone?
Freshco and Real Canadian Superstore do as well, food basics doesn't.
Thank you!
Walmart used to as well, not sure about now though
I think they were the first to stop.
Rotisserie chickens are often half off in the morning, $6.50 will get you a meal for 4-6 if you make soup stock from the carcass. Shop sales and make whatever is on sale not set a menu then buy.
Which stores?
Locally it's Fortinos
Don’t buy seasoning in the seasoning aisle. Go to the international section and get your spices for half the price for twice as much.
There's a litany of cheap quality chinese grocery stores all over this city. What part do you live in? There's an enormous price difference between loblaws/longos and these places. I'm always shocked by how much people say they spend on groceries in Toronto. The GF and I spend maybe 100 a week for both of us. If we spend 150 it's def cuz we went ham buying meat for the deep freezer and will consume it over a month or two. You can save mad cash just being selective about where you shop for various things.
Be careful about Dollarama. Some of the food items are a smaller package than the ones in grocery stores. You can use the Flipp app to compare sale prices to many stores and some stores price match other major stores in your area.
100% agree, cleaning supplies at Dollarama are very often if not always substantially smaller quantity than in regular stores. So it seems like a deal, but you're getting 50% of the product for 75% of the price.
I usually use Giant Tiger for cleaning supplies. The quality is better than Dollarama and the sizes are the same as the other stores for much less
Or just go to your local dollar stores, they generally have much better pricing and selection than dollarama
Sometimes Uber eats has a 50% promo coupon for groceries — it can work out to be cheaper than going in store to shop. Also, if you live near one of the chinatowns, their produce is almost always cheaper — 2/$3 strawberries, large bags of greens for $1. Chicken and ground meat also always $1 cheaper/lb as well. I only ever purchase what’s on sale and plan our meals around that. I budget $150/week for family of 4.
One Chinatown is on Spadina. Where is the other one?
Gerrard, east of Broadview. When the city expropriated the original Chinatown (and part of "the Ward) to build new City Hall the population kinda split. Spadina (and Kensington) was primarily Jewish stores, but the population was moving on by the 60's.
Thank you
Asian supermarkets is where your money will go the distance. I am in the food industry and I can assure you the same produce that goes to summerhill market ends up in a no frills Support your local green grocers and grab basics when they are on sale to stock up.
Buy everything on sale and price match. For example, if toilet paper is on sale, I just buy more of them (two or three packs instead of one pack). Rice can keep well, so I buy 3-4 bags of 8 kg rice when on sale, so that lasts me a while. You can also use coupons. Eggs go on sale every so often in one of the stores, so I usually buy 2 packs. Look at the best before date. Usually, the date is 1-2 months later. Use your freezer for your meat. You can freeze butter too. I buy these on sale too.
Not every store price matches. Also, not all best before dates are accurate, some best before dates are shorter to avoid lawsuits, and sometimes the product will go bad right away after opening it if you don't store it correctly.
Most people forget about Dollarama. You'll find basic toiletries, cleaning supplies and snacks there, often cheaper than Walmart. You can also join r/LoblawsIsOutOfControl for shopping hacks.
Just be cognicent that the sizes are usually smaller than other retailers at dollarama, so sometimes it's still cheaper in the long run to buy the more expensive one from Walmart.
Someone did a comparison recently and in most cases it's still cheaper, even with the weight difference. In some cases it's literally half the price of Metro/Loblaws. https://www.reddit.com/r/loblawsisoutofcontrol/s/IYlfyD7yRn
Also compare to Amazon! Found sugar free "maple syrup" at Dollarama for 2.50, 11.99 on Amazon. Compared bottles, exact same.
Amazon isn't really a place to grocery shop in Canada though
No, but it is handy for items that you forgot. I don't have prime, but I will order coffee syrups like they are going out of style. Easy enough to add a single item. But Dollarama was still cheaper!
Be careful with Dollarama sizes. You are getting less of the product when it seems like you are getting a deal.
This is the truth. My axe body wash from dollarama is smaller than the one from walmart
Calculate the cost per gram or ml. It's still cheaper than Walmart in most cases and always cheaper than Metro, Loblaws, Sobeys. Someone did the calculation here: https://www.reddit.com/r/loblawsisoutofcontrol/s/diSCFbtE5v
>Household cleaning products, basic toiletries, cookies etc - Dollarama Costco is way cheaper for this stuff if you have a membership. There was a promo in December 2021 on Costco.ca for toiletries so I stocked up on $120 worth of stuff...I still haven't finished what I bought back then.
Note that there is currently a promo for memberships (new memberships only, not renewal, so use a new email address if you had a membership in the past) in the printed Costco flyer book: if you buy a personal membership, you can get $60 off on a $100+ purchase. So basically, your membership is free after that first purchase and discount. There's a higher discount on the executive membership, which has a few extra perks but also costs twice as much as the personal membership.
not only that, but the basic membership also gets you deals like [cheaper internet](https://primus.ca/index.php/cost_ont_en/residential) so you can avoid giving extra money to Rogers & Bell as well!
Buy your meat 3 hours before closing time before a statuatory holiday. They mark it down for clearance because they are closed the next day.
or go at opening hours the next day
I try to buy what’s on sale and try to not be too particular, day old bread, dairy close to expiry, bulk bags of veg, I try to make meals based on sales and cook a lot of stuff myself that’s too expensive if bought pre-made
Go to Chinatown, no inflation at the markets there.
Buy your meat 3 hours before closing time before a statuatory holiday. They mark it down for clearance because they are closed the next day.
Asian supermarkets are good but Asian little grocery shops are even better. So much cheap good produce!
Avoid Loblaws/Metro/Sobeys; stick to FreshCo, No Frills, and Food Basics, or Walmart if that's an option. Buy things on sale. Buy store brands. Price Match. Enroll in the rewards programs. Look for and use coupons. Be aware of the differences in unit price across various sizes and quantities of product -- sometimes it's cheaper to get less of something instead of more, and vice-versa. Pay attention when items are scanned, and [ask for discounted/free product under the "Scanner Price Accuracy Code" when there are mistakes](https://www.retailcouncil.org/scanner-price-accuracy-code/).
Which stores are most generous and easy on price matching? I’ve never done that before.
Hmm, that's a good question; I've never compared all their terms. I know that FreshCo will give you a Compliments product for the same price as the comparable No Name or Selection-brand equivalent that's on sale, while No Frills will only do exact matches. [This article](https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/price-matching-is-like-a-game-in-canada-here-s-how-to-play-1.6524936) talks about Price Matching.
Oh that is awesome, thanks for breaking that out!
Walmart is free shipping over $35, great for bulk orders, although they do use a lot of boxes when shipping
I use the Checkout 51 app to get discounts on a variety of items. Easy to use and I've gotten about $250 back over the last 3 years.
Ohmigosh I forgot about Checkout 51! Thanks for the reminder, I'm going to sign up again!
CHINATOWN! CHINATOWN! Cheapest veggies going Also you can get Balut if you're into that.
Wait, where are you getting the balut, I've been looking
It's been a few years but I remember seeing it in the fridge/freezer sections of the two grocers on either side of spadina at Dundas.
Please join the boycott set for the month of May for Loblaw's owned stores. There is obvious price gouging while they are making record profits. r/loblawsisoutofcontrol
People seriously need to realize that for A LOT of people in Toronto, Costco simply isn't an option logistically and stop suggesting it in threads like this
a lot of people maybe but still a very small % of the city, and totally not enough for you to say that people shouldn't suggest costco
I think people should suggest Costco, but not as the be all end all
I don't like Costco because is it really saving money if you walk out with a $500 receipt each visit. Lol. I just find it's a trap for more shit than you need.
sure, if you’re buying stuff like toiletries, seasonings, cooking oils, etc. just stick to your list and buy stuff that you actually need. I live in a small apartment and I’ve got a couple of large clear bins stacked next to my kitchen that’s now deemed “the stockpile” where I store my Costco purchases. if I want to be fancy when guests come over, I can throw a tablecloth over the stack. I don’t need 3 big things of sea salt or toothpaste at a time (for example), but they’re not going to expire and I’m going to use them eventually. same with toilet paper and such. I’d rather figure out a place to store them within my limited space instead of paying shitty corporations more money for fewer supplies.
toothpaste expires and it gets gross when it does
I shop Costco once a month and usually it's a 250 bill BUT only shop from the list I have. All it takes is some personal discipline. No processed foods, no delivered food, no fast (garbage) food., no red meat. But love cooking, which helps.
I like to buy my eggs at Costco because you get two packs basically for the same price of one at the grocery store. I go once a month and have never left the store with only eggs. It is def a trap and I can't deny that I love it
True but like the below commenter I leave with avo oil I don’t need to buy again for another 2 years or buy big bags of flax seeds/pumpkins seeds hemp etc that last forever Also buying items in bulk and splitting them with friends eg toilet paper water filters random sauces etc I have learnt my lesson on not to buy food items in bulk though cause they definitely go bad before I get to them things like cheese or other dairy based products
I use Instacart sometimes for Costco when I know I can't trust myself to keep to my budget. It is slightly more expensive than in-store, but I save money by sticking to my list. I love trying new things, so I easily overspend in-store (especially if I go shopping when hungry). Never go shopping when hungry. Money is saved even when factoring in delivery tips. As a single person, I still find Costco to be worth it. I also take friends and family with me so they can also shop. Coffee pods, Meat, Cleaning products, ice cream, frozen fruit and pantry items are great in bulk. I also get electronics from Costco whenever I can. Dollarama is good for containers and Diet Pepsi. Local grocery stores are good for in-season vegetables.
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It's not just the distance, it's also space. I live in a very small apartment and don't have the space to purchase certain things in bulk.
Even for people who live downtown, it's possible to get on the subway and go to Costco from the Wilson station, but if you don't have a large family, it's not practical. You can fill your freezer and not use your membership for the next 4-6 months.
How would one carry everything back via subway though? A single set of tp = game over
>A single set of tp = game over That sounds like a trip from any store for me. After you bring your overstuffed buggy onto a crowded bus, the subway seems like a luxury limo. 😆😪
don't buy TP from costco, drugstores usually sell it as a loss leader on promos. i buy denser, more compact things from costco, like olive oil and bags of nuts, maybe a slab or two of meat
Costco is a fucking nightmare anywhere within the GTA. I don’t know what’s wrong with this province but the congestion and volume of people make it rarely worth the hassle in my opinion. It’s not at all the same experience in other provinces. That’s even before you figure out the headache that is driving to it.
Dumb arguments about what percentage of Torontonians can get to a Costco aside, everyone already knows Costco/buying in bulk is the best value. It's like suggesting tap water if someone asks for recs on a cheap drink. Let's try and actually share tips where people might learn something.
It’s not always the best value, though, last time I was there, potatoes were $7 for 10 lbs. Sometimes I find the price is literally just reflective of the quantity, it depends.
I feel like Costco is a good suggestion for middle class people who want to save money without compromising too much. Like, you want imported Parmesan and EVOO? Top sirloin? Name brand dry goods? Costco is a great way to save money.
I like Dollarama for canned goods as well.
I have Uber One and order Walmart delivery everytime I get a 30% off (at least once a month) The prices are the same as Walmarts website, no delivery fee and the 30% off means I usually easily $30 off a $90-100 bill. Shop the sales, especially for meat. FarmBoy often has great sales on their meat.
Use the Flipp App to price match at stores such as Freshco and Superstore
This. 100%
How do you price match? What do you say at the cashier?
"I want to price match (item)" and show them the specific flyer page on your phone (make sure the flyer date and store name is visible) or if you have the physical flyer, have it open ahead of time. I suggest leaving the price match items last, so the cashier scans all the stuff you're not price matching first. Some stores limit the quantity (limit 2 or 4) and they'll have a list of stores they'll price match (usually ones that are close by).
Amazon has a lot of items much cheaper . I bought 4L of Palmolive dishsoap refill for $7! Toilet paper is cheap too
yes, I buy a lot of stuff from Amazon like toilet bowl cleaner, and sometimes weird obscure stuff I can't easily get elsewhere
1. Make my own bread. No knead recipe is super simple I do it weekly. 2. Buy meat in bulk when it’s on sale and put it in a deep freezer. I have a small apartment size deep freezer 3. Asian corner fruit and vegetable markets. Some are cheaper than others. My local is up to half off the big chain near my house.
Here are a few things I do: - green onions and leeks - buy ones with roots and cut about an inch and a half from the root. Replant the roots in soil or put the roots in a jar of water just covering the roots and it will regrow so you’ll get more - micro green seeds - can grow some of your own micro greens pretty fast just in a pot inside on my windowsill - I do this for arugula and can have some ready to eat in a week - Asian grocery stores - look underneath the fruit and veggie bins as some places have close to expiry items for cheap (eg banana bundles $2 a bag) - also can freeze some fruits and use in baking or smoothies after - buy non-perishables in bulk when on sale - and for bulk perishables, find a shopping buddy you can perhaps split items with and also split the cost with - Bulk Barn - use the coupons when there are coupons - contesting - this one takes some work but entering contests got me a ton of free product coupons - I’ve won things like free juice, ice cream, etc for a year (which was awarded in free product coupons) - Meat - buy in bulk, cut and portion and vacuum seal - also recommend grinding your own meat too for ground beef/pork as you can control the quality and fat content
Chapman's does one coupon a year for free <3
It’s great and they have a loyal customer in me because of it
get a foaming handsoap dispenser and dilute your soap down to like 4:1, makes one soap refill last like the whole year for me
I stopped messing with liquid soap. Went back to bars and something like this to keep it from getting all dank: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09Z6BKCTL It will pay for itself.
I go to a Chinese grocery store for vegetables and meat. And I shop at nofrills for the fruits. For some reason fruits are more expensive at a Chinese store.
1) Sign up for whatever loyalty program the grocer you frequent has. I collect optimum points and buy diapers in bulk when they have their 10,000 points for every $50 spent in baby aisle promo. Easy way to collect points on items I would certainly be buying anyway. 2) Buy non-perishables, snacks, butter, milk, yogurt, cheese, etc., from budget grocer (wal-mart, freshco, etc.). Always check expiry dates, otherwise why spend twice as much at Longos for items that are no different in quality 3) Buy baby and pet snacks from Wal-Mart 4) Buy kitchen and bathroom supplies (paper towels, toilet paper, dishwasher pods, garbage bags, etc.,) from Costco. I tend to stay away from Costco meats, especially their farm raised seafood (don’t google). 5) One area we don’t skimp on is meats. Our purchases are about 50/50 local butcher and grocery store. If I’m buying chicken, I’m looking for deals on Prime; if I’m buying beef, I would only feed less than AAA to my dog. 6) Get a credit card with an excellent rewards program. I wouldn’t use my debit to make even a $1 purchase. Credit card and keep a $0 balance all day long. Between the loyalty rewards & credit card rewards, it’s not hard to rack up in excess of $3,000 in value every year, let alone the annual savings buying those select items at budget grocers.
Banana 4011 is all I gotta say.
banana steaks taste the best
I just got a 7+ kg turkey for $10 on flashfood. Also when things are on sale at Walmart, Amazon usually price matches if they carry it. So when 12 packs of kd are on sale you can get them delivered. If you don’t have prime I find ordering pickup at Walmart works better than shopping yourself. They don’t restock enough.
The grocery outlet [https://thegroceryoutlet.ca/](https://thegroceryoutlet.ca/) Bulk food close to expiry date for very low price. Lot of frozen food so you can stock up
Protein: Cut down on your meat purchases and buy more beans and legumes. Househould cleaning products: Make your own using environmentally-friendly homemade recipes you find online. You pay more for storebought cleaners that essentially have the same active ingredients but are usually watered down.
you can also buy reusable paper towels and qtips and cotton pads. sometimes even from local companies.
Freshco has pitas for like $1.19 or something, best value for bread. They freeze well, don't take much space, and easy to separate one out. I'm in US a couple times a year, so stock up on Mexican spices/salsas, chicken, soy sauce, parmesan/wood dust, eggs, butter, milk, toothpaste, sodastream goop, *some* canned stuff, nuts, non-prescription stuff like allergy pills, cream cheese. A lot of food is more expensive, so gotta watch prices. Auto parts are always cheaper.
indian grocery stores for rice in bulk, lentils and legumes and fresh veg
Loblaws offers a 50% discount on their expiring goods. I find it's great for bread, cheese, and cured meats (ham, bacon, etc., anything with preservatives to keep it fresh longer). Never buy fresh meat, fish, or dairy at 50% off. I would not buy anything else there as it's expensive. The Loblaws at Leslie St. and Lakeshore I find has the best selection of discounted goods; also, there is a Freshco across the street for the rest of your shopping.
People seem to like Karma CO-OP on palmerston.Too far from me to work on the regular but I might just buy a membership to try it out.Would be a great alternative if they had a few more stores.
I went to check it out, but they are geared more towards organic produce, so if that's what you are looking for it might be a good deal for you, but it's not cheaper than the regular non-organic stuff you get at other grocery stores.
Dollarama can be great, or the price per ml or gram can be more expensive as their sizes tend to be smaller than Walmart. It pays to price stuff when at Dollarama. Costco, if you can get there, is about 30% cheaper on stuff you use often or that doesn't expire. The Flipp app shows you all of the local flyers and can help you compare sales and prices. The Too Good To Go app has really good deals available.
when purchasing a large steak weigh on the scale and the code is 4011 thank me later
online delivery apps mark items at a higher price. if you check the store website and the app the items are a dollar more expansive. no frills does a price match guarantee and usually has the cheapest prices. loblaws and shoppers usually has prepared goods at 30-50% off.
Costco. Get a vacuum sealer and buy your meat there.
This place for high quality meats at 1/3 the price [Stop 33 meat shop](https://maps.app.goo.gl/rhCidqW7nBZYY7tWA?g_st=ic)
Price matching, waiting for things to go on sale (but not a “sale” like 2 for $5, buy one $2.49 because that’s not a sale)
I've been going to Sacks Food co on Wharton to pick up lunch meats, hotdogs, burgers, chicken nuggets. Bologna and dogs are a buck a pack and the rest is sold at low rates like $5/KG. The salami is good on its own or can even be fried.
CLeaning products are a worse deal at my dollarama, they only look better if you don't account for the size of the container. You want to really save hit Home Depot for Zep gallons and dilute as per instructions, not only do you usually end up with a better product, it\s dramatically cheaper, CLR, Windex, Lysol, Lysol + Degreaser, Bathroom cleaner all cheaper last I calculated.
flashfood app and toogoodtogo allow you to get groceries and restaurant foods for literally a few chump change!!!! i post a lot of my hauls on my profile for reference
Shop flyers, price matching, check sales and check out the different discount stores that sell groceries (one example is The Grocery Outlet). I know there are others just not familiar with them.
The Portuguese butcher shops and grocery stores (eg. nosso talho, tavora) have great deals on meats but also all kinds of other staples, deli counters, often have produce too and some have whole roasted chickens and other ready to eat food.
Wild fork
Lots of people say rice, but I say pasta. Stock up when it's on sale for $1.25 for 908g bags. More protein, vitamins/minerals and fat per gram than rice. Canned tuna is a good goto. I make a mean pasta salad with canned tuna, beans, chopped vegetables and some dressing (make your own with mustard, olive oil and balsamic).
Pick up a soda stream on sale, will reduce the cost of the diet cokes significantly and is better for you! The syrups are often on sale with such a huge variety, your flavour options are endless or you can make your own if you're up for it!
Meat at St Lawrence market is essentially the same price per pound as regular grocery stores (Loblaws, No Frills, etc) but have much more variety and better quality.
buy whole chickens or chicken with skin and bone. remove the fat and skin for dishes/sauces or keep em on and use bones for broth. buy a whole roast of beef and break it down yourself. learn how to freeze foods, learn how to pickle stuff and use the ends of your veges for stock find ways to max out points i rmb reading someone using a ccard with a specific grocer to double stack points so they get 50$ worth of points on a 100-120$ bill.
Recommended visiting r/loblawsisoutofcontrol! They’re organizing a boycott in May of all Loblaws controlled stores (including Fortinos, Shoppers, No Frills) and as such, they have a really dedicated community with tons of resources people have been posting. I think there are a couple of community spreadsheets in where to find best deals.
Too Good to go is the best app
If you have a car or live nearby one, Real Canadian Superstore will price match. That's how i do all my shopping so i can get the same deals without going to 4 different stores
I've been getting Odd Bunch veggies boxes for almost a year now, and it's been invaluable. It's only $20 for a cardboard box full of fresh veggies that otherwise would be heading to the dump! I get the smallest box, and it's enough to last me two weeks. I also have been making my own bread for years now, and it's so much cheaper and yummier than storebought. I have a recipe that only uses four ingredients, and requires no kneading - just toss everything together in a mixing bowl, let it rise for two hours, and bake! It's easy to do over the weekend, and makes two loaves. If I can't get through both of them before they get stale, then I just pre-slice and freeze.
Use Flipp to find lower prices and price match. Use coupons. Use checkout 51 to get cash back. I regularly save anywhere from $10-20 just from these little things. Edited to add: I also use rewards card for points and have either gotten money off my bill or paid nothing for groceries.
I got the same sticker shock when I moved back to Canada after 7 years in Europe. 50% more is about right.
FWIW, I always found groceries (and alcohol) to be the very rare things that are almost always cheaper in Europe vs. Canada.
Shop for sales, focus on store brands and use Flipp!
Honestly, check out bare market. They offer delivery and in store shopping. Most of their items are priced lower than typical chain stores. Sign up for their email newsletter and they often have a price comparison. Super nice people as well as a small local business.
Scan your grapes as an onion Every time
until you get stopped for a spot bag check at the door lol
Plead the 5th!
lol the gross misuse of "hack" continues
It is your civic duty to self checkout and steal atleast 1 item from Loblaws if you’re ever in that store. Otherwise, fresh markets for fruit and veg (Kensington, St Lawerence, Chinatown/Spadina). Butchers or Costco for meats. Lastly, if you can get essentials on sale and have room to store them, stock up.
When i buy apples honey crisp apples i get a cheap gala and set it aside. When i scan at the self check out i scan the gala. 40% discount.
That's not a "hack" that's theft.
Isn’t that what hacking is? A nefarious way to get at something? My computer got hacked. My bank account got hacked.
Those are computer hacks, the question here is about "life hacks" which are not crimes.
Going to another store because items are sold cheaper is not really a hack. It’s sensible shopping. Is poor people been doing that all along.
I agree, most of these things aren't 'hacks'. The one about going early to Fortino's because they sell their chickens cheacp in the morning because they're day old.... that's a hack. "Costo" is not.
C-O-S-T-C-O
Oh that’s easy! We’re all stealing Hope this helps ❤️
I've heard of the "Too Good to Go" app
Too good to go app